What are the differences between rotary knives, vibrating knives, and laser cutting machines? How to choose?

Car mats, EVA materials, clothing fabrics, soft glass, composite cotton, leather, corrugated cardboard, rubber, etc., all belong to flexible materials. In recent years, the market demand for the flexible materials industry has been increasing year by year. Flexible materials were originally cut manually, but as the market grew, the low efficiency and low precision of manual cutting gradually became apparent, becoming a major factor affecting product competitiveness. This cutting method has gradually been eliminated from the market. Instead, more intelligent CNC cutting equipment is used, the most common being three types: rotary knife cutting machine, laser cutting machine, and oscillating knife cutting machine.

　　Car mats, EVA materials, clothing fabrics, soft glass, composite cotton, leather materials, corrugated paper, rubber, etc., all belong to flexible materials. In recent years, the market demand for the flexible materials industry has been increasing year by year.

　　Flexible materials were initially cut using manual methods. However, with the growth of the market, the disadvantages of manual cutting—low efficiency and low precision—gradually became apparent, becoming major factors affecting product competitiveness. This cutting method has gradually been phased out by the market. It has been replaced by more intelligent CNC cutting equipment. The three most commonly used types are rotary knife cutting machines, laser cutting machines, and oscillating knife cutting machines.

　　I. Rotary Knife Cutting Machine

　　Cutting Principle: The cutting principle of a rotary knife is to apply a rotational torque to the blade, causing it to rotate and cut. This method is similar to that of a milling cutter.

　　Advantages: Rotary knife cutting machines are inexpensive and have low initial investment costs.

　　Disadvantages:

　　1. Because rotary knife cutting machines use blade rotation for cutting, blade wear is very severe. This wear not only increases the frequency of blade replacement but also greatly reduces cutting accuracy.

　　2. Limited applicability. Currently, rotary knife cutting machines are only suitable for cutting car mat materials; other materials cannot be cut using this method.

　　3. Slow speed. The cutting speed of a rotary knife cutting machine is very slow, only slightly faster than manual cutting, and cannot meet current market demands.

　　II. Laser Cutting Machine

　　Cutting Principle: Laser cutting machines use the instantaneous high temperature generated by a laser to melt the material to be cut, thereby achieving the cutting effect.

　　Advantages: Compared to rotary knife cutting machines, laser cutting machines offer significantly faster speeds and higher cutting accuracy, and are applicable to a wider range of materials.

　　Disadvantages:

　　1. Because laser cutting machines use high temperatures for cutting, the high temperature can damage the material being cut, resulting in black edges, scorch marks, and damage to the properties of the material's cutting edge.

　　2. Environmental concerns. High-temperature cutting generates a large amount of odor and smoke. Current national environmental regulations are stringent, and the use of laser machines is restricted in many areas.

　　III. Oscillating Knife Cutting Machine

　　Cutting Principle: The cutting principle of an oscillating knife is to apply a vertical oscillating impulse to the blade to perform cutting.

　　Advantages: The oscillating knife cutting machine is a newly developed machine based on laser machines. Therefore, it retains the advantages of laser cutting machines while eliminating their disadvantages.

　　1. Fast cutting speed, high precision.

　　The oscillating knife cutting machine uses imported servo motors, coupled with a self-developed multi-axis control system, which greatly improves cutting speed and accuracy, with an error control of within 0.1 mm.

　　2. Intelligent layout for material saving

　　Many flexible material cutting processes involve layout, requiring multiple shapes to be cut from a single piece of material. The Kangjia CNC oscillating knife cutting machine has a built-in intelligent layout system for optimal layout and reduced material waste.

　　3. Environmentally friendly

　　The oscillating knife cutting machine uses blade cutting, producing no high temperature, making it more environmentally friendly.

　　4. Suitable for various materials

　　The oscillating knife cutting machine can freely change different cutting heads to meet various material needs. Car mats, clothing fabrics, home textiles, leather and fur, silicone gaskets, cardboard packaging, PVC, EVA, foam, and other materials can all be perfectly cut.