54 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 250 - December 2023 / January 2024 significant way would be advised to look at how they can improve their print finishing with a view to automating some or all of it,” Draycott says, adding: “Some key questions to help would be: What is your core business, and do you focus on specific applications or as many as possible? How flexible would you like to be in offering new applications/solutions? Which material sizes do you process most frequently? How much do you want to invest? And how much space do you have for a flatbed cutter?” Unparalleled Precision Elsewhere, Granthams GT supplies the market with a range of equipment, including flatbed vinyl cutters. The company says while sign-makers’ workshops will have a CAD vinyl cutter in place as the go-to solution, for vehicle graphics, sign letters, and plot-cut self-adhesive shapes, flatbed cutters are the next step up. “As the name suggests, the flatbed is designed to take a sheet or panel instead of a roll of media,” Granthams GT says, adding: “The sheet is placed on top of the bed and a vacuum keeps it stable and in place. The cutter’s software selects the trim path, and by utilising the correct tool for the intended end purpose, the machine moves its way around the registration marks working away at the task in hand.” But what value does a flatbed cutter really offer? Granthams GT says the main benefit of a flatbed cutter is in its “unparalleled” precision. The company explains that the substrate being trimmed never moves as the build-in vacuum holds it securely in place. Only the computer controlled cutting head travels across the sheet, and as the ‘eye’ routes along the cut-path, it is as accurate with the hundredth board as it was with the first. ▲ The Summa F1612, the first model launched as part of the Summa F Series several years ago, remains a popular choice with customers finishing and is using just a roll cutter or a printer/cutter, then the question is really one of what do they want to do with their business,” Draycott asks. “If their current set up is doing what they want, then fine, but do they ever have to turn jobs down or outsource? Again, it is a business question of whether this works for them, and whether their margins are what they want. But if there is a bottleneck it tends to be print finishing, which uses time and people and is often prone to error when under pressure, that can be the pain point. “A flatbed cutter allows them to do all the classic vinyl signage applications but at much greater speed. The Summa F series has a range of add-on tools for routing, cutting, and creasing and all these give options to take on different types of rigid signage both printed and engraved. The limits really are those set by the sign-maker. The fact that so much cutting can be preset means easier operation and much greater accuracy. Rip software like Onyx is designed to work with flatbed cutters and this again means automated processes that save time and media.” Opening up on the Summa F Series, which has been in the market for several years now, the first model in this range was the F1612. The machine has been updated several times over the years in response to changing demands and requirements and remains among the most popular models. Draycott says this is because it offers a straightforward route into flatbed cutting with an affordable price and a well-established reputation for reliability. While the Summa F Series seemingly speaks for itself, Draycott does offer some additional words of wisdom to help sign-makers when looking for new cutting equipment. “Sign-makers that want to grow in a ◄ Granthams GT says the Graphtec FCX2000-60 is ideally suited to prototyping and small production runs of rigid materials FLATBED VINYL CUTTERS Granthams GT offers flatbed cutters ranging in size from 26” x 20” up to more than 2m x 3m Factoid
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