Automatically adjustable system for cutting at variable notch angles

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions embodied in a design file readable by a computer processor for controlling a control system of a cutting system, the cutting system having an adjustable knife assembly comprising a knife having a distal knife blade and a proximal knife shaft attached to a knife holder, the knife holder (i) rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the substrate to define a cut direction angle, (ii) configured to rotate the knife blade about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to form a notch angle relative to the first axis, wherein the notch angle is infinitely adjustable within a range of angles, (iii) adjustable in a Z direction perpendicular to the substrate, and (iv) optionally, configured to rotate the knife blade about a third axis perpendicular to a plane defined by the knife blade, wherein rotation about the third axis adjusts an angle of attack of the knife blade relative to the substrate within a desired range, the cutting system further comprising means for causing relative motion between the knife assembly and the substrate, including automatically controlling a direction of the relative motion, the cut direction angle, and the notch angle, the instructions comprising:

• instructions for controlling operation of the knife assembly and relative motion between the knife assembly and the substrate based upon information in the design file, including instructions for causing the control system to automatically change the notch angle from a first notch angle to a second notch angle using the adjustable knife assembly.

A method for creating a design file for being processed by a cutting system, the method comprising creating a design file embodying instructions readable by a computer processor for controlling a control system of a cutting system, the cutting system having an adjustable knife assembly comprising a knife having a distal knife blade and a proximal knife shaft attached to a knife holder, the knife holder (i) rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the substrate to define a cut direction angle, (ii) configured to rotate the knife blade about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis to form a notch angle relative to the first axis, wherein the notch angle is infinitely adjustable within a range of angles, (iii) adjustable in a Z direction perpendicular to the substrate, and (iv) optionally, configured to rotate the knife blade about a third axis perpendicular to a plane defined by the knife blade, wherein rotation about the third axis adjusts an angle of attack of the knife blade relative to the substrate within a desired range, the cutting system further comprising means for causing relative motion between the knife assembly and the substrate, including automatically controlling a direction of the relative motion, the cut direction angle, and the notch angle, the instructions comprising instructions for controlling operation of the knife assembly and relative motion between the knife assembly and the substrate based upon information in the design file, including instructions for causing the control system to automatically change the notch angle from a first notch angle to a second notch angle using the adjustable knife assembly.