Cutting Chipboard / Paperboard

[plainblackguy]

We do quite a bit of print on demand chipboard printing and cutting. We use 60pt chipboard and glue a paper substrate to each side, then die cut it using an old fashioned die press. I'm wondering if any of you have ideas on equipment we should look at to upgrade this process?

We've looked at laser cutters, but they leave scorch marks on the printed surface. We're currently thinking about a Zund CNC cutter.

 

[jaed]

not sure about what equipment you might want to look into but if your going to look into a CNC machine you are going to have to look into a good air ventilation system because the router is going to make a HUGE mess of your shop. We do plastic board and paper on that type of stuff and it all had to go into its own room because of the mess. Good luck with what ever you choose.

 

[plainblackguy]

not sure about what equipment you might want to look into but if your going to look into a CNC machine you are going to have to look into a good air ventilation system because the router is going to make a HUGE mess of your shop. We do plastic board and paper on that type of stuff and it all had to go into its own room because of the mess. Good luck with what ever you choose.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[dabob]

I would need to know the shape, size, and quantity demand before offering ideas . . . more information is always helpful . . . your answer could be as simple as a cutter or possibly a PMC die cutter . . .

 

[plainblackguy]

I would need to know the shape, size, and quantity demand before offering ideas . . . more information is always helpful . . . your answer could be as simple as a cutter or possibly a PMC die cutter . . .

We do a few different sizes. Our most challenging job is a 3/4" square piece with rounded corners (1/16" radius). We cut 150 of them from a single 12x18" sheet, which is of course a lot of linear inches for a board die.

That PMC die cutter is something I've never seen before. Just watched a video on YouTube. Very cool. However, I don't know how we'd slice the chipboard down into bite sized pieces. Our normal slitters won't handle anything that thick, so we'd probably have to cut it down with our guillotine. The problem with that is that each customer usually gets just 1 sheet, so even with a preprogrammed job on the guillotine it's kind of a slow process.

Also, ideally we like to leave the 3/4" pieces in the sheet using nicks in the die. We we have additional steel rules in the die board that slice them up into 10 slugs with 150 squares each. Leaving them in the sheet for the customer to punch out makes them easier to handle, and less likely one will get dropped on the floor.

Thanks for your help dabob. I look forward to any additional suggestions you may have.

 

[dabob]

What is your old fashioned die cutter, platen press, or cylinder

 

[plainblackguy]

Roller (not cylinder), just roller.

 

[dabob]

roller????? can you give a link to see what it is????

 

[plainblackguy]

Why is that relevant? I've told you want I have, and that I'm using die boards. This isn't about what I have, it's about what else is out there.

 

[dabob]

I'v never heard of a "roller" press - so I don't know what you have . .. but would love to see about something I haven't seen or heard of

but if I were to take a shot in the dark I would say look at a smalish Heidelberg Cylinder - easy to set up, handles a lot of die inches - we have a 30" Heidelberg Cylinder and run it to death cutting out bottle hangers see:

Pressworks MAXimum Machinery :: Rebuilt Heidelberg K Series Cylinder Die Cutter

or for something a little larger:

Pressworks MAXimum Machinery :: Rebuilt Heidelberg K Series Cylinder Die Cutter