Speed
50 m/min
A foil slitting machine belongs in every profile lamination department. This is because the inhouse cutting and preparation of decorative foils for profile lamination offers great advantages. The variety of colours and profile geometries makes it impossible to always have all rolls in the right size in stock. The storage volume can therefore be reduced by flexibly cutting the decorative foils to size, while at the same time saving the cost surcharge for pre-cut films from the supplier. A foil cutting machine is therefore the centrepiece of the foil warehouse and should be of high quality and tailored to the respective requirements.
How does a foil slitting machine work?
The WTG.700 is a manual roll slitting and winding machine for decorative foils made of PVC or paper. The main foil log is clamped on one side of the machine, the foil is unwound, runs through the rotating slitting knives and is rewound on the other side on roll cores in the new width.
Before each cutting process, the disc knives are positioned by hand on the rotation axis according to the desired film width. These are pairs of blades, one cutting blade and one counter blade, which cut the film precisely lengthways as it passes through. A special knife key allows the blades to be securely fixed and positioned with millimetre precision.
The roll cores for the new partial rolls are pushed into the correct position via the rewinding shaft and fixed in place with a non-slip pneumatic expanding mandrel. As an option, the slitter rewinder can be equipped with a laser pointer on a measuring bar with a digital position indicator. This saves valuable set-up time as the roll cores can be placed without measuring.
What makes a high-quality film cutter?
What should you look out for when buying a foil slitter?
An industrial film cutter needs a robust frame made of iron and/or steel because vibrations or unsteadiness during the cutting process must be avoided at all costs.
Modern foil slitting solutions work with rotating pairs of blades. Static cutting knives can quickly become blunt and lead to fraying or tearing of the film. Rotating disc blades, on the other hand, adapt to the respective working speed and therefore apply less resistance to the film. The pairs of blades also have a self-sharpening effect. This means that the blades are always sharp and ensure precise and straight cutting edges.
An important aspect of high-quality foil slitters is the film brake. It must be easily and infinitely adjustable in order to keep the foil tension constant throughout the entire cutting process. It must be sensitive enough to build up minimum braking force but also strong enough to offer maximum braking force for a tight wrap. There must be no ‘stuttering’ or ‘jerking’ during uniform braking. WPR has therefore developed its own pneumatic braking system exclusively with the company Re to eliminate the most common errors in foil slitting:
Low foil tension often leads to telescopic rolls that cannot be processed correctly in the lamination process. Excessive foil tension results in elongation of the foil, which can cause micro-cracks in the foil’s protective layer. Particularly in the case of window foils, this initially invisible damage impairs the lifespan of the decorative film in outdoor use and might even lead to discolouration and thus to immediate complaints. As a further aid, the winding shafts of the film cutter can therefore be replaced by friction shafts, which also ensure that defects caused by incorrect foil tension are avoided, especially when cutting different film widths in the same cutting process.
The WTG.700 slitter rewinder can be equipped with an antistatic brush that removes any electrostatic charges. This prevents the plastic foil from becoming electrostatically charged during the cutting process and attracting more dust and dirt particles, which settle on the film and are trapped during winding. This is particularly useful in dusty working environments.
Uncompromising work safety
As with all machines manufactured by WPR, operator safety is paramount. It must be ensured at all times that personnel can operate the system safely and without risk of injury. This applies in particular to cutting systems.
This is why WPR’s foil cutting machines are always fully protected by safety systems so that the risk of injury is completely eliminated. In the case of the manual foil slitters in the WTG series, these are enclosed all round by a safety cage. This is fitted with a safety lock that prevents the safety grid from being opened during operation.
The quality of the foil cut has a direct impact on the profile lamination
We must never forget that the quality of the laminated profile is made up of the quality of its components and the expertise of the processor. Even if you buy the highest quality foil, if it is damaged during the cutting process, the laminated profile will also be faulty. You should therefore seek expert advice when choosing the right foil slitting machine. Because your purchase decision can have long-term effects on your products and your customer satisfaction.
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