Cutting Tool Materials, Manufacturing Processes, and Their Practical Effect on Sheeting and Slitting Quality, 1998 Finishing and Converting Conference Proceedings

Since the Chinese discovered how to intertwine fibres of cloth strips, bark, and hemp thousands of years ago, the paper industry has been in a constant state of change. After the advent of modern day paper making equipment, some of these changes have been over a period of time and subtle. Recently, (within the last decade or so), they have been presenting themselves on more of a dual basis. On the manufacturing side of things, the need to produce a more cost effective sheet for profit margins as well as the use of more and more post consumer recycled fibre (to be good environmental neighbors), have changed the sheet that had been produced as little as five years ago. From the customer side of things, the need to have a more cost effective sheet was also a large factor, but also includes the need of a brighter product at the same time. Factor into these changes, the need for better slit cuts to accommodate high technology, high speed printing, labelling and packaging equipment. Also the way we slit our product has become a large focus, and needs to change along with the rest of the industry. This need has driven the slitting tool manufacturers to investigate the materials as well as the processes used for manufacturing and sharpening slitting and cutting tools.