Automatic Fabric Cutting with Incremental / Progressive Feed

The most commonly used cutting process for cutting fabric is known as a “progressive feed” or “incremental” press.

This SCHWABE Straight Ram Hydraulic Beam Press is outfitted with a DieVac™ system. With the addition of a fully automated DieVac™ system, this SCHWABE Straight Ram Beam Press cuts with the same incredible accuracy of a single-stroke press.

Advantages of Die Cutting Fabric

• 100% cutting accuracy
• Almost zero scrap parts
• Tremendous productivity
• Excellent fabric utilization
• Occupies less floor space than other systems
• Material will not move while cutting
• Pattern complexity immaterial to productivity. All interior blades and punches cut simultaneously
• CAD pattern nesting utilized
• Each ply is consistently cut, top to bottom
• Can easily cut 250,000 linear inches of material per minute

Materials:

• Tri-laminates 
• Bi-laminates
• High nap velours
• Stretchy polyesters
• Quilted material
• Vinyls
• Satins
• Sponge or foam filled material

Watch machine demo video on Freeman Schwabe YouTube channel

Progressive Feed / Incremental Die Cutting with DieVac™ System

SCHWABE USA Straight Ram Hydraulic Beam Press with DIEVAC® cutting system

1. The material to be cut is stacked atop the die. This is done offline while previously prepared dieboards are run through the press

2. When loaded with material, the dieboard is transferred to the press via roller tables.

3. The press lowers the DieVac™ hood over the entire material-laden die, and all the air is quickly removed by a powerful vacuum.

4. The preloaded dieboard and hood enter the press as a single unit, and pressure is applied incrementally along its length as it moves through the press.

5. The dieboard exits the press with the pieces accurately cut, and the hood is removed. Total cycle time is 1.5 min.

6. The dieboard is transferred to a picking table where the cut pieces can be removed. Meanwhile, the next dieboard is being run through the press in the same continuous cycle.

The force of the vacuum creates a firm block of material that does not shift during the cutting process. The vacuum remains constant until the cutting is complete.
The result is clean, accurate, cut parts every time.

Quality Advantages

Die Cutting

• Quality:
  High standards, low reject, and ease of sewing
  Well suited for pour-in-place technology
  Less steaming and finessing to achieve good appearance
  More consistent covers and build
  Fewer ongoing issues (looseness, wrinkles, wavy sews, tightness) because of poor quality n/c cut parts
  Well defined notches
  Consistent hole size with perfectly round shape
  Perfect top to bottom ply comparisons
  Very low rejection rate
  Ease of sewing resulting in faster sew cycles and improved quality

NC Cutting

• Quality:
  Lower standards due to machine variables
  Inconsistent covers and build
  Quality Issues (looseness, wrinkles, wavy sews, tightness) because of poor quality n/c cut parts
  Notches are not consistent
  Limited drill hole size (usually 2 per head)
  Blade cut holes are not round
  Substantial difference in top to bottom ply comparisons
  Very high rejection rate (especially for PIP parts)
  Difficult to use for pour-in-place technology