A blade assembly includes a support frame, a cutting blade, a motor to drive the cutting blade, a support shaft operatively coupled to the support frame to permit pivotal movement of the support frame, and an actuator operatively coupled to the support frame to reciprocally move the slicing assembly between an extended position and a retracted position. When the slicing assembly is in the extended position, a plane of the cutting blade is substantially co-planar with a cutting plane of the food product, and the cutting blade slices the food product. Conversely, when the slicing assembly is in the retracted position, the plane of the cutting blade is disposed at a predetermined angle away from the cutting plane of the food product, and the cutting blade does not contact the food product.

A blade assembly includes a support frame, a cutting blade, a motor to drive the cutting blade, a support shaft operatively coupled to the support frame to permit pivotal movement of the support frame, and an actuator operatively coupled to the support frame to reciprocally move the slicing assembly between an extended position and a retracted position. When the slicing assembly is in the extended position, a plane of the cutting blade is substantially co-planar with a cutting plane of the food product, and the cutting blade slices the food product. Conversely, when the slicing assembly is in the retracted position, the plane of the cutting blade is disposed at a predetermined angle away from the cutting plane of the food product, and the cutting blade does not contact the food product.

This invention provides web-cutting mechanism that can be mounted in line at an appropriate location between the web-handling peripheral (printer) and a web roll. The cutting mechanism operates before the available storage in the winder festoon has been exhausted, and decouples the roll's energy from the web. The cutting mechanism can employ a blade that is drawn through the web solely by the movement of the web itself. The blade is mounted at a (e.g.) 45-degree angle to web travel, causing it to be pulled through the web. A negator spring assembly and associated cable drives the blade into the side edge of the web when a slide-mounted blade shuttle assembly is released by a latching pawl of a solenoid assembly. The solenoid is triggered by a signal indicating an emergency stop condition, such as an upstream jam.

A slew-actuated stamping station includes an expandable core configured to apply radially outward pressure to a radially inward facing surface of a radial wall, and at least one slew-actuated punch for piercing, along a radially inward direction, a respective hole in the radial wall. A method for piercing a radial wall includes simultaneously (a) applying radially outward pressure against a radially inward facing surface of the radial wall, and (b) driving a slew to actuate at least one punch to pierce, along direction opposite the radially outward pressure, at least one hole in the radial wall. A method for forming an object, having a radial wall with holes, includes forming a ring with a radial wall, and piercing at least one hole in the radial wall with at least one slew-actuated punch.

A thermoform packaging machine comprising, as work stations, a forming station for thermoforming troughs in a packaging film, at least one sealing station for sealing the troughs with a cover film, and a cutting station as well as a feeding device for causing a feed of the packaging film. A method for using such a thermoform packaging machine wherein a controller determines for two or more work stations, prior to a process step, which required feed length each of these work stations has, the required feed length indicating the distance by which the packaging film will have to be conveyed for the next process step of the respective work station, before a feed length specification is ascertained from the required feed lengths determined and the feeding device is controlled accordingly.

An electronic cutting machine includes at least one housing to which a drive roller is coupled for moving a sheet to be cut in a first direction and a cutter assembly coupled to the housing and moveable in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

A process unit and methods are disclosed. One process unit including a pultrusion unit having a pultrusion channel, with the pultrusion channel being limited by at least one shaping wall. The process unit further includes an extrusion unit having an extrusion channel and an opening for removing the extrudate out of the extrusion channel, a cutting unit having a moving cutting element for cutting off the extrudate with the moving cutting element, and a conveying device for conveying a raw extrudate from the pultrusion unit into the extrusion unit. The cutting unit comprises a component that can be caused to move in a rotational manner and the component is mechanically coupled to the cutting element by a mechanical coupling device, such that the rotational movement of the component determines the movement of the cutting element.

A combination printer and cutting device for printing upon and cutting a web of media or tag stock into individual units. The device may cut vinyl, plastic, or RFID stock material as it moves through the printer in both back and forth directions. The device comprises a printer and a cutting apparatus that is further comprised of a carriage assembly and a movable cutter assembly. The cutter assembly is easily interchangeable and comprises a cutting element such as a wheel blade, and a pressure adjusting element for adjusting the amount of pressure applied by the cutting element to the stock material. Alternatively, the cutter assembly may be manufactured with a predetermined pressure load, but still permit an operator to adjust the depth of cut. The cutting apparatus is adaptable for use with both new and existing printers.

A combination printer and cutting device for printing upon and cutting a web of media or tag stock into individual units. The device may cut vinyl, plastic, or RFID stock material as it moves through the printer in both back and forth directions. The device comprises a printer and a cutting apparatus that is further comprised of a carriage assembly and a movable cutter assembly. The cutter assembly is easily interchangeable and comprises a cutting element such as a wheel blade, and a pressure adjusting element for adjusting the amount of pressure applied by the cutting element to the stock material. Alternatively, the cutter assembly may be manufactured with a predetermined pressure load, but still permit an operator to adjust the depth of cut. The cutting apparatus is adaptable for use with both new and existing printers.

Systems and methods include using an ultrasonic cutter tool to cut a seal. The system comprises an ultrasonic cutter tool disposed onto a railing system coupled to a platform, wherein the ultrasonic cutter tool is configured to translate along the railing system. The system further comprises a power source electrically coupled to the ultrasonic cutter tool, and an alignment mold disposed parallel to the railing system and offset by a distance. The system further comprises one or more roller bearing carriages coupled to the railing system, wherein each of the one or more roller bearing carriages comprises a set of roller bearings, wherein each set of roller bearings is disposed over the alignment mold, wherein each set of roller bearings is configured to translate along the alignment mold as each of the one or more roller bearing carriages translates along the railing system.