The Eastman automatic ply cutting systems have successfully met the tolerance and repeatability specifications for the most stringent military and aerospace demands for flexible core materials; uni-, bi- and multi-directional glass, carbon and aramids; and materials pre-impregnated with epoxy resin. Learn how replacing the tedium of cutting with scissors or other manual knives with digital technology improves cutting intricate markers, one-of-a-kind patterns, samples or full production runs. Success in an automated cutting environment can be measured with reductions in manual labour and scrap of expensive composite materials, improved throughput and quality of cut parts and faster time to market. By cutting the exact same shape every time, no corrections by hand are required.
Eastman has recently released a new high resolution printer for labelling pattern pieces, part numbers or other valuable data directly on the material during the cutting process. Upgraded specifically to meet the demands of one the world’s largest aerospace companies, the Eastman continuous inkjet printer is an optional upgrade to the conveyor and static table cutting systems. Housed in an IP65 stainless steel cabinet, the inkjet interface is available in several languages and capable of printing characters, linear and DataMatrix bar codes plus custom logos/graphics. The print head is fully integrated with the cutting gantry.