Part 1 of 2
By Melissa Donovan
Flatbed routers—including those with multi-tooling options—not only offer print service providers (PSPs) the ability to finish traditional substrates found in the signage space but untraditional ones as well.
Advancements in printing technology from the printheads to the ink sets make it possible to print to almost anything. It’s imperative that the same be said of automated finishing devices, which should cut almost anything. Today’s hardware doesn’t shy away from this claim. It is capable of cutting everything from paperboard to wood and even industrial materials in some cases like metal or glass.
Heightened Demand
Versatility is important in today’s print market. Buyers expect variety and PSPs need to deliver. “Customers of sign and display providers expect different product offerings, which means that versatile cutting machines become highly beneficial to print providers,” explains Elice van Es, marketing communication manager, Summa.
“Customers constantly look for ways to make their printed products stand out, which leads to greater demand for both non-traditional shapes and non-traditional materials—a perfect scenario for making the investment in multi-capable equipment,” shares Beatrice Drury, marketing and communications manager, Zund America, Inc.
Beyond buyers demanding variety, another reason there is a heightened requests for finishing untraditional substrates is sustainability. “The trend away from generating so much disposable plastic waste plays into this, since materials such as metal/metal composites and wood tend to be denser and therefore more durable, which by definition require more heavy-duty cutting methods,” notes Drury.
The current economic climate is another factor in heightened demand, according to Mark de Guzman, marketing, Vision Engraving & Routing Systems. “The increase in demand may stem from the global shipping crisis. Labor shortage due to COVID-19, raised gas prices, and over congested ports has caused a disruption in pricing and availability of materials. Thus, manufacturers in many industries are looking at alternative products that are readily available to expedite production or lower cost.”
Just Because
Having a flatbed already in house that cuts any substrate—traditional or untraditional—is advantageous, but just because it can cut anything, doesn’t mean you have to.
It depends on the PSP. Drury argues that for a print provider with a profitable business centered around producing higher volumes in one particular application, it can be difficult to take resources away from this model and transfer them to a one-stop-shop approach that involves many different kinds of materials and cutting methods.
“It is obviously much harder to justify and implement successfully. Such a diversification strategy, after all, goes well beyond purchasing equipment and stocking materials. On the other hand, in highly competitive environments, where the PSP has to stand out from the crowd, no one wants to lose customers to the shop down the street just for lack of capabilities, so diversifying and elevating the product offering makes perfect sense,” continues Drury.
The ability to cut a variety of materials is advantageous for a number of reasons including eliminating outsourcing, which helps increase a PSP’s bottom line, suggests de Guzman. “They will also attract new customers with the added services and alternative mediums they use. Also, with the high demand, print providers could pay off the cost of a router/cutter with a just a few jobs and see a quick return on investment.”
Many flatbed cutters are scalable—allowing for company growth to dictate when to add certain tooling options. “From a cutting perspective, the high upgradability of cutters eliminate any barriers to take advantage of cutting anything and start growing their business,” adds van Es.
Prior to adopting a cutting device that handles multiple substrate types, de Guzman recommends PSPs do their homework. Determine whether there is enough room to add a router/cutter on the workshop floor. Also, decide who will operate the machine—a new hire or train a current employee.
Intuitive Operation
Automated hardware is powered by highly successful software that enables PSPs to process any job with ease, no matter how novice or expert the operator is.
“There is a slight learning curve when running a router/cutter—being mechanically inclined does help, but is not required,” notes de Guzman.
While van Es stresses that anyone operating a machine would need a good base knowledge of how to use it, navigate the software, and process jobs, the actual software is what truly makes the entire process so user friendly.
GoProduce software found on Summa products includes an extended material database. Each material involves the selection of the correct tool and corresponding cutting settings. “So when processing a job, the material database can be of great help in automatically selecting the right tool and settings. This makes it even easier for print providers to properly process materials with which they might have less experience,” shares van Es.
Similarly, Zünd’s cutter control and workflow software, Zünd Cut Center, includes a materials library that takes all the guesswork out of choosing the right cutting method, parameters, tools, and blades/bits for the materials at hand. “This makes it very easy to learn how to operate all the different cutting and routing tools Zünd offers and also facilitates setup and switching from one tool to another,” explains Drury.
Highly Versatile
Printing to untraditional material like wood, metal, or even glass means a consideration is also necessary when it comes to the finishing component of the process. Flatbed routers/cutters offer specific tooling options that can handle these more robust substrates—presenting a certain level of versatility.
“Manufacturers and users alike increasingly look for ways to improve production workflows and help maximize throughput and productivity without having to invest in additional finishing equipment,” attests Drury.
The second article in this two-part series examines popular routers/cutters positioned for this space.
Oct2022, Digital Output
