PNH has also provided banners and backdrops to preview the Invictus Games, which will take place in Toronto in September.
All-in-one
Given the limitations of lasers, it is worth noting dual conveying capabilities are also available for fabric finishing, combining both laser and driven wheel technologies. This way, a single machine can do ‘double duty’ work for customers who require different types of fabrics.
“We’ve had a flatbed laser and driven wheel cutter operating for two years now,” says Jim Barss, vice-president (VP) of manufacturing for Comfortex Window Fashions, a Hunter Douglas company that custom-fabricates shades, shutters, blinds and other window treatments. “We achieved payback within roughly seven months.”
When Comfortex started using the machine, it was evolving from an already semi-automatic process, rather than straight from hand cutting. Today, the company runs the system in two to three shifts per day, up to six days per week.
With an ‘all in one’ system, shops can use a laser for cutting fabric or acrylic and a knife or router tool for other materials. This is useful given how many materials beyond fabrics continue to support industrial and retail graphics, including aluminum, semi-rigid plastics, composite materials, cardboard, foams and banner materials.
Steve Aranoff is vice-president (VP) of sales and marketing for Mikkelson Converting Technologies (MCT), which develops digital cutting systems, software, automation, tools and consumables for the. This article is based on a seminar he presented in December 2016 at an educational conference co-sponsored by the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). For more information, contact him via e-mail at steve@mctdigital.com and visit www.sgia.org and www.aatcc.org.
