Heating a die will make the difference in trimming. A heated knife requires less tonnage and heat also improves the cut edge of the part, helping to reduce angel hair. Getting the heat to the die is a matter of different applications. One method is to transfer heat from the platen to knife. Sharples supplies an array of die bases such as Rayform, Aluminum, Stainless as well as wood dieboards. We use dieboard bases that help to insulate and maintain the heat on different levels. Another option is wired heat tape. Sharples can supply a wired die with a terminal block. Heat tape is an involved process that limits floating, locating, and tolerance because of its construction, however, it is a great way to guarantee heat at the cutting edge of the die.
It is a customer preference on construction, let Sharples help you with deciding on the best option for your application.
