The Benefits of Rotary Die Cut PSA Tapes and Parts
Rotary die cutting uses cylindrical dies that are placed on a rotary press to cut shapes, in-line, out of a webbed raw material. These dies are specialized machine tools that can be customized to form nearly any shape, no matter how unique. After the die is precision tooled to cut the custom shape, it is used to cut through various pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape materials with extremely high precision, to create custom-shaped PSA tape parts that can be used in product assembly. Any thin PSA tape material can be fabricated in this way, including foam, metal and foils, glass cloth, PVC, plastics, etc., and these parts can be used in nearly any product, in any industry.
Because these machines use an in-line web-fed and cutting process, they are extremely efficient at cutting a large number of custom parts in a single production run. Although the process is not ideal for all parts and applications, there are several benefits to using rotary die cutting to fabricate custom PSA tape parts.
Cost and Precision
Die cutting, in general, is an incredibly cost-effective way to produce large runs of custom-made parts. Once the initial custom tooling and engineering costs for setting up the production line are complete, parts can be created in any number, with the cost-efficiency increasing as the number of parts made increases. Rotary die cutting in particular is a high-speed process that produces a large number of parts very efficiently. Once the production run is set up, and the system is running at high speeds, the labor per part is minimal. The process’s high repeatability and tight tolerances mean that part precision can be within microns, waste removal is efficient, and overall labor costs can be kept to a minimum. Turnaround time is fast for rotary die cut parts.
Customization with Repeatability
Rotary die cutting produces parts with extraordinarily tight tolerances and repeatability. The cuts are all made with the same die, creating uniformity in the parts that are produced. These results are highly repeatable no matter how many parts you produce or the length of time between production runs. The parts fabricated using rotary die cutting on day one will be the same as those created on day 100.
The customization options in die cutting are also limitless. Rotary dies can be created in nearly any shape. The depth of the cuts can also be tightly controlled, parts can be kiss cut on the release liner and provided on a continuous roll or as individual parts, multiple materials can be laminated together (ideal for working with different PSA types), liners and material can be easily stripped away, and parts can be created without or without liners.
At Engineered materials, we also offer nested parts— combining multiple pre-cut parts on a single sheet or roll of material—which maximizes material yield and allows for further cost reductions and faster assembly.
Easy Application
Rotary die cut parts can be fabricated kiss cut on a roll or sheet, making part removal fast. For double-sided tapes, there is the option of adding liner tabs on the secondary liner, which simplifies removal during your assembly process. Parts can be kiss cut to the base liner, keeping it intact and making for fast and easy application that saves on labor during production. We can also strip the weed away and knock out unwanted material inside a part perimeter, leaving your parts ready to peel off the backing and be applied quickly. Regardless of how your parts are die cut, they are far less time consuming to apply during assembly.
Rotary Die Cutting isn’t for Every Application
Depending on the size and thickness of the custom PSA tape products you need, as well as the quantity of parts you require, rotary die cutting may not be the optimal fabrication option for your application. We have many material converting and fabrication capabilities at Engineered Materials, so if rotary die cutting is not right for your application, we will still help you design and customize parts that fit perfectly.
When do we not recommend die cutting for our clients? Every project is different, but there are three situations where rotary die cutting is not the most effective or efficient fabrication option:
If you require tight part tolerances, need the labor savings or easy part application and/or plan on a higher production run, rotary die cutting is ideal for your application.
Thick Tape: we supply and fabricate PSA tapes in a wide variety of thicknesses, but not all tapes are ideal for rotary die cutting fabrication. The thicker a PSA tape gets, the less it should be considered for rotary die cutting. Extremely Thick tapes cannot be cut accurately by rotary die cutting machines due to the cylindrical nature of the die. Cuts will be visibly angled and uneven, creating tolerance mismatches between the part shape from top to bottom.
Dimensional Size: there are size constraints for rotary die cutting machines; some parts may not be able to be die cut based on their width or length. Rotary machines will accept roll good material up to a specified width which then constrains the part width. Similarly, the diameter of rotary dies is constrained by the machine specifications. So, part length, then, is also constrained.
Low Production Runs: from a technical sense, it’s possible to use rotary die cutting whether you are making a single piece or a million. However, the process becomes more cost-efficient as more parts are produced. Custom dies can be made in nearly any shape or size, but it requires an upfront cost (tooling costs and line set up time) that is not recommended for single, one-off parts, nor is it optimal for parts that have low production runs. Moreover, machine setup typically takes more material and time than other cutting operations. Subsequently, short runs will include these material and labor costs.