Plastic Die Cutting
Die cutting is used to make all kinds of shapes out of all kinds of plastic materials. In the case of thin plastic bags, die cutters can be used to cut out specially shaped handles. Thin sheets of hard plastic can be die cut with all kinds of shapes. Laptop keyboard plates and other faceplates for small electronics can easily be die cut. Employee name tags and keycards as well as other small plastic cards are often created by the die cutting process. While there is a very wide range of plastic materials that are candidates for the die cutting process, plastic bags make up the majority of die cut plastic products.
Quick links to Plastic Die Cutting Information
What is Plastic Die Cutting?
Plastic die cutting is the process of pushing a flat plastic sheet against a die-formed cutting edge, resulting in a plastic piece that resembles the shape of the die with which it was cut. A die, in the context of plastic die cutting, can be a specially shaped metal blade or set of blades, though plastic shapes can also be cut with lasers or other specialized equipment and still qualify as die cut parts.
Applications of Plastic Die Cutting
Plastic die cutting can be found in applications that require heat-sealing and fluid resistance. There are advantages to using plastic die cutting over other cutting processes. Plastic die cutting machines are high-speed, highly accurate and reliable. Important factors to consider when selecting a plastic die cutting machine include the throat, stroke, operating force, open height, maximum sheet width and maximum sheet length of the machine. Plastic die cutting can be performed on various thermoplastic materials, including polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, styrene, PVC, PETG, Teflon, polyurethane and many other examples. Although they can be die cut, acrylics and other less durable plastic materials may produce less than favorable results. Plastic is not the only material that can be processed by die cutting. Many kinds of metal, rubber, textiles and even wood can be processed by die cutters. In some cases, companies that offer plastic die cutting services also offer die cutting of other materials. Every die cutting operation is different; some smaller operations offer only custom die cutting in small quantities, while large-scale operations tend to offer stock die cut products in large volumes.