At American Flexible Products, we provide expertise across multiple converting processes, including precision methods for cutting, splitting, slitting, and bonding. Each process has unique strengths, from edge quality and tolerances to production volume and material compatibility. Understanding the options can help you see what’s possible for your unique application.
In this article, we’ll explore custom converting solutions that transform materials like films, foams, adhesives, and laminates into functional components with the precise shape, thickness, and properties you need.
You don’t need to be a materials expert to get the best option. With more than 30 years of experience, our team is here to help you find the best solution for any application.
Tool-Based Cutting Methods
Some cutting methods rely on blades, dies, or knives to shear and shape materials. These processes are efficient and versatile, making them ideal for producing repeatable shapes at medium to high volumes. AFP has several tooling solutions for a variety of materials and applications.
Die Cutting
Die cutting can be used on nearly any flexible material, from gaskets and seals to insulation. Custom dies are precisely engineered to match the exact dimensions of your component. Once the die is created, it cuts materials into consistent, pre-defined shapes, producing hundreds or even thousands of identical pieces with exact precision.
- Best for medium- to high-volume production runs that require consistent shapes.
- Very fast production once tooling is in place, making it ideal for repeatable, high-throughput runs.
- Ideal for complex designs, multiple layers, and thick or rigid materials.
- Not used for brittle materials, 3D shapes, or extremely thick materials.
Rotary Die Cutting
Rotary die cutting uses a horizontal, cylindrical die to cut materials. Unlike die cutting, which stamps components vertically, a rotary die cutter stamps the shapes as they move through a press. It is ideal for thin materials like film, tape, and certain foams.
- Suited for high-volume, continuous runs of adhesive tapes, labels, or medical components.
- Best when the material is supplied in roll form and needs a consistent output.
- Due to the cost of tooling the rotary die, it is not suitable for prototyping or limited production runs.
Kiss Cutting
When comparing kiss cutting vs die cutting, it’s important to understand that kiss cutting is actually a specific type of die cutting, not a separate process. The difference lies in the depth of the cut. With kiss cutting, only the top layer of material is cut, leaving a backing or liner intact. This makes it ideal for products that require easy removal, such as labels, stickers, or protective films.
Contactless Cutting Methods
Rotary cutting and die cutting are done with tools that make direct contact with the material. While these methods provide excellent accuracy for many applications, some materials benefit from no-contact cutting. That’s where waterjet cutting and laser cutting come in. These methods use high-pressure water or lasers to make cuts without actually touching the material itself.
Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutting is a “cold cutting” technique used for precise shaping. It uses a high-pressure stream of water that doesn’t generate heat, making it ideal for materials that are susceptible to warping, hardening, or burning. For harder or thicker materials, the water can be mixed with an abrasive compound to improve cutting efficiency.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting uses a high-power laser beam to cut, melt, or vaporize materials. One benefit of laser die cutting vs rotary die cutting and other physical methods is the speed and precision. Laser cutting is ideal for quick-turn prototypes and tight tolerances. When comparing die cutting vs laser cutting, another benefit is that laser cutting doesn’t use tools or dies that can wear out over time. Likewise, because it’s a contactless process, laser cutting doesn’t distort the material.
Roll & Thickness Processing
One of the biggest advantages of custom converting is that you can order materials that perfectly match your specifications. A common way of doing this is to split materials into precise thicknesses or slice rolls of materials into exact widths.
- Slitting is the process of slicing wide rolls of film, foil, tape, or laminates into narrower rolls. Rotary knives or blades create precision cuts with minimal material wasted.
- Splitting reduces the thickness of a material by shearing layers off to achieve a uniform, controlled thickness. It is used on foams, laminates, rubber sheets, and other materials to create sheets or rolls to a precise thickness.
Lamination
If you need to make a flexible material thicker, stronger, denser, or more resistant to environmental factors, lamination allows you to do that. Industrial lamination combines layers of materials using heat, adhesives, or pressure to create a single layer with all the material properties you need for your application.
Custom Converting with American Flexible Products
AFP offers a full range of services for converting flexible materials to meet your specifications for size, shape, thickness, and material properties. With all the capabilities of custom converting, it can feel overwhelming to choose the right process for your project.
When you work with us, you don’t have to have a working knowledge of selecting materials or processing them into components that meet your specs. Our experts are here to help you select the best materials and processes to create the finished components you rely on. Contact us for a consultation with a materials expert today.
