Cross Cutters in the Paper and Cardboard Industry

What are Cross Cutters?

Cross cutters are units in paper processing machines that cut endless paper or cardboard webs perpendicular to the running direction into sheets of defined length. They work according to the shear principle with an upper and lower knife, which are electronically controlled and driven by electric motors.

Cross cutters are usually located at the end of a paper processing line, after the heating and pulling section as well as the creasing and cutting unit. There, they separate the creased and longitudinally cut webs into sheets of the desired length, which are then deposited in a shingle-like manner onto conveyor belts.

What are Cross Cutters Used for?

Cross cutters fulfill a central task in the paper and cardboard industry: They make it possible to produce sheets and formats in the dimensions desired by customers from the endless webs produced on paper machines.

Thus, cross cutters are essential for preparing paper and cardboard for further processing, e.g., for printing or the production of packaging. Only with precisely cut, dimensionally accurate sheets can subsequent processes be carried out efficiently and in high quality.

What Distinguishes Cross Cutters?

Modern cross cutters are characterized by high cutting accuracy, speed, and flexibility. They can process paper and cardboard in a wide variety of grammages and formats and are capable of flexibly varying the cut length.

To enable high productivity, paper processing lines are often equipped with several independently operating cross cutters. Duplex cross cutters with two knives are common, but there are also triplex systems with three cross cutters. This allows complex cutting patterns with different formats and optimized cutting lists to be realized.

The electronic control and electric drive ensure a precise, reproducible cut. Minor inaccuracies in the cut can be compensated for, if necessary, by additions that are cut off again in subsequent processing steps.

Conclusion: Cross Cutters are an Indispensable Unit in Paper Processing Plants

Cross cutters are an indispensable unit in paper processing plants for cutting endless webs into the sheet formats required by the customer. With their high performance, precision, and flexibility, they make a significant contribution to the economical processing of paper and cardboard into high-quality products. Without cross cutters, industrial production of printed materials, packaging, and other paper and cardboard-based products would be inconceivable.