Rotary Die Cut Tooling
Rotary converting production is done for the most part with two kinds of tools:
- Regular rotary dies, which can be hardened or unhardened die
- Flexible dies
All kinds and device-types have their benefits and limitations. Taking these into consideration the optimal choice can be made.
Hardened rotary die:
Benefits:
- longest lifetime (depending on part shape and cavities around can cut up to 5 million pieces)
- can be resharpened or repaired
- shock-air function is available for small hole waste removal
- ideal for big volume mass production especially for complex parts
- rough materials can be cut (pvc, copper foil etc.)
- depending on material can cut up to 2mm thickness
Limitations:
- the manufacturing of a die is 10 working days
- if edges are too close to each other tool can break easily
- tools can be expensive
- small holes are only available above 1.2mm diameter
Unhardened rotary die:
Benefits:
- the manufacture of a die is 3-5 working days
- more economicallz priced than hardened dies
- ideal for small volume samples when distance between parts is important and a flexible die not possible to make
Limitations:
- tool lifetime is very short (2000-10000 pieces)
- shock-air system is not available
- cannot cut rough material
- cannot be repaired
Flexible die:
Benefits:
- manufacturing of die is 2-3 working days
- relatively cheap
- acceptable lifetime (3-600000 pieces)
- damages harder than regular hardened die
- ideal for thin parts if volume is not too high
Limitations:
- can be applied only together with magnetic die
- distance between parts is restriced by the circumference of magnetic die
- maximum part thickness is 1.0mm
- cannot be repaired
- cannot be re-sharpened
- minimum edge distance is 1.2mm
- no shock-air function