Advanced Laser Dies supplies Engineered Ejection Rubber, which is  an ejection rubber pattern that is custom cut for each die. This product is also referred to as water jet rubber. A rubber design is developed from the die layout so that each area of cutting rule has the appropriate ejection material. The rubber is then cut on our water jet shape cutting system.  Because of this computer-controlled accuracy, many different benefits occur.

Each cavity in a die has the exact same interchangeable rubber pattern.   This ensures uniform ejection across the entire die. Each piece of rubber is offset from the cutting and creasing rule in the die by specific, controllable distances. This ensures proper cutting, and eliminates damage caused by rubber placed too close to knives. The die has a clean and uniform appearance, which allows quick and easy inspection for missing rubber pieces. When re-knifing or replacing a die, the computer program for the die ejection is simply re-run and completely identical ejection material is created.

The amount of time and the amount of skill needed to rubber a die is now greatly reduced. A map is provided showing where each piece of rubber is  to be placed on the die. The time needed to rubber a die can be reduced by seventy-five to eighty percent! We utilize Engineered Ejection in our own shop simply because of the amount of time we save on ejection installation. The improvements in make-ready time, product quality and press speeds are the benefits that our customers enjoy.

Why plan? Planning allows us to utilize past experience in order to improve. Planning lets us get things done ahead of time. Planning also lets us avoid problems before they happen.

Ejection’s main purpose is to push the diecut sheet off the steel rule after cutting. Ejection can cause problems though. Examples of problems  caused by ejection are cracking and flaking, crush (in the case of  corrugated board), broken nicks and slower running speeds.

Planned ejection places the ejection material far enough away from the  steel rule for the ejection to compress without distorting the steel rule or diecut sheet. There are quite a few new materials available to make this  easy to do.

Planning recognizes that different ejection materials should be used in different situations. Folding cartons and corrugated boxes require different types of ejection material for optimum production efficiency and quality. Special "Profile" rubber is used around nicks to support them and allow  them to be as small as possible. Various "Profile" rubber is available to fit a wide variety of materials. Other specialized materials should be utilized when needed, such as slot rubber in narrow cut-out areas.

Planned ejection can be used to reduce the vacuum effect created when diecutting at high speeds. These are all areas often overlooked when ejection is not planned.

The main purpose of nicks are to get the sheet through the press without falling to pieces. The traditional methods of nicking cause several problems.

Chisel nicking can create a burr in the steel rule which can catch and tear the diecut material. The chisel can also distort or damage the adjoining cutting rule, causing poor quality or incomplete cutting.

Hand grinding creates a "fish hook" effect because it is almost impossible for a human to hold a grinding wheel perfectly square to the steel rule. Most grinds go in at an angle, which catches the diecut material and tears at the nick. Also, most hand grinding is done with the ejection material in place, which damages the ejection material closest to the nick, just where it is needed most.

The result of both of these situations is the lack of precision in the location, width or depth of the nicks. The nicks are larger than they should be, and there are  too many of them. This causes slow running speeds and poor quality blanks.  

Planned nicking is done in the die shop, not on the press. The intended nick locations are etched directly on the dieboard. The nicks are placed in the  rule at those specific locations with a precision nick grinder, which can control the width and depth of the nicks and assure that they are square to  the rule. The ejection material is installed after nicking so it is not damaged by the nicking process.

When nicks need to be done at the press, a precision nick grinder should be used there too. The ejection material should be removed prior to  adjusting any nicks, and then replaced. This is not time consuming if either pre-adhesive rubber or super glue is used to install the ejection.

The results of planned nicking are minimum sized nicks and a minimum quantity of nicks. This leads to faster make-ready, faster run speeds and better overall quality.

In conclusion, wouldn’t it help in building a stripper or blanker, or in repairing or replacing a cutting die, to know exactly where the nicks are? Isn’t the goal in production to get jobs on and off the press more rapidly and with better quality?

Through planning and observing the results, then recording and utilizing  those results you have a powerful tool for continuous improvement in the diecutting process!  

Top of Page                                                                                                      Contact Us

                                                                Email Us