Because there are so many displays and signs which don't conveniently fit the dimensions of the material, and go beyond the capabilities of an XY cutter, there is a need for a capability that produces nested and step-and-repeat jobs, as well as contoured shapes. For many sign-makers, the basic parameters take them back to the days of vinyl cutters and routers with today's solutions being more advanced versions of familiar technologies. For everyone else, a die-less system is an extension to the printing process and one which is practical for short runs.
Print-and-cut or print-to-cut is a difference pondered by many wanting to add this type of in-line finishing to an existing workflow. As digital production diversifies and, indeed, contains increasing numbers of applications that are designed to optimise a sheet of material, so a typical paradigm for a display manufacturer is one that factors in cutting capabilities.
The world of integrated print-and-cut is dominated by two manufacturers, Roland and Mimaki, which have specialised in bringing out a range of machines that offer both capabilities in a single unit. Long the province of Roland, early solutions used thermal transfer technology and have evolved through wide-format ink-jet devices and back to the desktop with the neat VersaStudio BN-20 desktop machine. For Mimaki a combination unit has been a later addition thanks to a licensing agreement with Gerber Scientific for its cutting algorithm, enabling the company to bring some competition into this sector.
Mimaki has stuck to solvent-based inks for its smartly priced print-and-cut solutions that come in a range of sizes. Although Roland also offers a selection of machines using this formulation, one area of success for the company has arisen from the VersaUV LEC-330 and LEC-540 machines. Able to be used with a colour managed workflow, UV-curable chemistries and the addition of white and clear have resulted in interest from the prototyping and proofing sectors.
Investment cost and convenience of having a single machine doesn't take away the fact that, for laminated materials, the media needs to be removed after printing and fed back into the system for the contour cutting. While Roland and Mimaki are, not surprisingly, strong proponents of their integrated solutions, which work very well for many customers, others like Mutoh and Seiko I Infotech have not taken this route. Although manufacturers like these offer entry-level and relatively low-cost roll-fed units, they have kept their machines as printers only.
Moving up to the mid-range and high-end markets, print-to-cut caters for a wider range of materials, including textiles, that require this type of finishing. The essence of using separate units requires a separate investment, and probably some additional learning about optimising workflow. Away from hooking up a fairly standard cutter to an existing lower-end roll-fed printer, the options are largely geared towards handling rigid substrates as well as flexible media. Thus, space needs to be found to accommodate a flat-bed contour cutter which, as decreed by its requirements, is heavily built and powerful in operation, containing stable levels of precision.
There's a selection of routers, such as those from Tekcel, ITC, DYSS, MultiCAM, Spandex/Gerber and Axyz, which have the capacity to work with pre-printed materials using crop marks and cutting paths to effect accurate outlines and contours. But the two best known manufacturers in this market are Esko Kongsberg and Zünd, and these are the systems most likely to be seen accompanying installations of higher-end flat-bed and roll-fed printers in the display and packaging sectors. CNC cutting usually employs conventional tools for working with display materials, but companies such as Trotec and Spartanics will be quick to extol the virtues of considering lasers as a valid alternative.
For users contemplating an investment into some kind of cutting technology, the dichotomy between an integrated unit or separate machines depends primarily on the type of work being produced, the end material and, of course, budget. Roland and Mimaki have found their print-and-cut systems to be extremely popular among sign-makers and producers of decals and labels and it's not everyone who needs a more all singing and all dancing solution. But those working with rigid substrates for displays and packaging will find that an independent flat-bed table is better suited for their applications. Whichever the route chosen, it is clear that a reliable cutting technology is now as relevant as selecting the right printer.