System Innovations Drive Greater Paper Cutter Efficiency
By: Bruce Peterson, President, Colter & Peterson
While both the oldest and the most modern guillotine paper cutters have many similar features, there are significant differences between the two. Today’s machines are equipped with a large number of sophisticated options. Some are required to build an automated system. Others can provide benefits on their own.
For instance, current models have better hydraulic systems and knife drives then were available decades ago. These advancements ensure the utmost in accuracy and provide the strength to cut through even the toughest of materials.
The control systems used in the latest guillotine cutters rely on computer technology to command all functions of the machine. The operator needs only to set up a program once and the computer continuously repeats the sequence automatically. This greatly improves operator productivity.
The guillotine cutter is also a much safer machine now than in the past. Non repeat devices, dual hand-and-hold knife actuation and infrared safety light barriers help ensure that the powerful blade cuts nothing but the intended material.
Side Gauge Breakthrough
Among the breakthroughs in improving cutter efficiency is a device that speeds the loading of material: a retractable rear side gauge.
With this device the rear side gauge lowers by itself, allowing a lift of material to be loaded directly on the cutter’s rear table. This allows a new lift to be placed on the rear table either manually by a helper or more preferably with an automatic loader, while the operator is clearing the front table of finished product.
The most effective way to load a guillotine is via the rear table for two reasons. First, the method eliminates the need to clear the front table and second, it eliminates the need for the operator to push the material back behind the knife. Today’s systems do this automatically.
Since the material is already positioned behind the knife, the operator only needs to activate the automatic cutting program. The back-gauge will then move the material into the pre-programmed position for cutting.
Although a new cutting machine is not an absolute requirement for system automation, production benefits are maximized by upgrading all areas of the process. A system can only be as efficient as its weakest link.
Compatibility is an issue that also must be addressed if a company opts to link cutting edge material handling equipment to an older cutter. The mechanical and control interfaces that must be used in such a case often negate the economics of retaining the old guillotine cutter.
Automatic Loading
When cutting printed material, jogging is almost always a requirement, but when cutting unprinted paper jogging can often be skipped. If jogging is required, it can be done either in-line with the guillotine cutter or as a separate operation.
In the first case, a gripper transport system can be used to move the just-jogged lift onto the rear cutter table. If the time required for preparing lifts varies from the time required for cutting, buffer shelves can be placed in-line to provide temporary storage, thereby absorbing the variations in process times.
If the time variation is too great, the jogging operation can be separated from the cutting process and one or more separate sheet preparation stations can be set up. Material prepared separately at these outposts can then be moved to and loaded onto the guillotine cutter as required. The guillotine cutter can then produce at its maximum because it never has to wait for material to be cut. The supply flow is continuous.
Automatic Off-Loading
The off-loading of material from a guillotine cutter onto a skid or to another system for further processing has much the same options as an automated loader. Again, one must look at the specific process requirements of the operation at hand.
If material needs to be packed or further processing is required, lifts or conveyors can be used to transport cut product to other locations in the plant. Additional equipment can also be placed in-line with the guillotine cutter to facilitate workflow. If necessary, buffering shelves can be used after the cutter has done its work to absorb the variations in production times.
If material needs to be restacked onto a skid or a pallet, an automatic off-loading device can be added to the system.
Depending on the model, automatic loaders and off-loaders can handle material up to a maximum size of 205 x 155 cm and pile heights of up to 185 cm. A new cutting system equipped with such devices can process literally tons of material per shift without any appreciable physical strain on operating personnel.
Efficiency gains are equally impressive. In time studies comparing cutting machines with automatic loaders and off-loaders to those without, results showed an increase in productivity of up to 72%. In actual commercial operation, users report even higher gains. The reason: physical strain on the operators deteriorates productivity levels over the course of a shift. Automated material handling systems minimize that effect.
As you can see, production decision makers can customize their cutting systems to make the most of the equipment’s automated features. Paper cutter efficiency has improved markedly thanks to design flexibility which allows cutting systems to be modified to cope with changing production agendas.
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Bruce Peterson is President of Colter & Peterson, the largest independent distributor of paper cutters and paper handling equipment in North America. Employing more than 75 people in four locations, Colter & Peterson specializes in every facet of paper cutter and perfect binding acquisition and ownership, including maintenance and repair, machine sales, safety and productivity upgrades, surplus machines and more. Contact Bruce at (800) 932-0780 x206 or bruce@colterpeterson.com.
