From coil to finished product: the application of hot stamping foil slitting machine in craft making

The hot stamping foil slitting machine plays a key role in the production of handicrafts, which converts the original hot stamping material of large rolls into specifications suitable for fine process use, which directly affects the quality and production efficiency of the finished product. The following is a detailed analysis of its application process and technical points:

First, the working process of the hot foil slitting machine

1. Raw material preparation

◦ Large rolls of hot stamping foil (usually more than 1 m wide) are on the machine, and the material may include PET film, anodized aluminum (with metal coating) or laser foil.

◦ The tension, surface flatness and coating uniformity of the coil should be tested to avoid fracture or color difference during slitting.

2. Precise slitting

◦ The width is set by the numerical control system (common 0.5cm-10cm), and the high-precision round knife or laser cutting ensures that the edge is free of burrs.

◦ Special process requirements (e.g., hollow patterns) may use modular tools to complete slitting and indentation simultaneously.

3. Winding and quality inspection

◦ The small rolls after slitting are wound by the automatic tension control system to avoid deformation.

◦ The optical sensor detects the slitting accuracy and surface defects, and the unqualified products are automatically rejected.

Second, the core application in the production of handicrafts

1. Fine pattern hot stamping

◦ The narrow gold leaf (e.g. 2mm wide) after cutting can be used for local gilding of calligraphy, calligraphy and painting, and wood decoration to enhance the expression of details.

◦ Case: For the carved bronzing of mahogany furniture, the slitting machine needs to provide 0.1mm accuracy to avoid gold spillage.

2. Multi-layer composite process

◦ Slitting and stacking gold foil of different colors to form a gradient or color-blocking effect (such as the coloring step of the cloisonné process).

3. Special material treatment

◦ After laser laser foil slitting, it is used for cultural and creative products (such as mobile phone cases and gift boxes), and the integrity of the laser pattern must be maintained.

Third, direction of technical optimization

1. Intelligent slitting system

◦ Equipped with AI visual recognition, automatically matching the design artwork of handicrafts to adjust the slitting parameters.

◦ For example, according to the curvature of the curved surface of the special-shaped ceramic, a tapered gold foil strip adapted to the bending fit is slit.

2. Energy consumption and waste control

◦ Driven by servo motor, energy consumption is reduced by 30%; The scrap material recovery system can control the foil scrap rate to less than 2%.

3. Customized solutions

◦ Develop a low-temperature slitting mode for intangible cultural heritage processes (such as lacquerware) to prevent high temperature damage to the heat-sensitive adhesive layer.

Fourth, industry data reference

• After using the slitting machine, the hot stamping efficiency of the craft factory is increased by more than 50% (traditional manual slitting is about 20m per hour, automatic slitting can reach 100m+).

• The high-end market has increased the slitting accuracy requirements from ±0.5mm to ±0.05mm (such as micro-engraving bronzing for jewelry boxes).

Fifth, common problems and solutions

• Problem: Gold leaf curls after slitting.

Scheme: Adjust the winding tension and increase the constant temperature and humidity environment (23°C±2 recommended, humidity 50%±5).

• Problem: Edge coating peels off.

Solution: Switch to diamond-coated tools to reduce cutting friction heat.

Through the precision processing of the slitting machine, the hot stamping foil is transformed from an industrial coil into a "brush" for handicraft creation, becoming a model of the combination of traditional aesthetics and modern technology. In the future, with the maturity of ultra-narrow slitting (<0.3mm) technology, it will have greater breakthroughs in the fields of micro brushes and micro sculptures.