Die Cutting with a “Flex Die”

They are quite common in the tag and label industry. The dies are generally mounted on magnetic cylinders or flat magnetic bases. Here are some examples from a well-known die company, Rotometrics. The link shows flat magnetic bases as well as flexible dies.

http://www.rotometrics.com/products-flexibledies-flexible-us.php

I dealt with Rotometrics for years when I was teaching. They are good about donating dies to schools for education.

Yes, I have used these dies. As Geoffrey has indicated, these are designed to be mounted on magnetic bases, but I have mounted them to steel base milled to height using thin transfer adhesive as well. We used them for very intricate patterns such as perfectly circular elements placed very close together, something which is difficult to accomplish with hole inserts in a standard die. We also used them when we needed perfect joins in radius cornered rectangles which joined together (multiple labels with no scrap between).

I believe you will find them more expensive than rule dies, but can accomplish cuts not possible with bent rule or hole inserts.

John Henry
Cedar Creek Press

Thank you for the reply’s.
Sounds like this will work, we need a die that has “bends” too tight for a steel rule. What is the thickness of these dies, so I can see if one of my bases will work.
Do these last as long as a steel rule die? Provided I take care of it.
Do I cut against a die jacket or something else?
Thank you again-
jim

Jim:

You would have to check with the flexible die supplier to see what options they have in thickness. as long as you are cutting flat, you could put a piece of sheet metal of the p[roper caliper under the base to bring it up to .918”.

John H.

jfitz check out this website for a video that shows flexible dies being used on a platen press. As jhenry has said you can use a steel base instead of a magnetic base.
http://www.appledie.com/products/flexible-die/