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Can You Use a Rotary Trimmer to Cut Foam and Mat?

If you're cutting a variety of materials on a daily basis or even less often, you may be wondering if you can save some money by cutting paper, stock, foam, or mat all with a rotary trimmer rather than buying several cutting units. The main problem with this idea is that foam and mat cutters typically use a straight razor that is inexpensive to replace, which is necessary because of the wear these thicker materials can put on a blade. Constantly replacing rotary blades (round, robust units often enclosed in plastic and installed as a single unit) can become very expensive. Compare a pack of replacement blades for a foam or mat cutter to that of a rotary trimmer. For a foam or mat cutter you can get a pack of 100 straight razor replacements for under twenty dollars; A single rotary blade might cost you fifteen to twenty alone. With that said, you can see the initial cost to buy a separate cutter is well worth it over time. I know we say this often, but don't skimp on quality and price early only to regret it down the road! If you have any questions about specific rotary or foam & mat cutters, please let us know!

Benefits of a Hydraulic Paper Cutter

Although hydraulic paper cutters tend to be significantly more expensive than their electric counterparts, they are often the best solution for a high production print shop or for cutting in large departments. Hydraulic cutters offer a number of benefits over electric or manual paper cutters.  Given the importance of productivity in any business, it can be easy to see why a hydraulic paper cutter might be right for you.

If you're doing a great deal of production cutting for business cards, catalogs, direct mail pieces or any other printed materials, it's important to consider whether your current cutter is sufficient. Hydraulic units offer increased accuracy, reduced maintenance, and increased capacities to your operation. Because of the way hydraulic systems work, they tend to need less service and are much harder to overwork than a direct electric motor. Also, hydraulics offer significantly more even distribution over the cutting blade which creates the most accurate cut possible. 

 

The decision to move to a hydraulic cutter over an electric unit is an important one. Because of the cost involved in such a purchase, these machines should be considered using your return on investment calculations. Consider the lifetime cost of the unit; installation and training, transportation, maintenance contract, and the depreciation of the unit over time. The great part about hydraulic paper cutters, especially the top brands, is that they do not diminish in value as quickly as electric cutters. In other words, there may still be a market for your cutter in 10 years when you're ready to get a new unit. This can be huge in offsetting the cost of a new machine. Also consider your increased productivity. How much can you currently cut per hour, per week, etc.? Often, a hydraulic cutter can more than triple this productivity, while giving you more versatility across various print styles and sizes. As you begin relating the initial investment costs over time, it's much easier to see the lifetime value of a hydraulic paper cutter. For more information about how to evaluate these costs and determine ROI, visit www.challengemachinery.com. 

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• What money counter can count bills and recognize if a specific bill doesn't belong?
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