Rotary Die Cutting and The Cardboard Industry
It is almost impossible not to see and use cardboard daily. From shipments of items to houses and stores to food and product packaging, cardboard is everywhere you turn. How popular is cardboard in our modern world?
According to the Recycling Partnership, the United States alone uses around one hundred billion cardboard boxes each year, making it the most recycled paper product in the country. The packaging industry is the largest cardboard user, accounting for over half of global demand. Cardboard is used to produce boxes, containers, and other packaging materials for a variety of products, including consumer goods, electronics, and food.
Rotary Die Cutting
Rotary die cutting is responsible for producing much of the cardboard we see and use daily, including cardboard boxes, packaging materials, and other products. In the packaging industry, rotary die cutting is commonly used to produce boxes and containers of assorted sizes and shapes, as well as custom packaging solutions such as custom inserts and dividers.
The rotary die cutting process begins by selecting the appropriate material for the project. The material is typically corrugated for cardboard, consisting of three layers of paper – a wavy inner layer sandwiched between two flat outer layers. The material is then fed through the rotary press, where it is cut and shaped by the rotary die.
During the rotary die cutting process, the die is mounted on a rotating cylinder driven by a motor. The rotary die may also be equipped with additional tools, such as punches, to create other features or shapes in the material.
Rotary die cutting is a highly efficient and precise process that allows the mass production of custom cardboard products. It is used by many industries, including packaging, printing, and consumer products, to produce various products, including boxes, packaging materials, labels, and promotional materials.