Posts

What You Need to Know About Cutting Die Design

Great dies start at the design!

Die cutting manually or electronically? Whichever process you take, you need dies to feed though. But right before we get to learn more about Cutting Die Design, it is best to first define what Die is.

Is die cutting something new to you or is it something familiar? Are you someone who may need more clarification about what this is and what cutting die designs are? 

Die cutting is actually a broad term and to fully comprehend what it is, what its designs are, and how this works, it would be best for us to narrow down the scope to understanding what Die means. 

What is a Die?

Die is an engraved stamp for impressing designs upon a softer material. Today in manufacturing, dies are used to create all sorts of products from small items like paper clips to complex pieces used in machinery.

The dies in die cutting are metal-shaped objects with a high, sharp area for cutting. The appearance and the effects are similar to cookie-cutters and its shape are the shape reflected on the paper that will be cut out. There are different types of dies; Steel-rule die is one that’s sharp and protected with plastic or foam for safety purposes. It is designed to cut thicker materials or multiple cuts in one go and more durable.

What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Cutting-Die-Design-1

From circles, squares, to very complicated or detailed lacy ones, Dies also comes in a wide range of sizes and designs.

Cutting die design includes a detailed work order identifying specific materials, machines, and information process such as bolt pattern, scrap, stripping, among others, applicable according to customer specifications.

How Cutting Die Design works?

What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Cutting-Die-Design-2

Very Simple!

For manual or electronic machines, die is placed on your cutting material e.g paper/card, often taped and pressed between two plates. The whole ‘sandwich’ passes through the die-cutting machine, sequentially cutting out the design.

For computerized machines, die designs are either built into the machine rather than using physical dies. At times, the machine is connected to a computer with a stock of images loaded onto it.

Die cutting is a highly-skilled, meticulous task that requires a great deal of attention to detail and knowledge expertise that is why teaming up with the leader of Die Supply Industry, International Cutting Die (ICD), makes business unstoppable and ready to take on the next level of success.

International Cutting Die (ICD) offers a wide variety of capabilities to meet your most challenging die cutting needs!

Our Services: www.icd-inc.com/services/

Contact us at (708) 343 3333 or email info@icd-inc.com for further queries.

Die Rebuilding and Remanufacturing Services

The die-cut products today depend on high-volume designs, raw materials, skilled production workers, and some form of rolling platform. A die cutting machine forms the approaching line of blanks into a scored and cut form at the core of the operation, a refined shape that requires another processing station to do the folding. All processing stations mesh nicely, but when the die-cutting heart fails, this entire line grinds stops. 

These are some of the common causes of failures:

  • Cutting Dies Breakage. The machine must be taken out of the service if the die is damaged or broken. Proper service is required and dies fracture must be fully welded and re-tempered.
  • Die lifespan Issues. Die failed repeatedly when the volume of the operation rises and works efficiently for only a short period of time.
  • Wear and Tear. Pressure applied by the anvil parts combines with the number of blanks passing through the die-cutting device to weigh heavily on the die, aligned die elements are knocked out of form and distorted by blank material hardness.
  • Cutting Results are Inconsistent. A worn die with a dull cutting edge produces unpredictable results of kiss-cutting, most of which are substandard. The inner system tears up expensive sheets of paper and countless blanks.

Rebuilding and Remanufacturing of used machines are essential to ensure they get the most use possible out their equipment. The entire machine and components cleaned and stripped bare also, inspected for defects, wear, and shortcomings.

What is Die Rebuilding and Remanufacturing Service?

Die Rebuilding Service is disassembling the existing die cutting machine. This method inspects all the parts while replacing those worn beyond repair. On the other hand, Die Remanufacturing Service is used when Cutting Die Machine involves replacing most of the entire system of the machine for about 80-85%.

When finished rebuilding Die Cutting Machine it is stored to the original OEM manufacturing specifications, and it’s the most economical choice available. And also, the machine is equal to good as new upon remanufacturing with new machine technology which exceeds current OEM Specifications. It’s an inexpensive alternative to purchasing a new machine. 

Rebuilding involves mechanical while remanufacturing involves rebuilding with some additional engineering upgrades, and can take considerable effort and time, months in some cases.

When things go seriously wrong call an expert for rebuilding or remanufacturing service, die-cutting is a unique resource and uses many moving parts and meshing forces that must always have consistent results.

ICD International Cutting Die manufacturer for all machine lines and recondition dies from any supplier. Our typical turnaround time is five business days, ICD extends your dies life, ensures proper functionality, and exceeds OEM specifications.

Contact us for further queries at 708-343-3333 or email your queries to info@icd-inc.com.

Your Guide in Choosing a Die Cutting Machine

Die Cutting is a procedure used in many distinct industries to cut paper with the aid of pressing a die built of knife-area blades into the paper. It is a beneficial tool in designing promotional substances, point of sale and packaging mainly whilst larger quantities required.

What is Die Cutting Machine?

A Die Cutting Machine is a machine that is used to cut materials, such as paper, chipboard, fabric, thin plastic and many more. This machine is the cookie cutters of the arts and crafts world since they punch out shapes from flat materials. It provides uniform shapes with clean edges in a more efficient manner than hand-cut pieces.

Factors to consider when buying die cutting machines:

  • Type of machine (Manual or Automatic) – in case you are working to a budget, manual cutting machines are the way to go. Because of the lack of wires, they are very portable and far easier to apply than the more expensive electronic cutting machines. A manual machine works by feeding the material through the slot where it is then either cut or embossed.
  • Cost – die cutting machines can cost from $50 for a basic manual operated machine up to  $1000 for a top end electronic cutting machine. Typically, the more expensive the machine, the more powerful it is. If you plan on using a machine a lot, it’s essential to find something that fits your desires that is easy to work with.
  • Materials and Versatility – consider the project you will be creating with a die cutting machine and the kinds of materials that will be cut. Heavy duty machines are able to cut a greater variety of materials. If you will be cutting mostly with paper-based materials, it might not make sense to invest in a heavy duty machine.
  • Ease of use (Software and Support) – Even when you have the quality of die cutting machine, it may be frustrating to use the machine if the software has a high learning curve or you can’t get support. Research the software that comes with the machine and sees what kind of tutorials are there. Also, research the company selling die cutting machine. 
  • Size and Portability – size and profitability may be a factor. Do you have a small working area? Are you going to cut large materials that require larger cutting width? When buying a die cutting machine, you must have to consider the weight of the machine. In such a case that you might be planning on traveling with the machine often, then you will have to buy for a small one.

You need to consider the quality of the machine. In most cases, the best thing to do is to go with a well-known brand. As a customer, you should always consider reading the review about the machine before purchasing to make sure that it is well-designed and easy for you to use. 

Choosing the right die cutting machine may be a great way to take your crafting to the next level. When you invest in a high-quality machine, you’ve got many greater options when it comes to decorating your crafts. If you are interested in purchasing a quality die cutting machine, the International Cutting Die will help you compare the most popular models on the market. 

For inquiries call us at 708-343-3333 or email to info@icd-inc.com

Factors to Consider in Choosing the Right Die Supplier

Selecting the right supplier for your die includes scanning a number of price lists and searching for a quality that fits your standard. Your choice will depend on a variety of factors including value for money, quality, reliability, and service. 

By selecting the right ones, your emerging business will be able to equip itself with the tools needed to deliver a specialized service or align the shelves with great products that create sustainable margins.

Things to consider which will help you find the right kind of supplier:

  1. Expertise and Experience – Before deciding on getting a die cutting supplier, the first thing you should do is to research these things. Experience is a precious tool. The die supplier company you choose must have a considerable amount of field experience. An experienced company will easily be able to cater to your requirements, and even offer customized products and look after the installation. However, you should not just settle with the experience. Adequate knowledge along with a flair for innovation is also very essential. The company needs the latest tools available in the market, and an expert team to handle them.
  2. Products – What products are you looking for? An efficient and competent supplier will offer you a range of commercial products as well as industrial components. Some of a die cutting supplier’s most popular products are threaded rods, circles, disks, spacers, washers, insulators, seals, gaskets, and corrugated containers. Take a look at the portfolio of the company you choose. You will be able to know all about their products by reading the experiences of previous customers.
  3. Price and Performance – Cost-effectiveness also comes into play as an important factor. Die cutting requires accuracy and is a time-consuming and costly affair. Therefore, do not choose a supplier with die cutting whose price range is just too good. You must ensure that the service offered by the supplier does not compromise on the quotient of performance and quality. You need to find products at an economical rate, not only with a good final finish. Look for suppliers who will be offering affordable high-quality products.
  4. CNC Machining and Die Cutting – Computer-helped die cutting machine is a very popular trend these days. Form plastic die cutting to metal die cutting – computer-aided cutting designs are in use almost everywhere. It is a technique that attracts attention as the use of computer technology improves the accuracy of production. In this technique, the rate of productivity faces an upturn as dependence on manual labor decreases.

The most efficient suppliers are those offering products or services that match or exceed your business needs. So when you’re looking for suppliers, it’s best to be sure of your business needs and what you want to accomplish by buying instead of just paying for what suppliers want to sell you.

The type of materials you cut is very important to get your work done when choosing the right company. Every die cutting vendor you contact will have specific core skills. Make sure they have previous experience with your material and the right die cutting equipment to process the substrate most efficiently.

Here at International Cutting Die, Inc. we have a team of skilled professionals and known as the rising above current standards in the die supply industry.  We know if you speak with us about your project our experience, professionalism, and capabilities will convince you that we are that partner. Contact us at 708-343-3333 or email to info@icd-inc.com.