Cutter (machine)
A cutter , also computer-controlled Textilzuschneidetisch , is a computer-controlled machine for the cutting of textile and non-rigid materials.
The basic structure consists of a work table of variable dimensions with a surface that is as flat as possible and a Cartesian (XY) coordinate system arranged above it for guiding the cutting tool holder (cutting head) . The working path (cutting path) of the cutting head is generated by the superimposed movements of the X and Y axes.
As a rule, the table surface has an application for fixing the items to be cut using a vacuum. The vacuum pumps and silencers are usually integrated into the work table.
Furthermore, the table surface is covered with a cutting pad made of felt or plastic material, e.g. B. occupied with bristle plastic tiles, which allows the necessary for a clean cut penetration of the cutting tools into the cutting pad.
This cutting support can also be designed as a circumferential belt that simultaneously transports the material to be cut into and out of the cutting area. When the cutting board is used as a conveyor belt at the same time, the work table is usually extended in the direction of the material outlet beyond the working area of the coordinate drive and thus forms an area for clearing the finished blanks.
A cleaning device for the conveyor belt is usually integrated into the structure of the cutting table. On the side of the work table on which the material to be cut enters the work area of the coordinate drive, devices for feeding material to be cut as roll or plate material can be attached.
The cutting head runs on the Y-axis of the coordinate drive as a tool carrier, usually with a tool change system, for holding several tools in quick-change tool holders at the same time. The tool holder can be equipped with a tangential control for active guidance of the cutting tool tangential to the cutting direction.
The tools are moved into the working position via another axis. Typical tools are driven or non-driven circular knives, oscillating stitch knives, non-oscillating pull knives, punching knives , milling tools and marking devices for marking the material to be cut using writing, spraying or labeling devices.
The choice of tools depends on the material used and the necessary processing steps. The tool carrier can also contain devices for suctioning off the cutting or milling dust and automatic grinding of the tools or a camera for checking the correct position of the material to be cut according to the pattern.
Cutting tools have repeatedly proven to be the best compromise for cutting textile materials. The use of water jet and laser technology for cutting semi-finished fiber products is generally ruled out because of the undesired entry of moisture or thermal energy into the material to be cut, whereas cutting tools made to oscillate by ultrasound are well suited for this.
The first CNC cutters were developed in the mid-1970s.