The global flexible dies market was sized at $109.5 million in 2022 and is projected to reach $198 million by 2031, showing a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period, according to Business Research Insights, a market research firm. The firm reports that new discoveries are leading to market development, as automated equipment is being leveraged to manufacture the dies, leading to improved efficiency, accuracy and speed-to-market.   

Factors driving flexible die market growth include the affordable, cost-effective nature of these tools, as well as their thin and lightweight characteristics. Unlike their solid die counterparts – which have fallen out of favor within the label and narrow web industry – flexible dies do not occupy a lot of space, thus reducing storage space requirements.

The label industry has embraced flexible dies, and suppliers of these critical tools are continuing to innovate, thus advancing the diecutting and finishing process. What follows is an overview of product offerings and benefits of partnering with the narrow web industry’s leading flexible die suppliers, as well as experts’ thoughts on what’s fueling flexible die advancements.

Kocher+Beck

Kocher+Beck offers a complete range of flexible dies, designed to complement the needs of all label and narrow web customers. These include flexible dies for digital label converters, which in most cases can be dispatched same day/next day.

Jim Kissner, Kocher+Beck’s vice president of sales, says, “As with all of our dies, our Universal dies are CNC-machined, held to an extremely tight tolerance, and suitable for all self-adhesive and linerless products such as PP, PE, PVT, PET Tyvek and thin films. Our 3L Laser Long Life dies retain all the properties of our Universal die, but through the process of laser hardening, bring additional die life. These dies are suitable for abrasive materials and inks such as thermal paper, opaque, white and luminous colored inks, as well as for long run label jobs. In addition, our GlueX range of dies offer all the properties of your chosen Kocher+Beck flexible die but with the addition of our non-stick coating. Our GlueX dies are ideal for multi-layer materials, hot-melt and other rubber-based adhesives.”

Kocher+Beck has five dedicated regional technical sales representatives covering the US, each with over 20-plus years of industry experience. “In addition to the well-established sales team covering the US, our manufacturing facility in Kansas City manufactures the full range of Kocher+Beck flexible dies. We operate a program of continuous investment in new equipment, technology, software, and, most importantly, our people, and are currently in the process of expanding the flexible die production space by an additional 8,000 square feet.”

Kocher+Beck is committed to new product development and continuous improvement throughout its product range, explains Kissner. He says, “We are regularly bringing new products to the market, as in the case of the EM GapMaster system. At the same time, we remain committed to investing in the latest technology and equipment, to make sure that we are ideally positioned to support our customers with the highest quality products and service.”

Kissner shares that the company has seen significant interest in its newly released EM Gapmaster retrofit. “This is in response to the trend seen in the label and narrow web market of converters continuing to move to thinner PET liners. The EM GapMaster is retrofittable to any standard GapMaster, and through its combination of HMI control and servo motors, allows for simple and precise gap adjustments from 0.25 micron to 10 micron increments. In addition, there is a job saving function that allows for a quick start up and reduced downtime from settings adjustments,” he says.

Maxcess/RotoMetrics

Keith Laako, vice president of global marketing, Maxcess, stresses how thinner film liners remain a significant trend in the industry due to increased emphasis on sustainability and reducing waste and scrap for label converters.

“Thin liner applications are in many cases web widths over 20″ wide, so it is imperative to have the most consistent blade and plate geometry to ensure die reliability and eliminate potential die strike errors,” Laako says. “Also, given the continued growth in e-commerce, we are seeing increased demand for die durability and longevity when converting abrasive materials and white inks.”

The growing RFID market is another flexible die market driver, Laako says, adding, “The segment is seeing annual growth of over 15%, and customers are moving to flexible die solutions for increased productivity and better economies of scale.”

Laako points out that RotoMetrics was the first to bring flexible die innovation to the RFID market. “Customers are looking for ways to improve output and uptime in the manufacturing of RFID tags and labels. Historically, customers used laser cutting, but lasers would break down, leading to increased downtime, creating significant waste due to the burning of the RFID edges, and had less than optimal output (around 6 fpm) and required significant investment and maintenance costs.”

RotoMetrics proprietary MicroBlade Flexible Die solves these RFID issues. “Maxcess is the industry leader in RFID applications, including foil materials. Our updated automated manufacturing processes create the ability to manufacture the smallest spaces between the blades – 0.0256″ vs. industry standard spacing of 0.032″ for the most intricate applications. Additionally, MicroBlade is far less expensive than laser alternatives, and we have tracked output improvement of up six times better than laser cutting,” Laako says.

MicroBlade is just one example of the redesigned, re-engineered RotoMetrics Flex Die Portfolio launching in Q1 of 2024. New automated manufacturing processes minimize deviations, increase consistency, and minimize tolerances to +/- 0.5 microns.

RotoMetrics and Maxcess offer a wide range of customized flexible dies. Laako remarks, “From the gold standard for thin film converting GoldLine Special to improved price, value, and performance from our SmartFlex series, increased versatility, and longevity of our Prime Series to the durability of our Dura Series for complex films and abrasive applications, RotoMetrics offers the right flexible for your tag, label and print application.”

Another new solution RotoMetrics’ customers are interested in is Tidland RD AutoScore. RD AutoScore offers fully automated score depth and trim width control so changeovers are measured in seconds vs. minutes. Other features include a removable blade holder for faster blade changes, and a job and material library to easily store and recall repeat jobs. The result is a typical ROI of less than one year, Laako reports.

“With end-to-end press side expertise, technical support, and global service, Maxcess subject matter experts know how tension impacts guiding and diecutting, and are in the places you do business to help you optimize press performance from unwind to rewind. Our consultative sales and technical subject matter experts can evaluate distinct paper and film applications and recommend the exact die to optimize performance vs. universal or singular cut alternatives,” says Laako.

Wilson Manufacturing

Tracey Harmon, sales and marketing project manager for Wilson Manufacturing, notes that flexible dies can cut more types of materials than ever before.

“Capabilities have evolved tremendously over the last few years, and we expect that to continue. More film materials can be diecut well now, and even thicker stocks are being successfully diecut, so we see endless possibilities for the future,” she says.

Wilson offers a varied flexible die portfolio with solutions for any application, but one of its most popular features is the Extended Life treatment. It was designed to combat the more abrasive qualities of thermal transfer coatings but has also proven to extend the diecutting life overall for most applications.

“Our customers have seen an excellent return on the small upgrade in investment, with even 2-3 times the die life when cutting standard materials, as well. Our Wilson Thermal Die comes standard with Extended Life, but this treatment can be added to any of our other flexible die products,” Harmon explains.

Wilson’s Die Slide Non-Stick has also been extremely well received, Harmon reports. “It’s very effective at keeping adhesive from sticking to the die and reducing the downtime normally experienced to clean off adhesive buildup,” she says, adding, “Our standard Die Slide is available on any of our flexible die products.”

Harmon says there are numerous benefits for label converters in partnering with Wilson when it comes to meeting their flexible die needs, among them in customer service. She explains, “In our current norm as a ‘self-checkout’ society, Wilson Manufacturing still offers full-service solutions. Our reps answer the phone when our customers call to deliver fast quotes with remarkable tooling turn times. We are here when our customers need us, including our online portal that can be accessed 24/7 for instant quotes, order history, and an order entry process that goes straight into our production line.

“We continuously evolve our production process with custom precision machinery and efficiency to ensure our customers have access to the best product offerings available. Our passion for innovation drives us to find even better ways to produce tooling while still shortening lead times. We do expect that in the future flexible die use will increase even more and with an even higher demand to expand their capabilities beyond anything we’ve seen so far,” says Harmon, adding, “With the recent announcement of our newly appointed CEO, Paul Karez, and the promotions of Chris Wilson to president and Michelle Wilson-Heath to vice president, we are looking forward to an exciting new year of continued growth and innovation.”

With innovation in mind, Wilson has engineered several new technologies for the label and narrow web marketplace. A recent addition to its product line is a “digital” adjustable anvil roll system, explains Karez. “This system allows the customer to adjust their diecutting depth to better utilize their existing die inventory and extend the life of their tools. We’ve also added a line of pressure gauges. These gauges give the customer better control of the diecutting process and extend the life of their tools. In addition, we have added some new non-stick coatings to solve some of the converting issues created with aggressive adhesives. We are continually adding new steels and blade profiles that allow us to cut specialty materials and improve die life, as well.”

Wink

Andre Gysbers, marketing director, Wink, says the diecutting tool market has always been dynamic and demanding in terms of fast response and delivery times. “In recent years,” he says, “We have continuously worked to expand our technology leadership in the field of flexible dies to guarantee the fastest delivery times worldwide with the highest precision and delivery reliability.”

To achieve this, Gysbers explains, Wink has invested in further process optimizations and efficiency, particularly in the fully-automated production of dies, including new etching and engraving techniques. “Thanks to our very sophisticated and Lean processes, we are able to ship most incoming die orders on the same day. Moreover, as part of our ‘You cut, we care’ philosophy, we rely fully on our strong customer proximity with the fastest response times and continuously optimized processes with our shipping service providers,” he says.

The ongoing trend toward digitization and automation of printing processes comes with a shift toward smaller print runs and customized designs. “Overall, this affects our business positively,” Gysbers says, “as every different job needs its own unique cutting tool. However, most digital labels come with rather simple shapes, which require us to produce and ship the required dies very fast and cost-effectively, thus driving automation is also on our side. As label manufacturing becomes more and more digitized and automated, dies and tooling need to be adapted to these new technologies. We are constantly developing our tooling and processes to ensure compliance and connectivity.”

Along with investments in production processes, Wink continues its product development. “Thanks to novel etching and engraving techniques, we are able to produce even very special cutting line geometries with the greatest efficiency,” says Gysbers. “Our new SuperCut flexible dies set new standards in terms of cutting accuracy and tool longevity, particularly when processing filmic materials and very thin liners.

“Moreover, we have successfully established our new ‘Premium’ non-stick coating for flexible dies. The coating ensures absolutely clean blades and thus perfect diecutting results even with particularly strong adhesives. An optimized MCR MicroChrome coating substantially increases the tool life, making it the optimum solution for diecutting abrasive materials and long runs. As a perfect match to our dies, OptiMag magnetic cylinders are manufactured with high-tech equipment in all standard dimensions, as well as special formats. OptiMag cylinders stand out for their maximum precision, long lifetime and efficient revision possibilities,” Gysbers says.

While global demand for flexible dies remains high, Wink has noticed volatile and erratic market developments following the pandemic and supply chain crisis.

“In general, flexible dies have become the first choice for most label and narrow web applications, as they offer so many advantages: production and delivery times are very fast; they allow diecutting of very intricate shapes; and they facilitate transport, storage and handling enormously. Moreover, thanks to special surface treatments, like our laser hardening or MCR coating, flexible dies have become very durable. Further advances in our technology allow us to create highly specialized dies for the most demanding contours and label applications extremely fast and efficiently,” Gysbers explains.

Ultra-thin, downgauged filmic liners, an industry trend, are very demanding in terms of diecutting. “To achieve perfect diecutting results, all components need to be in a perfect and absolutely clean condition – the diecutting unit and its cylinders, and of course the cutting tool, as well. We use special engraving and hardening techniques for our SuperCut dies to guarantee minimum tolerances, and we recommend using our SmartGap adjustable anvil roller to gain full control of the cutting depth. Next to our comprehensive product range, we also offer additional services like cylinder measurements, maintenance and training, which is highly appreciated by our customers,” Gysbers concludes.

Maxcess Innovations Helping Customers Work Better, Faster and Smarter in 2024
Maxcess is seeing tremendous interest in two new products. RotoMetrics’ RotoAdjust Adjustable Anvil and Tidland’s RD AutoScore are bringing automation to the forefront of optimizing press productivity, minimizing waste, and improving operator safety.

RotoMetrics’ RotoAdjust Adjustable Anvil gives you the power to control liner variation with ease on all liners, including PET, Glassine and Kraft. Offering state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 automation and data analytics the anvil can be either single or dual bearer adjusted for increased versatility and improved productivity. Use the easy touch screen setup for repeat job recall for clearance level, press speed and components used. Advanced IOT software monitors performance and alerts operators when critical maintenance needs or die replacement is required.

Tidland’s RD AutoScore system is the next generation of automation for Tag & Label or specialty material converting. Easily score all liner materials, including PET, to run faster with less setup time. RD AutoScore offers changeovers in seconds vs. minutes through exclusive fully automated score depth and trim width control. Removable blade holders allow for faster blade changes and increase operator safety by limiting work inside the knife zone. RD AutoScore’s software library allows easy repeat job recall, reducing set time, waste, and scrap.

Maxcess has created calculators to customize press data and get accurate customer return on investment (ROI) to see product savings and fast investment payback.

Contact your Maxcess account manager and press-side expert for more details.