Storbildsbolaget Cuts Textiles, Mesh and PVC – Choosing the Right Blade for Every Material
A Guide to Cutting Tools for Polyester, Blackback, Backlit Fabric, Mesh and Frontlit
Which blade should you use to cut textiles, mesh or PVC on a digital cutting table? Storbildsbolaget, Sweden's leading large-format printing company, faces this question every day. In this article, COO Patrick Söderberg explains how they select cutting tools for everything from lightweight flag polyester to 20 mm specialty materials, the challenges they encounter, and what ultimately determines whether a cutting job passes or fails quality inspection.
In this article, we at Sollex have combined Storbildsbolaget's practical experience with our cutting tool recommendations for each material, helping you make faster and more informed decisions in your own production.
Common Challenges When Cutting Textiles and PVC
Cutting printed fabrics and PVC is not a straightforward process. Material properties such as fiber structure, stretch and coatings all influence the final result.
According to Patrick Söderberg, some of the most common challenges are related to cutting speed:
- Cutting too slowly causes fraying. If the blade moves too slowly through the fabric, the fibers may fray instead of being cut cleanly.
- Cutting too quickly reduces cut quality. Some materials simply cannot be processed at higher speeds without compromising the cutting edge, potentially requiring the job to be repeated.
- Broken blade tips in hard materials. When cutting harder materials, such as thicker plastics and specialty materials up to 20 mm, blade tips can frequently break, indicating the need for a more robust cutting tool.
The Right Blade for Every Material – Storbildsbolaget's Material Range
Storbildsbolaget operates two digital cutting tables: one for cardboard, corrugated board and plastics, and another dedicated to textiles.
As a general rule, mesh and PVC are primarily used for outdoor applications, while textiles are more common indoors.
Below are our recommended Sollex cutting tools for each material.
| Material | Recommended Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester 210 g/m² | P945 rotary blade | Rotating blade geometry provides clean cuts even when the material stretches in one direction. |
| Blackback | P945 rotary blade | The rigid rubber backing prevents stretching, making it easier to cut than standard polyester. |
| Blackback Soft | Hot knife / P945 | Stretches in all directions. A hot knife seals the edges, while P945 is suitable when further processing is required. |
| Backlit fabric | P945 at low speed | Prone to fraying. Adjusting for material stretch and reducing cutting speed significantly improved edge quality. |
| Flag fabric 110 g/m² | P945 rotary blade | Lightweight fabric with ink penetration requires a sharp blade for clean cuts. |
| Mesh (PVC-free) | P945 rotary blade | Perforated material for wind-exposed applications. A sharp cutting edge is essential for consistent results. |
| Frontlit / PVC | P945 / Router bits | Thick, solid vinyl material. Rotary blade for cutting and router bits for contour machining. |
Material by Material: Textiles, Polyester and PVC
Below, we have grouped the materials used by Storbildsbolaget based on their own descriptions and matched each one with a suitable cutting tool.
Polyester – The Preferred Material
Storbildsbolaget is actively working to increase its use of polyester. The material is lightweight, can be printed using water-based inks and supports a more environmentally friendly production process.
Polyester is a durable, recyclable textile material that offers excellent color reproduction and dries quickly.
The challenge: Polyester contains fibers that stretch. When a material stretches in one direction, operators must carefully monitor how it behaves during cutting.
This is where the rotating circular blade makes a difference. The Sollex P945 follows the material's movement while minimizing pulling and distortion of the fibers.
Storbildsbolaget is also investing further in textile printing. Its new Teckwin Barracuda 5+ LED-UV printer can print textiles up to five meters wide.
Blackback – A Black Backing That Blocks Light
Blackback is a heavy-duty polyester fabric with a completely black, rubber-based backing that blocks light and prevents underlying colors or images from showing through.
It is commonly used for backdrops, covers, exhibition graphics and event banners.
Despite being thicker, Blackback is not necessarily more difficult to cut. The rubber backing makes the material rigid and prevents stretching, resulting in predictable cutting performance.
The Sollex P945 can cut the rubber-coated surface without difficulty.
Blackback Soft – Stretch in Every Direction
Blackback Soft is a versatile material. Because it stretches both lengthwise and across the fabric width, it can be shaped and bent, making it suitable for applications such as cushion covers.
However, this same property makes it challenging for prepress and printing operators.
Textile printing requires controlled material tension, and a fabric that stretches in multiple directions can be difficult to keep stable throughout the printing process.
When it comes to cutting, there are two main options:
- Hot knife: When the material only needs to be cut to size without further processing, heat seals the fibers along the edge, producing a cleaner finish.
- Sollex P945: When additional processing or finishing is required, the rotary blade is the preferred option.
Backlit Fabric – Where Fraying Determines the Result
Backlit fabric is a polyester material designed for illumination from behind, produced using two different printing techniques, including UV printing.
The material is stretchy, but only in one direction.
For Storbildsbolaget, this was a material where the choice of cutting tool made the difference between an acceptable and an unacceptable result.
According to Patrick Söderberg, fraying had been a recurring issue when cutting backlit fabric.
For smaller production volumes, they previously relied exclusively on a hot knife.
However, after receiving advice, they experimented with the material's stretch properties and reduced the speed of the rotary blade.
The result was a significant reduction in fraying.
This is a practical example of how the right cutting tool, combined with the correct cutting parameters, can determine whether a finished product meets quality requirements.
Flag Fabric – Lightweight Material with Ink Penetration
Flag fabric weighs approximately 110 g/m², roughly half the weight of standard 210 g/m² polyester.
One of its defining characteristics is that the ink penetrates through the fabric, making it suitable for beach flags and other applications where a design printed on one side needs to be visible from both sides.
Despite the material's low weight, the Sollex P945 delivers clean cuts when used with suitable cutting parameters.
Mesh – Designed for Large Outdoor Surfaces
Mesh is widely used for large outdoor advertising surfaces and is designed to withstand exposure to heat, cold and UV radiation.
Compared with polyester graphics, mesh is generally intended to be viewed from a greater distance.
Its perforated structure allows wind to pass through, reducing wind load on large installations. However, the perforations can also reduce the readability of printed graphics.
Because mesh is relatively thin, it can be processed using a rotary blade without requiring frequent tool changes.
Storbildsbolaget uses the P945 for this type of material.
PVC-free mesh is becoming increasingly important.
Storbildsbolaget is actively working to phase out PVC from its production and is certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Its building facade banners use perforated mesh designed for demanding weather conditions, and the company's product range includes PVC-free alternatives.
Frontlit – Similar to Tarpaulin Material
Frontlit refers to banner material designed to be illuminated from the front.
It is a thick vinyl or PVC-based material with properties similar to tarpaulin.
Although related to mesh in terms of application, frontlit is denser and tougher. Its solid surface also catches more wind than perforated mesh.
For cutting frontlit materials, the Sollex P945 can be used, while router bits provide an alternative for contour cutting and more demanding machining operations.
Cardboard, Corrugated Board and Plastics – The Second Cutting Table
Storbildsbolaget's other digital cutting table is used for cardboard in various grades, corrugated board, plastic sheets ranging from 0.25 to 10 mm, and specialty materials up to 20 mm thick.
These applications often involve harder and more rigid materials, where using an unsuitable blade can result in broken tips or inconsistent cutting performance.
| Cutting Requirement | Sollex Tool | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Straight cutting | Z46 / Z46P | Cardboard, corrugated board |
| Oscillating cutting | Z62 | Cardboard, corrugated board, foam |
| Routing and contour machining | R204 / R209 / R506 | Plastics, ACM, composites |
| Rotary cutting | P918 | Plastic film, cardboard, corrugated board, rubber |
| Drag knife cutting | Z10 / Z11 | Cardboard, corrugated board, plastics |
How Storbildsbolaget Introduces a New Material
Selecting the right cutting tool is often a process of testing and adjustment.
According to Patrick Söderberg, Storbildsbolaget starts with a material it already knows how to process.
"Find a starting point – for example, Blackback, where we already had something that worked for polyester – and use that as the basis when testing a new material."
The process is practical and based on experience.
Operators test different settings and always check that the material does not crack or develop surface defects.
An important consideration is whether the material only needs to be cut or whether creasing is also required.
When introducing a new printing material, Storbildsbolaget also creates a new color profile, using an existing profile as the starting point.
Speed, Pressure and Cutting Depth – The Operator Makes the Difference
When asked about cutting parameters, Patrick Söderberg's approach is straightforward: operate at the highest practical speed without compromising the result.
However, the optimal settings depend on the material and the specific product being processed.
In some cases, cutting parameters also depend on the operator's experience and ability to manage the production process.
The operator must be able to keep up with the machine.
This means that choosing a blade capable of maintaining cutting quality at higher speeds, without fraying the material or losing sharpness, can have a direct impact on production efficiency.
Changing a Blade Takes Two Minutes
One common concern when selecting cutting tools is whether blade life will affect production uptime.
For Storbildsbolaget, blade changes are not a major issue.
The company maintains an inventory of standard blades, and replacing a blade takes approximately two minutes.
As a result, blade selection should primarily focus on cut quality and material compatibility, rather than concerns about downtime.
Summary: Four Tips for Achieving Consistent Cutting Quality
Four practical lessons from Storbildsbolaget that can be applied to your own production:
- Adjust cutting speed to the material. Cutting too slowly may cause fraying, while excessive speed can result in poor edge quality. Finding the right combination of material tension and cutting speed significantly reduced fraying in backlit fabric.
- Choose robust cutting tools for harder materials. Broken blade tips when processing thick plastics and specialty materials up to 20 mm indicate the need for greater blade stability and a more suitable cutting geometry.
- Start with a proven solution. When introducing a new material, begin with a blade that already performs well on a similar material and adjust the cutting parameters from there.
- Choose between a hot knife and a rotary blade based on the finishing requirements. A hot knife seals the material's edges when no further processing is required. For materials that need additional processing, the P945 can be the preferred solution.
Sollex P945 – Rotary Blade for Zünd Cutting Tables
The Sollex P945 is a circular rotary blade designed for CNC digital cutting tables equipped with driven rotary cutting modules (DRT and PRT).
It is an alternative to Zünd Z52/Z53 blades and is suitable for cutting tables such as those used by Storbildsbolaget.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Outer diameter | Ø32 mm |
| Center hole | Ø8 mm |
| Thickness | 0.63 mm |
| Cutting depth | 7 mm |
| Equivalent to | Zünd Z52 / Z53 |
The P945 is suitable for cutting composite textiles and technical fabrics, including aramid fibers (Kevlar®, Twaron®), carbon fiber, fiberglass, nonwovens, felt, leather, nylon fabrics and polyester.
Its rounded blade geometry provides stable rotary cutting with reduced material stress, while the larger diameter supports fast, continuous cutting, including through changes in cutting direction.
Need Help Choosing the Right Blade?
Sollex has over 100 years of experience in cutting technology and manufactures industrial machine knives in Sweden.
We offer blades compatible with leading CNC cutting systems, including Zünd, Summa, Esko, Gerber, iECHO, ATOM and ARISTO.
When standard blades are not sufficient, we can also develop custom cutting tools based on technical drawings and application requirements.
Contact us at order@sollex.se or +46 35 15 75 00, and we will help you find the right cutting blade for your material and application.
About Storbildsbolaget
Storbildsbolaget is Sweden's leading large-format printing company, with local production in Helsingborg since 2002 and the largest production capacity in Scandinavia.
The company manages the entire process, from consultation and production to sewing, packing, delivery and installation.
Storbildsbolaget is certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Sources: Interview with Patrick Söderberg, COO, and storbildsbolaget.se.
