Laser Diecutting

The concept of digital is not limited to simply printing assets. There is a groundswell forming for digital finishing, as well, as label converters look to capitalize on the same flexibility and versatility present with their digital presses. Make-ready time is drastically reduced, as there are no dies or tooling for which to account.

“Laser diecutting is the process of using a focused laser beam to effectively cut through materials and allow for on-demand production of various shapes and sizes,” explains Shaan Patel, business development manager, Arrow Systems. “The main benefits are that the process allows manufacturers to produce short run labels with very little in the way of prepress. All that is typically needed is a design file, and the laser finisher does the rest. This allows for seamless production of short and medium run jobs.”

The process features no tools or consumables, has a long lifespan, and there is an automatic workflow for quick job changeovers and no responsibility for the operator. “The make-ready only takes a few minutes,” notes Floriana Montella, DigiLase and DigiJet product manager, A B Graphic International. “It’s a very simple process that only requires a quick material calibration and the material is ready to be laser cut. It’s also safe, with a Class 1 laser product, and it’s versatile, as most of the substrates can be laser-cut.”

Laser diecutting is not a new phenomenon, either. For example, Delta ModTech has been integrating lasers into its converting systems for over 15 years. The company has found success tailoring solutions to its customers’ unique converting needs. Printers can upload a drawing to the HMI and start cutting right away, and product recipes and programs are easily saved and recalled.

“In recent years, the market has been showing interest in a solution that satisfies the digital concept; this has led to significant growth,” says Virgilio Micale, director of sales, Cartes. “Laser technology is undoubtedly the one that most complements this concept, especially in those countries where flexible dies are not available in a short period of time. Cartes has always believed in this technology, so we’ve invested a large part of our energy and resources into automating the processing, looking for faster make-ready starts and waste savings.”

Cartes has optimized its laser technology for ease of use, where converters can learn the process in a relatively short period of time. All machine management systems have a user-friendly approach, especially for those users with no experience, notes Micale.

TLF Graphics, a printing company based in Rochester, NY, USA, recently installed the Labelmaster from SEI Laser. TLF Graphics generates 33,203 transactions per year, and the versatility provided by laser diecutting will help promote faster turnarounds for customers. For example, a recent quote request came in for 25 different labels in small quantities. Finishing that job without the Labelmaster would require $4,000 in dies. TLF Graphics can now promise no films, no plates and no dies with a complete digital process, from order entry through to shipping.

“We have a substantial fleet of digital presses that can print very fast,” explains Bob McJury, president, TLF Graphics. “The bottleneck in finishing required a lot of overtime. Margins in the printing business are thin, and we can’t afford to lose a shift due to downtime for equipment repairs. We had to come up to speed with our finishing equipment. The Labelmaster is an important tool to deliver speed and service. Eliminating overtime for finishing will be a big savings with improved productivity and cost reduction.”

Laser diecutting is no longer a novel concept. Like TLF Graphics, many converters are seeing the value present with these technological advancements. Patel says, “Adoption has been growing for the past few years and seems poised to continue in that trajectory. Whereas 8-10 years ago, there were only a few manufacturers of the laser technology, this year in Brussels we saw at least a dozen new manufacturers entering the market with various levels of finisher. We plan to continue to stay ahead of the rest by integrating the laser finishing technology in with our digital water-based inkjet solutions.”

“With the birth and quick expansion of e-commerce, the laser has become the only solution to fulfill short runs and immediate deliveries,” adds Montella. “This trend was dramatically magnified during the pandemic when the tooling was untraceable or required very long lead times. During those two years, laser technology saw a rise in the double of machines sold compared to normal times. Since then, e-commerce has stabilized its position in the market, but it’s still growing, allowing both B2B and B2C to expand globally.” 

In the future, affordability will help drive adoption. “The main growth will be in the reduction in price as more and more companies get into this segment,” comments Patel. “This will help to drive the technology into the market, as more players come in, thus creating a more competitive market but also ushering in new ways to work with the lasers. We feel this market is just getting started, and as new developments come out, such as higher power lasers, dual and quad lasers, etc., we will continue to see growth from the traditionally analog manufacturers of labels.”

Noticeable improvement

Increased adoption has also correlated with improvements in technology. ABG has driven growth in this market, with the company touting enhancements on a yearly basis. In 2016, ABG launched a new laser wavelength of 10.2 and applied the new technology to the machines of the Series 3. According to ABG’s Montella, this has completely solved the issue of burned and uneven edges.

In 2018, a new automatic workflow was devised to produce very short runs and reduce the operator’s intervention. Fast forward to 2021, new options have been designed to cut stickers and labels delivered in individual pieces. Further development of the automatic workflow has been launched in ABG Connect for all ABG machines.


“In the past, customers were reluctant to buy the laser because of the lower speed compared to the traditional diecutting methods, and also due to the issue of burned edges,” remarks Montella. “Since this issue has been solved, label manufacturers have started approaching laser technology with great interest. With the evolution of the market trends where short runs started to be more requested, the laser has proven to be the right solution to respond to this demand.”

Cartes has developed special devices to allow new material processing capabilities with its patented ILC “Invisible Laser Cutting“ system to avoid white edges on dark printed substrates during laser cutting. This also keeps the liner surface intact.

According to Arrow Systems’ Patel, the main improvements target the laser power sources and lenses available in the market. The new lens technology has reduced the spot size (white edge) on materials, specifically paper, which allows for better production of full bleed laser-finished labels.

“Higher power lasers allow for more throughput, since the laser can spend less time in any given place to cut the same thickness of substrate,” explains Patel. “Together, these two factors are driving growth in the laser finishing space, as was very apparent at Labelexpo Europe.”

Product Selection

As the technology sees increased adoption across the label and packaging front, suppliers have continued to optimize their laser offerings.

ABG’s DigiLase works across a range of applications, from roll-to-roll, sheet or individual piece. The laser can cut intricate shapes and the fast, fully automated job changeover helps converters change jobs with minimal operator input. The fully versatile machine can be integrated into other digital finishing lines or rotary web-fed machines.

The laser should evolve in a direction where it could potentially replace conventional dies. To do this, ABG is striving to offer a new wavelength capable of diecutting PE and continuing to focus on developing wider machines to run rolls printed on 430 or 530mm printing presses.

“The market will tell us what is needed and, accordingly, ABG will always be at the forefront of developing new hardware and software solutions,” notes Montella.

Arrow Systems, meanwhile, has been focused on providing customers with multiple options to fit individual needs. “We do have standalone lasers, but we have since shifted focus to the inline print and laser finish solutions, as well as roll-to-sheet finishing and roll-to-part finishing using laser technology,” comments Arrow Systems’ Patel. “We have also put a large emphasis on the lens technology to help reduce the spot size from the laser, giving our customers a better finished product.”


Cartes has developed its laser technology to be a flexible method for diecutting self-adhesive labels. “Our Laser converting unit is the only existing one on the market with an unlimited lifetime and semi-sealed source that guarantees constant power and cutting quality, minimizing management and maintenance, as well as saving tooling costs,” says Cartes’ Micale. “Thanks to the radio frequency laser power control and ‘cut-on-the-fly’ software, the machine can achieve maximum performance as it is possible to process in a single cycle. It also allows for any shape diecutting and cut through, micro-perforation, engraving, and progressive numbering. All these jobs are digitally set in order to get products of the highest value in real time.” 

Delta ModTech offers several solutions for laser diecutting. The Edge has been designed for markets that demand flexibility. This offering combines Delta ModTech’s Crusader rotary converting platform with an Edge laser module. The laser module is servo controlled and can be moved to various locations on the machine with the touch of a button. The edge laser can move up and out of the way, giving converting teams access to seven rotary stations, leading to web path options that are infinite.

Meanwhile, Delta ModTech’s Flex Edge is a flexible laser platform that can be used inline or off-line with various configurations to allow for production and R&D use in both roll-to-roll and sheet-fed. This machine is completely portable. It can be bolted inline directly to an existing Delta ModTech machine, use its telescoping arm to connect to an open station on an existing converting line, or run as a standalone unit.

According to Delta ModTech’s Dave Grenwis, the company’s R&D centers around speed. “Waste reduction for both materials and time are always the top challenges we encounter with label converters,” he says. “We’re continuously updating our equipment to limit material waste and time lost for changeovers. Our registration controls limit operator interaction, allowing for higher speeds and less waste.”

SEI Laser’s Labelmaster has been touted as the ideal solution for all label converting needs. The unit features fast, precise, and versatile finshing while handling a wide range of materials. SEI has also launched KyoJet, a digital high-resolution inkjet UV inline module. KyoJet integrated with Labelmaster is a single-pass machine that delivers labels from PDF and printing to finishing and ready to ship.