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PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Star product
Uchida AeroDieCut

A B3 die-cutter that mixes the benefits of conventional technology with modern automation
formed creases and can handle real
embossing, because of the counter-form
that goes underneath the sheet,” he says.
Horizon’s RD-N4055DM rotary die-cut-
ter does have provision for a counter die
on the impression cylinder, but it costs a
lot more.

How does it work?
The AeroDieCut has top and bottom
plates, each with pressure applied by a
roller, which Uchida says makes it qui-
eter than traditional platens. The roller
pressure is set by a large hand screw for
each. The official stock weight range of
120-400gsm ties in with most digital
presses, but something heavier would be
handy for small box work by litho.
Blakemore says that the first user in the
UK, Healeys in Ipswich, has been getting
up to 600gsm in practice, so the official
What does it do? delayed its appearance in the UK. specs are likely to change.
Specifications
This is a fully automated B3 format die- Morgana, which sells other Uchida prod- The plywood die forme is mounted on
cutting, creasing and embossing platen Maximum speed ucts including the AeroCut and AeroCut the top plate with the rules facing down,
that uses traditional plywood-mounted 1,000sph X multi-finishers, announced the UK dis- while a metal counter-plate goes on the
dies with metal rules. It’s compact, quiet tributorship in March but its first public bottom. For cutting-only work that’s all
and runs off a 13amp plug. It takes dies Multiple-up appearance was at the Print Show in that is needed, but for creasing and
with the standard letterpress type height repeats Up to 5 per September. It’s available for delivery. embossing a thin resilient plastic counter
that you’ll find in old Heidelberg sheet According to Gavin Blakemore, matrix is attached to the plate. Most die
Windmill-type clamshell platens and Morgana’s UK national sales manager, makers can supply the counter sheet
converted letterpress cylinders, so any Die board size the target markets include current users ready to mount. There’s a choice of steel
die-maker can supply them. The price 350x550mm of small converted letterpress die-cut- or aluminium counter plate – aluminium
depends on the length and complexity of Die board thickness ters, who may be finding that skilled is cheaper and less durable, but not so
the rules, but £150 would be typical 18mm operators are retiring and new ones pre- critical for the pressure setting. Small
according to UK distributor Morgana. fer the automation and easy setup of the
Unusually, there’s an automated step- Cutting rule height AeroDieCut. He says it’s also attractive to multi-up jobs (such as tickets or busines
and-repeat facility so a small die pattern 23.3-23.8mm small printers, often all-digital SRA3 cards) can be set up with smaller dies at
can be duplicated along the sheet length press users, that haven’t had in-house one end, with the machine able to step
in the same pass. Max paper size die-cutting at all until now. the sheet to repeat them up to five times
Unlike the straight-line cuts, creases 365x515mm “At this price point it’s an alternative to along the length. There’s a ‘tri-suction’
and perforations of multi-finishers, dies Maximum finishing some of the cutting and slitting multi- sheet feeder with an ultra-sonic sensor
allow production of complex shapes such size 310x485mm finishers,” he says. “It’s not for high- for double feed detection, and a cut-mark
as small boxes, angles, round corners, speed, high-throughout work.” sensor to compensate for lengthways
tear-off perforated coupons, as well as Stock range 120- It’s also a much lower-priced alterna- image shift on the sheet. Delivery can be
true embossing. 400gsm tive to the small rotary die-cutters that to an optional conveyor with separator,
have been introduced in recent years by which allows for waste to fall into a catch
When was it launched and what’s Footprint 2.7x1m Morgana (whose RDC is about £60,000 bin.
the target market? Power Single- compared to the AeroDieCut’s £39,995) All job settings are entered through a
phase, 400W
Uchida is a Japanese manufacturer. and Duplo (the PFI Di-Cut 310), says 10cm colour touchscreen with several
The AeroDieCut was launched in Europe Blakemore. “Unlike the rotary machines, menu layers. Up to 100 jobs can be stored
in 2019 but the disruption from Covid the AeroDieCut produces properly in the memory.
“This is a fully automated B3 format die- cutting, creasing and embossing platen.”

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