Toothed and die cut punches offer distinct cutting solutions for different plastic packaging materials. Deciding whether to invest in the precision of a die cut punching or opting for the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of toothed punch technology depends on the type and thickness of film you are cutting.
Getting the Edge: Toothed vs. Die Cut Punches
If you are looking for an industrial punch to cut holes or notches in plastics and other packaging materials, you have a choice of two fundamentally different technologies.
Toothed punches and die cut punches each offer distinct advantages based on the type of material you are cutting, and manufacturers like Pearl Technologies offer a range of optimized industrial punching solutions to meet the needs of your particular application.
Let’s take a look at when a precision die cut punch makes sense for your process, and when the flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability of modern toothed punch technology will give your business the edge it needs.
Die Cut Punches
Die cut punches are precision-manufactured cutting products designed to shear cleanly through thicker plastics, laminates, and metalized films, minimizing tearing and hanging slugs. This makes them ideal for use with modern flexible packaging pouch products.
The edge of a die cut punch is precision ground to shape, providing cutting performance surpassed only by laser cutting techniques. For example, Pearl Technologies’s high-quality die cut punches:
- Last longer due to superior material selection and manufacturing
- Can be resharpened two or more times
- Are provided in a range of standard sizes, and
- Can be made in a range of hole shapes to meet user specifications.
Toothed Punches
Toothed punches cut by perforating and tearing plastic films and laminates. While offering lower tolerances than die cut punches, toothed punches are an effective and versatile solution for cutting thin plastic films used in venting, bag making, and wicketing.
The lower cost and flexibility of toothed punch technology make it an attractive choice for many manufacturers. For example, Pearl Technologies’ premium toothed punch products include:
- Durable stainless steel fabrication
- Single or double-bevel ground edges
- A selection of coatings to extend punch life, and
- Fully customizable shapes, sizes, and edges.
In addition, our machines are designed for use with a range of toothed products. Our toothed punches can also be supplied in a two-piece construction, allowing them to be replaced without buying a new adaptor.
The Right Punch for the Job
Whether you are perforating or notching plastic laminates and metalized films used in high-quality flexible packaging pouches or slicing traditional converted plastic film for venting, bag-making, or wicketing, Pearl Technologies has both the punching machinery and edge products to do it right.
An investment in quality
Our precision die cut solutions provide high tolerance cutting of thicker materials where a premium finish is essential. If your business is focused on pouch making or processing other composite materials, then we can provide an optimized die cut solution that offers:
- Unrivaled precision
- Greater durability, and
- Increased customizability.
Die cut punch technology also offers significant advantages in terms of durability. A quality die punch will cut up to 500,000 units of single-layer plastic without resharpening (results may vary depending on speed, material, etc.). Punches can also be custom-made to produce a wider range of hole shapes and sizes.
Cut clean, shave costs
If you are cutting large volumes of single-thickness plastic film for bag making, venting, or wicketing, then toothed punch technology can offer high-quality cutting with:
- Simplicity of operation
- Easy, lower cost punch replacement, and
- A choice of long-life wear coatings.
At Pearl Technologies, our premium stainless steel toothed punch products can last up to three times longer than industry-standard products and are available with a range of coatings including Black Pearl and Titanium Nitride to further extend operational life. They can also be made in a wider range of shapes and sizes than standard toothed punch products.
A major advantage of toothed punch products is the simplicity, safety, and ease with which punches can be switched out and replaced. Punches are supplied with standard mounting threads or with a two-piece construction that allows the punch to be replaced while the adapter stays in place.
Pearl Technologies can replace in-stock punches with next-day shipping and is usually able to replace any standard punch within two weeks. Pearl’s intermittent punching units for toothed tooling include its Flex and Lightning and Lightning Multi-Punch units. Lightning units include Pearl’s Safety Box technology that reduces the risk of cuts while changing out punches.
Punch Better with Pearl
Pearl Technologies is a world leader in both die cut and toothed punch machinery for use in a wide range of packaging applications.
Where the power of true die-cut punching is essential, such as in flexible packaging pouches, our zero clearance intermittent punching machines offer industry-leading precision and quality. Available in both performance and value models, they feature:
- High or medium-high cut tolerances
- Resharpenable or disposable punches
- Double-beveled cutting edges, and
- A wide choice of common shapes.
For short-run or specialist suppliers, our UltraFlex HD model combines true die cut punch quality with the ability to easily switch out punch shapes between jobs — a feature normally only found on tooth punch machines. All our machines are proudly made in the U.S.A.
Let us help you identify the right punch solution for your process. We can pre-test your film or laminate in our Application Lab to identify the best punch for the line speeds and capacity you require. We can even create customized punches and die inserts for your business.
At Pearl Technologies, our success and reputation are built on product innovation, outstanding customer service, and excellent quality.
Click below to learn how our punches can give you the edge in your industry.