Do I Need a Diecutting Jacket?

yes, use a stainless steel jacket. also use a scoring matrix to acheive a real nice score (its like a mail and female).

A diecutting jacket will protect your platen when diecutting, scoring, or perforating. The exception comes when you are perforating along with printing. In this case I use perforating rule which is .909” high to avoid cutting the rollers and simply attach a thin steel strip (perf base) to the tympan to cut against. I believe all rules and supplies are available from NA Graphics who also can supply the die-cutting jackets for platens and cylinder presses.

I can only speak for Heidelberg windmills, but our steel jackets are only used for die cutting and perforating. Scoring, embossing and obviously printing are done with the soft packing. One of my Heidelbergs (1955ish) has been used primarily for die cut/score/perfing its entire life, and after hundreds of millions of impressions, the platen itself has absolutely no wear. Not even a mark. Scoring on a regular packing shouldn’t effect the platen, unless you are doing something seriously wrong. You won’t really need the matrix either, unless you are in a unique situation, or the stock requires it.

I’ve been scoring, die cutting and perforating on both a hand press and a Windmill for about 40 years. I use the die cutting jackets only for die cutting. To perf against a die cutting jacket can easily cut it up and mar the smooth surface. Dies, properly made ready, should only polish the surface as they cut. Straight perf rules cut too easily. Avoid any cutting into your die cutting jacket.

When scoring, I use special score channel matrix or build up a channel using many layers of paper or masking tape. When perfing, I use either Tiger base or thin strips of steel pallet strapping, held in place with double-stick tape.

Note also that score and perf rules are available in different heights - .906, .909, .911 and .918. I avoid using .918 for perfing and scoring when it’s in a mixed form.

- Alan