We are going to be looking at a brief summary of a few of the popularly used slitting methods in the industry today. It is important to determine the most appropriate slitting method for what material you intend using before you go for a converting machine. This is because some of the methods would cause your material react in a different way and can lead to other problems which will hinder the progress into the next stem of the production process. This could be stretch in the material, frayed edges or more.
You need to be relaxed and ensure that the material is thoroughly tested before you can commence the purchasing process. It is highly recommended by professionals that the material be you get into the quoting process. You can contact reliable companies to schedule and run a material test on your in-house paper slitting machines for free.
Let’s take a look at the different forms of the paper slitting machine and the common methods employed thus:
Razor Slitting: this slitting method makes use of a razor blade to cut the material. It is one of the most popular methods of slitting. The material passes over the razor as it becomes unwound and gets cut. It is then re-wound onto a core. This methods is often utilized to cut materials ranging from non-wovens to wovens like films or plastics.
Shear Slitting: The female or male circular knives are made use of in providing a cut which has similarity in effect with that of a scissors. This method is widely used on no-woven materials, foils, films and on paper.
Score Slitting: this method is also known as the crush cut slitting. Here, a pressed knife is made to run against a hardened anvil shaft which is positioned to crush the material. It works ideally with several materials at the same time including the non-wovens.
Ultrasonic Slitting: this method uses a high ultransonic and high frequency slitting to make a clean edge. This prevents the material from unraveling. This method is quite different from the Hot Knife Slitting in that it also provides a tapered slit that will not lead to beading along the edge. This will also prevent the formation of a bulk along the edge as it wound back onto it’s core.
Laser Slitting/Sheeting: here the material is either vaporized away, burned or melted. This results to a high-quality edge and finish. Basically, this method is best in converting rolled materials into sheets.
Hot Knife Slitting: here, the material is passed across a blade that is preheated to a certain temperature. The temperature will depend on the make of the material. This method is quite common especially where rolls are expected and also where the material has a sealed edge which limits any form of fraying.
It is important to also seek the advice of professionals to learn more about the slitting methods. This will help you in selecting the most appropriate for your material and work when making a purchase.