Sheet cutting machine
AssigneeGFM Holdings AG
InventorDonald J. Pilkington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a sheet cutting machine in which a guidance system moves a blade across a work surface, the blade height is adjusted in accordance with stored data of irregularities of the guidance system and work surface relative to each other. The machine is also operable in a mapping mode in which the blade is replaced by a sensor which is scanned over the work surface, and the sensor output data is stored in the memory.
Claims29
A machine for cutting sheet-like workpieces, comprising:
- a work surface on which to lay a sheet-like workpiece;
- a cutting blade;
- a guidance system for guiding the blade along a cutting path to cut the workpiece along that path;
- and
- means to adjust the height of the blade as the blade moves along the cutting path;
- characterised in that:
- the height adjusting means includes a memory which stores data indicative of irregularities of the guidance system and the work surface relative to each other, the height adjusting means being responsive to the stored data in adjusting the height of the blade.
A method of operating a machine for cutting sheet-like workpieces, of the type comprising a work surface on which to lay a sheet-like workpiece;
- a cutting blade;
- a guidance system for guiding the blade along a cutting path to cut the workpiece along that path;
- and means to adjust the height of the blade as the blade moves along the cutting path, the height adjusting means having a tolerance range;
- the method including the step of cutting through the workpiece and into the work surface to a nominal depth which is not greater than twice the tolerance range of the height adjusting means.
A method of operating a machine for cutting sheet-like workpieces, of the type comprising a work surface on which to lay a sheet-like workpiece;
- a cutting blade;
- a guidance system for guiding the blade along a cutting path to cut the workpiece along that path;
- and means to adjust the height to the blade as the blade moves along the cutting path, the height adjusting means having a tolerance range;
- the method including the step of cutting a score line into the workpiece to a nominal height above the work surface which is not greater than twice the tolerance range of the height adjusting means.
A method of operating a machine for cutting sheet-like workpieces, of the type comprising a work surface on which to lay a sheet-like workpiece;
- a cutting blade;
- a guidance system for guiding the blade along a cutting path to cut the workpiece along that path;
- and means to adjust the height of the blade as the blade moves along the cutting path, the height adjusting means having a tolerance range;
- the method including the steps of placing a backing sheet beneath the workpiece and cutting through the workpiece and into the backing sheet to a nominal depth into the backing sheet which is not greater than twice the tolerance range of the height adjusting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.