The history of die cutting is full of technological innovations that have benefitted the masses. Here is a brief look at how it all started.
Die cutting machines first came about in the mid-1800s at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Ever since then, die cutting has been very important for various factors in the world of mass production. This method mainly focuses on cutting out pieces of material from a flat sheet.
But how exactly did this method start? Why does it remain so important today and what does die cutting really accomplish? Keep reading more below and find out.
The Origins of Die Cutting
Mallet handle die cutting machines were the very first machines to be used for this method. These machines were first used on sheets of leather. The leather that would be cut out from the sheets with these machines was almost always used for leather shoes.
In the past, before the invention of this unique machine, people would have to cut and shape the leather by hand. This, of course, was very time-consuming and there was a lot of room for human error. The die cutting method was particularly important for the soles of shoes which had to be a very particular shape.
The mallet handle machine allowed this task to be much easier and faster than ever before. For many years, die cutting would mainly be a method for creating leather shoes. It was only until the early 1900s that people began to realize that they could use this method for many other types of work.
By that time, the swing-arm clicker press came into play and became an essential die cutting machine. These swing-arm clickers were simply added to the existing mallet handle machines.
This machine was still often used in the leather shoe industry as it allowed shoemakers to change a variety of factors such as shapes and sizes. Soon after the invention of this machine, people realized they could use it for other things such as food products and metal.
The Later History of Die Cutting
Die cutting remained relatively unchanged until the 1950s rolled around. By that point, die cutting machines started to get smaller and more compact. At a certain point, it was possible for individuals and families to buy very small versions of complete die cutting machines to have at home.
These machines ended up being very helpful and fun to use when creating arts and crafts. Besides that, these machines were often used in school to help educate children. From the early 2000s until today, die cutting machines have become more advanced than ever before.
The majority of modern machines have digital features, making it easy to change the shapes and sizes of whatever needs to be cut out. The addition of digital features has allowed these machines to create very complex and impressive designs.
All About the History of Die Cutting
Die cutting has a long and rich history and this method is still used very often today. It first began with the simple mallet handle machines to make shoes and it has progressed to the point of digital machines that can create virtually anything you want.
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