Advances in laser technology have now made us accustomed to micrometric precise cuts, which are neat in their execution and versatile in their effects, ranging from the fretwork decoration of a greeting card to the deliberately burnt lettering on the wooden box of a fine wine.

For teaching and managing fabric cutting, Printing Atelier in Rozzano (Milan) uses a Co2 laser, Roland cutting plotter and Siser's “Romeo” cutting plotter, the latter also capable of cutting flat pieces, using supporting matting. After the cutting of Velcro or fabrics, the process can also be applied to embroidery: Atelier della Stampa usually shows its trainees how it is possible, after cutting, to combine the Happy Japan or Cbl embroidery machine, the latter also equipped with a camera to simplify the appliqué techniques from cutting to precision embroidery.

On the other hand, in the silkscreen world, it is possible to achieve striking cutting effects by using devoré ink, which is capable of instantly etching the fabrics to which it is applied.

However, more traditional techniques and tools coexist alongside these new frontiers, often in combination with more advanced machines for improved productivity.

In Rome, Tipografia Former uses die-cuts for offset printing jobs (packaging, die-cut jobs, invitations, card holders and other paper items up to 400 g). This print shop makes its own die cuts from multilayer wood, onto which sharp steel strips are inserted. For small quantities, offset and “traditional” four-colour printing cannot be used, which is why Former also offers laser cutting, which, depending on the format, is carried out either by a 50x70 cm light machine (also capable of precision half-cutting and creasing thanks to the ccd camera) or by a Sinajet cutter, capable of cutting 3x2 m rigid materials, from Forex to Plexiglas and Dibond.

Advertising & Printing of Modugno (Bari) has a diverse range of cutters and blades for large-format digital printing: stainless steel cutting blades; oscillating knives for corrugated or expanded materials up to 40 mm; Corruspeed for cutting high-performance corrugated cardboard; Presscut knife for cuts and half-cuts on adhesive vinyl or labels. There is also the Psaligraphy knife for machining taut materials with complex shapes; the high-frequency cutter (60,000 rpm at 3,000 watts), ideal for very compact materials such as 1 cm thick Plexiglas; the V-notch knife for 45° cutting up to 16 mm thick and the HD 30 knife for high-performance linear cutting up to 30 mm thick. Blades and cutters are mounted on two Kongsberg machines, the newer of which has a 3x3 m cutting format and a more powerful motor, synonymous with execution speed. Because, as you know, nowadays speed is everything. Especially when it comes to cutting corners...