Rotary die cutting uses a cylinder die on a rotating press. Long sheets of material feed through the press as the die rotates to cut out shapes, make perforations or creases or cuts the material into smaller pieces. Rotary dies are either solid engraved or adjustable. Engraved rotary dies made from solid steel bar have high tolerances. Adjustable dies have blades that you can remove for easy replacement due to wear and tear.

A rotary die cutting machine can cut foam, foam rubber, foils and non-woven materials. The long sheets of material automatically feed into the die press, or you can manually feed the sheets of material into the machines. Rotary die cutting allows for quick turn around times, tight tolerance, large volume production and prototype or short-run production. Many businesses outsource their rotary cutting to commercial die cutting services. You can purchase equipment to bring this service in house as well. Consider the following as you think about the rotary die cutting needs of your business:

1. Use a commercial rotary die cutting service for high-volume processes.

2. Locate custom rotary die cutting services.

3. Purchase rotary die cutting machinery.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Outsource your work to a commercial rotary die cutting service

Commercial rotary die cutting services are for high-volume applications. Commercial services have the capability to combine die cutting with other processes. Using a commercial die cutting service will result in lower prices per cut piece.

I recommend: PAK-Lite offers commercial rotary die cutting services. It has been in business since the early 1970's. It serves several industries including automotive, sporting goods and marine businesses. A second commercial die cutting service is Can-Do. Its equipment for rotary die cutting is capable of processing foil, felt and foam products.

Employ custom rotary die cutting services for specific needs

When you have need of custom pieces, work with a rotary die cutting service that specializes in custom orders to get the job done right. Work with design and engineering specialist to create a rotary die that will cut within +/- .005 tolerances.

I recommend: SRP specializes in custom rotary die cutting production and has the latest rotary die cutting equipment and technology to produce precise large volume orders. Another company that offers custom rotary die cutting services is Custom Fabricating & Supplies (CFS), which has the capability to custom fabricate from a large variety of materials. It has the capacity to fill any sized order, from as little as 10 to 10,000,000.

Purchase rotary die cutting equipment for in-house production

When your business has a need for high-volume rotary die cut pieces, it may make sense to purchase the machines and bring the service in house. Purchase custom or standard dies from a commercial or custom die cutting provider.

I recommend: AzTech is a manufacturer of rotary die cutting machines that offers three rotary die cutters to choose from. Its site lists the full specs of each machine for quick reference and comparisons. Ttarp is also a maker of rotary die cutting equipment. Several options are available for its machines, such as air clean-out systems and wind-up units.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Unless your business intends to do an extremely large volume of rotary die cutting, it makes more sense to out source this portion of your business to save on costs.