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In modern industrial production, cutting is one of the indispensable core links in the material processing process. Whether in metal processing, paper, plastic film, textile, food processing, or in the packaging and printing industries, the cutting process is good or bad directly affects the finished product size accuracy, kerf quality, production efficiency and utilization of raw materials. The choice of cutting method is not only related to the structure and performance of the blade itself, but also involves the production line speed, equipment structure, material properties and cost control and other factors.
Blades can be cut in a variety of ways, from the principle can be divided into shearing, pressure cutting, rolling, scraping, die-cutting, razor cutting, indentation cutting and other types, each way has a specific application areas and advantages. In actual production, enterprises will often be based on product requirements, material characteristics and equipment configuration, flexible combination of different cutting methods, in order to achieve a balance between capacity and quality.
In this paper, we will start from the classification of cutting methods, introduce in detail the principle of each type of cutting method, applicable scenarios, industry cases and technical points; then discuss the logic of the selection of horizontal/vertical cutting methods; then analyze the conditions of continuous cutting and intermittent cutting; and finally put forward the effective suggestions for the selection of cutting methods.
Cutting Methods Introduction
In industrial production, the cutting method of the blade not only determines the processing efficiency, but also directly affects the accuracy of the finished product, the quality of the cut and the utilization of the material. Different cutting methods are suitable for different material properties and process requirements, so in practical applications, it is necessary to combine the type of material, thickness, hardness, and production line speed and other factors to select the appropriate blade and cutting method. The following is a detailed introduction to common industrial blade cutting methods and their application scenarios, to provide reference for the subsequent optimization of the cutting program.
1. Shearing Cutting
Principle: Shearing Cutting works similar to scissors in life, forming a certain angle between the two blades, applying local high pressure to the material through relative movement to make the material break along the shear line. This method mainly relies on the sharpness of the blade and blade gap control to ensure the cutting effect.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Metal plates (carbon steel plate, stainless steel plate, aluminum plate, etc.)
- Thick cardboard, corrugated cardboard
- Plastic plates (such as PVC, acrylic board)
Industry examples: in the steel processing industry, large shearer is a typical shear cutting equipment, can cut off several meters long thick steel plate in one stroke, commonly used in automobile manufacturing, shipbuilding and other fields.
Technical Points:
- Blade clearance: thicker plates require a larger blade clearance (usually 5% to 10% of the material thickness), thin plates require a smaller gap to ensure a straight cut.
- Blade angle: harder materials should be used to reduce the cutting force of small blade angle, but to avoid chipping the knife.
- Cutting speed: too fast to cause burrs, too slow to affect the efficiency.
2. Rotary Slitting
Principle: By means of one or more pairs of disc blades rotating in opposite directions along the width of the material, the material is continuously slit during transportation.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Slitting of paper rolls, film rolls, metal rolls
- Textile long fabric cutting
Industry examples: In the paper industry, large paper rolls are often cut by hobbing to divide the parent roll into smaller rolls of different widths, with neat cutting edges and high speed stability.
Technical Points:
- Overlap: generally controlled at 0.5 ~ 1.5 mm, too small may not cut, too large easily cause blade wear or material extrusion deformation.
- Blade material: high-speed steel (HSS) and tungsten carbide (TCT) is a common choice, the former cost-effective, the latter wear-resistant.
- Support rollers: High precision support rollers can prevent the material from shaking during cutting and ensure the straightness of the cut.
3. Straight Cutting
Principle: The blade makes a single cut on the material along a straight path, with the direction of tool movement being consistent with the kerf.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Shearing machine cutting metal plate
- Wood Straight Cutting
- Stone Cutting Machine
Industry examples: In the woodworking industry, the push table saw is a typical straight line cutting equipment, the use of the saw blade in a straight line propulsion to achieve high-precision board cutting.
Technical Points:
- Blade sharpness: Keeping the blade sharp reduces cutting resistance and material tearing.
- Blade speed: Hard materials are easily chipped if the blade is too fast, while soft materials are less efficient if the blade is too slow.
- Cooling and lubrication: In metal cutting, cutting fluid can be used to reduce the temperature and prevent the blade from annealing.
4. Drag Cutting
Principle: The tool is dragged along the surface of the material and the tip of the tool is offset at an angle from the direction of movement.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Advertising spray-painted materials (KT board, PVC film)
- Lightweight plastic boards, foam boards
Industry examples: In the advertising industry, CNC plotters are commonly used to cut the film according to the design pattern by dragging and cutting.
Technical Points:
- Tip depth: the cutting depth should be slightly larger than the material thickness of 0.1 ~ 0.2 mm, so as not to scratch the base plate.
- Tip offset: affect the accuracy of cutting corners, need to be optimized with software parameters.
- Cutting speed: High-speed cutting should be controlled with emergency stop and deceleration to prevent corner deformation.
5. Crush Cutting
Principle: The blade is pressed directly into the material to fracture the material by localized pressure exceeding the strength limit, commonly used for flexible materials.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Nonwoven fabrics
- Rubber sheets
- Flexible fiber materials
Industry examples: In hygiene product lines (e.g., masks, wipes), Crush Cutting enables rapid cut-to-length cutting.
Technical Points:
- Blade hardness: It should be 2~3 times higher than the material hardness to minimize wear and tear.
- Blade surface finish: the smoother the surface, the less burrs on the cut.
- Knife pressure control: too much pressure will compress the material fibers, resulting in an uneven cut.
6. Scraping Cutting
Principle: The blade scrapes along the surface of the material at an angle to remove a top layer or coating.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Tape stripping
- Wood planing
- Plastic skinning
Industry examples: In cable manufacturing, scraping tools are often used to remove the outer jacket for subsequent processes.
Technical Points:
- Blade angle: usually controlled between 15 ° ~ 30 °, too large easy to hurt the substrate.
- Scraping depth: must be accurate, otherwise it is easy to cut through the material.
- Blade material: high speed steel or tungsten carbide is suitable for high strength scraping.
7. Razor Cutting
Principle: Utilizes the sharp edge of an ultra-thin blade to cut material with low friction and neat cuts.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Tissue paper cutting
- High-precision film slitting
Industry examples: In tobacco filter paper cutting, razor cutting is widely used because of the smooth cut.
Technical Points:
- Blade thickness: usually within 0.1 mm, the thinner the cut the smoother.
- Blade replacement: Frequent replacement is required to maintain sharpness.
- Mounting accuracy: Prevents the blade from swinging and causing burrs.
8. Score Cutting
Principle: A tool or press wheel is used to indent the material to a certain depth without cutting it off completely, in order to facilitate folding and molding.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Corrugated box bending
- Plastic board bending groove
Industry examples: In the production of packaging cartons, indentation cutting ensures that the folding line is neat and does not damage the appearance.
Technical Points:
- Indentation depth: usually 30%~50% of the material thickness.
- Hardness of the indentation wheel: Prevent the surface of the material from being scratched.
- Positioning accuracy: deviation of crease position will affect the finished molding effect.
9. Perforating
Principle: Using a blade or punch to form regularly spaced holes in the material to facilitate tearing or folding.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Clingfilm easy tear
- Tissue break line
- Packaging box crease line
Industry examples: In the tissue paper production line, round knife perforating can process hundreds of meters per minute of easy tearing line at high speed.
Technical Points:
- Hole spacing and hole diameter: need to be adjusted according to the requirements of tear strength, general hole spacing between 2~5 mm.
- Blade shape: Serrated blade or punch mold can be used.
- Pressure control: Ensure to penetrate the material without destroying the overall structure.
10. Die Cutting
Principle: Using the knife line of a pre-made die, the desired shape is punched out of the material.
Applicable Scenarios:
- Box molding
- Insulating spacers for electronic components
- Stickers, labels
Industry examples: In the production of protective films for cell phones, the die cutting machine can punch out the screen contour and holes in one go.
Technical Points:
- Precision of the mold: determines the cutting shape and size tolerance.
- Blade sharpness: directly affects the neatness of the cut.
- Pressure uniformity: to ensure that all areas cut through the same.
Choice Of Horizontal Or Vertical Cutting Method
The difference between horizontal and vertical cutting is mainly reflected in the relationship between the direction of blade movement and the direction of material movement.
Horizontal Cutting: The direction of blade movement is parallel to the direction of material transportation, mostly used for continuous cutting of coils. Advantage is that the cutting speed, high efficiency, the disadvantage is limited by the equipment, cutting thickness is limited.
Vertical Cutting: the direction of blade movement is perpendicular to the material conveying direction, mostly used for fixed-length and shaped cutting, with large cutting depth, suitable for thick plates or hard materials.
Experience Recommendation:
For easily deformed, film materials, prioritize horizontal cutting with tension control system.
For materials with high hardness and large thickness, vertical cutting is preferred to reduce blade deflection.
Logic Of Choice Between Continuous And Intermittent Cutting
Continuous Cutting: The blade moves in synchronization with the material, cutting without stopping, suitable for high-speed production lines (e.g. paper, film, textile).
Intermittent Cutting: The blade cuts in the interval of material transportation, suitable for complex shapes or fixed-length cutting (e.g. die-cutting, punching).
Selection Logic:
- Choose continuous cutting for high-speed, high-volume processing.
- For complex shapes or high-precision processing, select intermittent cutting.
- Equipment structure: roll-to-roll production mostly continuous, sheet processing mostly intermittent.
From Which Aspects To Consider The Selection Of Suitable Cutting Method
In actual production, the choice of cutting method is not simply based on the type of blade, but requires a combination of various factors to evaluate and match. The following aspects are the key considerations when developing a cutting program:
Material Type And Physical Properties
The hardness, toughness, fiber structure or lamination of different materials have a direct impact on the cutting method. For example, sheet metal is suitable for shearing, while fiber fabrics are more suitable for rotary cutting.
Material Thickness And Density
Thicker materials require stronger cutting forces and stable tool support, while denser materials are prone to high temperatures during cutting and need to be coupled with cooling or lubrication processes.
Cutting Accuracy And Edge Quality Requirements
If the product requires extremely high requirements for kerf flatness, burr control or shape accuracy, high precision methods such as precision rotary cutting should be prioritized.
Equipment Conditions And Automation Level
Cutting methods are also limited by the performance and configuration of existing equipment. For example, some automated production lines can support continuous rotary cutting, while conventional equipment may only be able to perform reciprocating cutting.
There is a wide variety of cutting methods for industrial blades, each of which has its own unique application value and technical requirements. The correct choice of cutting method should not only consider the material properties, product precision, but also combine the equipment conditions and blade performance. For enterprises, the scientific cutting method can not only enhance the capacity and quality of finished products, but also reduce tool loss and production costs. In production practice, the flexible use of shear, roll cutting, pressure cutting, die cutting, razor cutting and other methods, and through reasonable blade maintenance and parameter optimization, in order to maintain process advantages and stable product quality in the fierce market competition.
