Slitter Razor Blades: Overview [Video]

Industrial blades and knives for the plastics industry

Slotted Slitter Blades for Industrial Slitting of Flexible Materials

Slotted slitter blades, along with 3-hole blades, injector blades, and Gillette-type blades, are blades used in industrial razor slitting processes. They are employed in slitter rewinder machines to convert and cut flexible materials into narrow strips that are then rewound into neat rolls. These blades are essential in producing precise, high-quality cuts and are widely used across various industries.

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Key Features and Specifications of Slotted Slitter Blades

Industrial slotted slitter blades have a rectangular shape, typically measuring 57x19 mm. Unlike 3-hole slitter blades, the slotted variant has a robust design with a single oblong slot in the center. This design allows for the cutting of not only basic plastic films such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) but also thicker, more abrasive materials with additives or impurities, including recycled films and those with calcium carbonate fillers.

Slotted slitter blades are available in thicknesses of 0.20 mm, 0.38 mm, and 0.40 mm, and can feature straight or rounded corners to match the material and application. The blade’s thickness and design play a significant role in cutting performance, especially when dealing with challenging materials in foil slitting and plastic slitting processes.

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Industrial Razor Blade Materials Overview

Slotted slitter blades are manufactured using a range of high-quality materials, each chosen to ensure durability, precision, and optimal cutting performance:

Common material types slitter razor blades are made of

Blade Material	Key Properties	Advantages
Carbon steel	High hardness and affordability	Ideal to convert simple plastic films with minimal additives
Stainless steel	Corrosion resistance and long-lasting sharpness	Suitable for clean environments and basic plastic films
Ceramic	Exceptional wear resistance and low friction	Well-suited for films with additives and demanding cutting conditions
Solid tungsten carbide	Extreme hardness and resistance to wear and deformation	Effective for hard laminated films and composite materials slitting
Zero friction (coated)	Reduced friction, minimal heat generation	Perfect for thin, stretch films processing
Titanium	High corrosion resistance	Ideal for specialized applications requiring robust blades

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Razor Blade Application Areas & Typical Slitter & Converting Machines

Slotted slitter blades are used in a wide array of slitting and converting machines, ensuring precise cuts and minimal waste. Common applications and machines include:

Types of slitting rewinding machinery

Application Area	Typical Machines and Equipment
Flexible packaging	Slitter rewinder machines, including those by Kampf, Atlas, and Goebel
Label production	Label slitting and finishing equipment
Paper and film converting	Narrow web slitter rewinders, turret rewinders
Laminated films and barrier packaging	Duplex and duplex-turret slitter rewinders
Recycled plastic films	High-speed slitter rewinders with tension control

The slotted slitter razor blades excel in cutting a broad range of materials, thanks to their robust construction and precise edge geometries.

Types of flexible materials razor blades cut and convert

Material Cut	Examples and Applications
Simple plastic films	PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene)
Films with additives	White plastic films, composite films
Recycled films	Plastic films containing calcium carbonate or other fillers
Laminated and multi-layered films	Flexible packaging films, barrier films
Soft flexible foils	EBA (ethylene butyl acrylate) and similar foils
Thin stretched films	Stretch and shrink films for packaging
Rubber and foils	Lightweight technical materials in packaging and insulation industries

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Sollex Slotted Razor Slitting Blades Overview

Our Sollex industrial-type slitting blades are tailored to meet the exacting needs of modern converting processes:

Sollex Slitting Razor Blades Overview

SKU	Blade Material	Application	Thickness (mm)	Pack (pcs)
5-020	Carbon steel	Simple plastic films	0.20	200
5Q	Ceramic	White films with additives	0.40	100
5L	Stainless steel	Simple plastic films	0.40	100
5V	Tungsten carbide	Laminated films and plastic packaging	0.38	10
5C	Ceramic	Soft flexible film foils (EBA)	0.40	10
5-020-Z	Zero friction coated	Thin stretched films	0.20	200
5K	Ceramic	White films with additives	0.38	100
5Z, 5LZ	Zero friction coated	Thin stretched films	0.38	100
5T	Titanium	Plastic films with additives	0.38	100
5X	Solid ceramic	Multilayer plastic films	0.38	30

Sollex Slotted Razor Slitting Blades include various models for different applications. The 5-020 carbon steel blade is intended for simple plastic films with few additives and is 0.20 millimeters thick, packed in sets of 200. The 5Q ceramic blade is suitable for white plastic films with additives, measuring 0.40 millimeters in thickness and available in packs of 100. The 5L stainless steel blade is also 0.40 millimeters thick and designed for simple plastic films with minimal additives. The 5V solid tungsten carbide blade is ideal for hard laminated films and plastic packaging, with a thickness of 0.38 millimeters and packed in sets of 10. The 5C solid ceramic blade, measuring 0.40 millimeters thick, is best suited for soft flexible film folies. The 5-020-Z zero friction blade is perfect for thin stretched film at 0.20 millimeters thick and comes in sets of 200. The 5K ceramic blade, with a thickness of 0.38 millimeters, is used for white plastic films with additives. The 5Z and 5LZ zero friction blades are also 0.38 millimeters thick and designed for thin stretch films. The 5T titanium blade is 0.38 millimeters thick, developed for plastic films with additives. The 5X solid ceramic blade, measuring 0.38 millimeters, is ideal for multilayer plastic films with additives. Each blade is precision-crafted to deliver consistent, high-quality results in slitting and rewinding applications.

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Expert Tips from Sollex: How to Achieve Optimal Cutting Results

The choice of knife configuration, such as shear, razor, crush cut, or score cut, depends on the material being processed and the desired slit quality. Factors such as blade sharpness, angle, and positioning influence the cutting performance and the quality of the finished rolls. Precise adjustment of blade gap, overlap, ensure optimal cutting performance and minimizes material waste. While specific values for factors such as knife positioning, tension control, and slitting speed can vary depending on the material being processed, the equipment used, and other factors, we can provide some general guidelines and recommended values.

1. The cutting angle is crucial: 45 degrees for razor slitting and 90 degrees for shear cutting.
2. Blades must always be sharp to maintain top cutting performance; keep a stock of replacement blades for continuous production.
3. Match the blade thickness to the material’s thickness, accounting for additives and slitting speed.
4. High cutting speeds can generate excessive heat at the blade edge, causing film melting and poor-quality cuts.
5. Blade coatings reduce edge heating caused by friction, preserving cut quality.
6. Material elasticity influences tension control; more elastic materials demand precise tension adjustments to prevent stretching or wrinkling.
7. Tension variation should be kept within five percent of the target to ensure consistent slit and rewound rolls.
8. In shear slitting, four factors are critical: blade overlap (0.50–0.75 mm), cut point, side loading pressure, and cant angle (0.25 degrees for films). Adjust slitter and web speeds, and blade profiles for the best result.
9. Always conduct tests and consult equipment manufacturers and industry experts to optimize settings for each specific application.

While these tips and guidelines offer a solid foundation, adapting them to your unique production environment is key. Continuous testing and collaboration with experts can uncover additional ways to enhance cutting quality and production efficiency. With the right approach and attention to detail, achieving top-tier slitting and rewinding results is well within reach.

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Order Film & Foil Slitting Razor Blades for Industrial Cutting

At Sollex, we offer not only the best razor blades for slitting but also the technical knowledge and support to help you choose the most suitable blade material and configuration for your specific needs. Explore our range of slitter blades, including slotted slitter blades, foil slitting blades, plastic slitting blades, and industrial slitting blades, and elevate your slitting operations to the highest standards.

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Industrial knives & blades