“It is also incredibly quick,” Granthams GT explains, continuing: “If you’re always trimming similarly sized panels out by hand using something like a bench cutter or cutter bar, having a flatbed cutter will greatly increase your throughput. Its ease of use once set up makes any cutting task a much more efficient and effective process. “A flatbed vinyl cutter is a master of many applications. Available for each one is a wide variety of tools dedicated to time saving and making production simpler. These machines can not only cut the vinyl letters for vans and signs, but they can also crease and score card, cut perforations, and half-cut and die-cut their way through a varied selection of media types and thicknesses. “Summing up, from prototyping production panels to creating contour cut signage and displays, a flatbed vinyl cutter makes substrate or vinyl production fast, simple, consistent, and reliable.” So, what does Granthams GT have in stock? Flatbed cutter units range in size from the Graphtec FCX4000 at 26” x 20”, designed to cut two sheets of A3+ side by side, through to machines at over 2m x 3m. Some flatbed cutters use electrostatic technology to firmly hold media to the table, while other, smaller cutters in the collection such as the Graphtec FCX2000-60 are suited to prototyping and small production runs of rigid materials without the use of a cutting die. “Features of many flatbed cutters include user-friendly functions, a vacuum bed, an optical eye for print and cut registration, offset start and end points, tangential and reciprocal heads, and pressure compensation,” Granthams GT says, adding: “They are ideal for a broad variety of signage, displays, samples, packaging applications, and more. “The world of sign and display is broad and versatile. Flatbed cutting solutions can optimise your print and cut workflow, meet your customers’ deadlines and deliver perfectly finished end-products.” A Flawless Finish Casting the net further still and Canon, known for its high-quality printing solutions, is also able to support companies with cutting products. Sav Jeyendran, a specialist for Canon’s large-format graphics solutions, says that a high-quality flatbed cutter is a key tool in any production workflow to ensure a flawless finish and meet every customer’s advertising needs. “Today, a flatbed cutter can be integrated into a fully automated print and cut workflow,” Jeyendran explains, continuing: “By investing in a modern, high-quality machine with an open interface, sign-makers can truly optimise their production processes. “Sign-makers can rely on flatbed cutters to achieve a professional finish on a variety of flexible and rigid media, including letters, banners, posters, and other advertising materials across a range of industries. “Updated flatbed cutters can also help sign-makers overcome challenges that they have previously faced when dealing with media that cannot be lasered, such as acrylic or PVC. This variety and flexibility is crucial as customers are demanding ever more creative advertising.” Jeyendran goes on to say that Canon is focused on providing sign-makers with the right technology to upgrade their machinery and improve their customer offering. With this, Jeyendran draws attention to the fully automated Zünd S-Series, which he says offers customers a finishing solution that fits seamlessly with the Canon Arizona flatbed and Colorado roll-to-roll printer solutions. “With maintenance-free components and non-stop performance, our flatbed cutters are well equipped for short and efficient runs, unlocking opportunities for more targeted and personalised marketing material,” Jeyendran explains. “Businesses and sign-makers that already invest in workflow optimisation are proactively ahead of the challenges in the market, ensuring they are set up for success as customers flex their demands and push the boundaries in their creative output.” Jeyendran’s closing comments offer an apt conclusion to this discussion. Investment in high-quality cutting equipment can open doors to all sorts of opportunities and new work for those businesses within both the sign-making and wide-format print markets. Failure to invest properly in this area could limit your capabilities and the quality of work that you are able to produce. Speaking and working with manufacturers and suppliers such as those mentioned here will allow you to identify the most suitable and effective solution for your business, setting you up to take on all manner of work and projects from customers across a range of markets. ◄ Sav Jeyendran, a specialist for Canon’s largeformat graphics solutions, says that a high-quality flatbed cutter is a key tool in any production workflow 55 Issue 250 - December 2023 / January 2024 email: news@signlink.co.uk FLATBED VINYL CUTTERS Sign-makers can rely on flatbed cutters to achieve a professional finish on a variety of flexible and rigid media
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