Knife cutting machines
MÉCANUMÉRIC manufactures and markets CNC machines for knife cutting and also water jet or laser cutting for all types of soft and hard materials. The MECACUT NL CNC knife-cutting machine is designed for cutting light or flexible materials. It has a very high processing speed for high-precision work.
Precision cutting
Knife cutting has nothing to envy from more recent technologies such as water jet, plasma or laser cutting. In fact, this traditional method of knife cutting has evolved. The new machines are equipped with high-performance digital controls, offering the operator better working conditions and cuts of impeccable quality.
This cutting system is suitable for a wide range of applications, thanks to the different tools that can be used. Depending on the thickness of the material and its type (more or less rigid), fixed, rotating or oscillating knives are used to obtain high-quality work. The cut produced is extremely fine and is equally well suited to leather, fabric, cardboard, foam and rubber.
The strengths of knife cutting
The main feature of this type of machine is its wide choice of cutting heads. The cutting head can be vibrating or non-vibrating. It can also be tiltable. The disc is non-vibrating. MECACUT NL has 60 or 90 mm diameter grooving wheels and a marking head.
Optimised footprint. Its compact size means it takes up minimal floor space. The pumps are integrated into the chassis to reduce space requirements. Narrow platforms for easy access to the cutting table. The system is designed for easy loading and unloading of workpieces.
What materials can be cut with this cutting system?
A cutting machine does not cut with high quality finishes for flexible and soft materials as well as semi-rigid materials. It is therefore possible to cut the following materials:
- cardboard
- rubber and rubber derivatives
- foams of all densities
- textiles
- leather
- adhesive films;
- rock wool, glass wool, etc. ;
- cork
- prepreg composite materials ;
- lightweight plastics, etc.
Note that these materials can be cut to great thicknesses.
How a CNC knife-edge cutting machine works
The operation of a CNC knife cutting machine is simple. It is similar to a CNC milling machine to which knives are attached. The cutting tool moves towards the workpiece. The shape produced depends on the shape programmed using the software supplied with the machine.
The operator programs the machine after designing or digitally importing the model of the part to be machined. The manufacturing process begins. An emergency stop system is provided in the event of a malfunction. The operator's work is therefore totally safe.
The applications
There are many applications for this traditional cutting process, which has become modern thanks to CNC technology. All types of soft and flexible materials can be machined, and this technique is perfectly suited to packaging (cardboard, adhesive films), the luxury goods sector and furniture, where leather and fabrics are processed.
The aerospace industry also uses this process to manufacture parts for sounding balloons and various satellite components. Knife cutting is also ideal for the land transport sector, particularly for interior fittings (cutting parts for seats, for example).