The working principle of a die-cutting machine involves using steel blades, metal dies, and steel wires (or templates carved from steel plates) to apply a specific pressure through a printing plate, thereby cutting printed materials or cardboard into predetermined shapes. When the entire printed material is cut into individual graphic products, this process is referred to as die-cutting. If steel wires are used to create impressions or score creases on the printed material, the process is called scoring. When two complementary dies—positive and negative—are heated to a specific temperature and used to hot-stamp patterns or fonts with a three-dimensional effect onto the surface of the printed material, this technique is known as foil stamping. If one substrate is laminated onto another substrate, the process is called lamination. Finally, the removal of all parts except the genuine product is referred to as waste removal. All of these processes collectively fall under the umbrella term “die-cutting technology.”

Die-cutting and creasing technology

With the development of society and the increasing consumer demand for higher-quality product packaging, die-cutting and creasing technology has emerged. This technology is suitable for finishing various types of printed materials and directly influences the market image of products. Mastering traditional die-cutting and creasing techniques and developing new die-cutting technologies can effectively enhance the competitiveness of printing enterprises.

Die-cutting and creasing technology is a collective term encompassing two primary processing techniques: die-based creasing and die-based cutting. The underlying principle involves applying varying degrees of pressure within a precisely shaped die, causing the printed substrate paper to undergo compressive deformation or to fracture and separate. The main components of a die-cutting and creasing machine are the die-cutting plate table and the cutting mechanism. The material to be processed is positioned between these two components, and under pressure, it undergoes the finishing process of die-cutting. Die-cutting and creasing plates come in various types, each paired with a corresponding cutting mechanism, which classifies die-cutting machines into three basic types: flat-to-flat, round-to-flat, and round-to-round. Flat-to-flat die-cutting machines, in turn, are further divided into vertical and horizontal types.

Flat-to-flat die-cutting machine

The platen and the pressure-cutting mechanism of this die-cutting machine both have a flat, plate-like structure. When the platen and the pressure plate are in a vertical position, the machine is classified as a vertical flat-to-flat die-cutting machine. During operation, the pressure plate is driven by a transmission mechanism to press against the platen, thereby applying pressure to it. Based on the different motion trajectories of the pressure plate, die-cutting machines can be divided into two types: one in which the pressure plate swings around a fixed hinge, and another in which the pressure plate first swings and then translates horizontally under the drive of a connecting rod to press against the die-cutting plate.

The vertical flat-bed die-cutting machine boasts advantages such as simple structure, convenient maintenance, ease of operation, and easy replacement of die-cutting and creasing plates. However, it involves relatively high labor intensity and has low production efficiency. In the horizontal flat-bed die-cutting machine, both the plate table and the pressure plate have horizontally oriented working surfaces; the pressure plate is driven by a mechanism to move upward and press against the plate table for die-cutting and creasing.

The rotary flatbed die-cutting machine mainly consists of a reciprocating flat plate table and a rotating cylindrical pressure roller. Depending on the different rotational patterns of the pressure roller during one working cycle, this type of die-cutting machine can be classified into several types, such as stop-rotation, single-rotation, and double-rotation. In the rotary rotary die-cutting machine, both the plate table and the die-cutting mechanism are cylindrical. During operation, the paper feed roller feeds the cardboard between the die-cutting plate cylinder and the pressure roller, where it is clamped by the two cylinders for die-cutting.

Currently, advanced die-cutting equipment is evolving toward fully automated integration of printing and die-cutting processes. This combined printing and die-cutting machinery consists of four main sections: the feeding section, the printing section, the die-cutting section, and the output section. The feeding section intermittently feeds cardboard into the printing section, which can be equipped with printing units ranging from 4 to 8 colors. The die-cutting section can utilize either flat-bed die-cutting machines or rotary die-cutting machines, both of which are fitted with waste-removal devices. The output section collects and organizes the products after the die-cutting process is complete, then delivers them for further processing, enabling high-speed, continuous operation.

Roll-fed die-cutting machines come in two main types: rotary-to-rotary and flatbed-to-flatbed. The flatbed-to-flatbed roll-fed die-cutting machine performs die-cutting and creasing by feeding the roll stock paper; it can operate either offline or online. In the in-line processing mode, the die-cutting machine is connected directly to the printing press, forming an integrated production line that starts from the roll stock sheet. This approach can reduce the number of operators; however, since the printing press typically runs at a higher speed while the die-cutting and creasing machine operates at a lower speed, the two speeds cannot be matched, forcing the printing press to slow down.