Summa Drag Vs. Tangential Knife Blades Technology For Vinyl Cutters

Drag Knife Technology:

· The drag knife, also called swivel knife technology, is the most common cutting method in vinyl cutters like the Summa S One series.

· It works by dragging a freely rotating blade through the vinyl or foil substrate, with the blade direction controlled by the movement of the cutting head and media.

· This technology is effective for cutting thin to medium thickness materials such as vinyl, digital print media, window graphics, billboards, and light boxes.

· However, it cannot produce sharp corners perfectly; corners are slightly rounded or imperfect because the blade cannot lift from the media during cutting.

· Drag knives have limited cutting pressure and use shorter blades, making them less suitable for thick or rigid materials.

Tangential Knife Technology (Summa's True Tangential):

· Developed by Summa to overcome drag knife limitations, the tangential knife is controlled by a motor that lifts, rotates, and lowers the blade into the media as needed.

· This allows for perfectly shaped cut corners, even on thick, rigid, or laminated substrates.

· Tangential knives enable higher cutting pressures and the use of longer blades, allowing cutting of thicker and harder materials with fine detail and precision.

· This technology is preferred for demanding applications such as floor graphics, vehicle graphics, textiles, sandblast stencils, road and safety signs.

· It also offers better depth control, enabling both kiss cutting and die cutting in the same job.

· Summa’s tangential knife cutters (e.g., S2 T Series) combine this advanced cutting with precise media handling and user-friendly interfaces.

Summary Comparison:

In conclusion, Summa's tangential knife technology offers superior precision, cutting power, and versatility compared to drag knife technology, making it the better choice for complex, thick, or high-quality vinyl cutting applications. Drag knives remain a cost-effective and reliable option for simpler or thinner media cutting needs.

This aligns with your interest in precision cutting systems and knife technologies


Drag and Tangential Knives for Summa Vinyl Cutters

For Summa D Series:
45° drag knife for standard vinyl, offset value 0,42 mm
55° drag knife for flock and thick vinyl, offset value 0,44 mm (not suitable for the brass knife holder)

For Summa T Series:
35° tangential knife for standard vinyl
45° tangential knife for small letters and fine details
55° tangential knife for flock and thick vinyl

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