KONGSBERG C-series precision cutting system: versatile digital cutting solution

KONGSBERG C-series precision cutting system: versatile digital cutting solution

In the fields of modern industrial manufacturing, packaging sampling, identification production, and composite material processing, the performance of precision cutting equipment directly determines production efficiency and product quality. The C-series digital cutting platform launched by Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems has become a benchmark in the global packaging, display, labeling, and industrial composite material processing industries due to its modular design, rich tool configuration, and intelligent iPC cutting console. This article is based on the official user manual and comprehensively analyzes the safety specifications, operating procedures, tool systems, automation options, and maintenance of the C-series cutting system, providing a detailed technical guide for operators and technical managers.

Chapter 1: System Overview and Security Design

Konsberg C series cutting system is a highly integrated digital processing platform, which is suitable for cutting, indentation, milling and drawing operations of corrugated cardboard, folding carton, foam board, plastic corrugated board, honeycomb board, composite materials, flexible materials and other media. The system consists of a cutting table, a cross beam, a Y-axis carriage, a tool head, a main power unit (MPU), an operation station, and optional automation accessories.

Safety first: multi-level protection system

The C-series design strictly follows international safety standards, but operators must fully understand and comply with safety regulations to avoid injury risks.

Critical safety equipment

Emergency stop button: distributed on both sides of the operation station and crossbeam, press it to immediately stop all movements.

DynaGuard security system: using a photoelectric sensing beam, the system will stop urgently when the operator's body or foreign objects enter the dangerous area.

Yellow/black warning tape: Identify hazardous areas and only allow operators to enter.

Y carriage warning light: Constant light indicates servo power on, flashing indicates safety system triggered.

Milling spindle warning light: Red flashing indicates that the spindle is starting or stopping, and must wait for complete stillness before touching.

Residual risk perception

Despite the design of multiple protections, there are still residual risks such as:

Lower end of crossbeam: Without protection, it is strictly prohibited to stay or work during operation.

The top of the Y carriage: There is no protection around it, and it is strictly prohibited to approach during operation.

Internal cable drag chain: There is a risk of compression, and entry is prohibited during operation.

Knife injury: All blades and milling cutters are extremely sharp, and cut resistant gloves must be worn when replacing them.

Milling spindle inertia: The maximum downtime can reach 4 seconds, and it must be visually confirmed to be completely stationary before touching.

Personal protective equipment

Kongsberg strongly recommends that operators wear:

Tight fitting workwear: Avoid getting tangled by moving parts.

Cut resistant gloves: protect hands when handling materials and knives.

Goggles: Prevent flying debris and tool breakage during milling operations.

Ear cushions: During long-term work, the typical noise level is 78.5-83.5 dBA, with a maximum of 98.5 dBA.

Chapter 2: System Composition and Basic Operations

Main component naming

Cutting table: a vacuum adsorption platform for carrying materials.

Traverse: Move along the X-axis direction.

Y Carriage: Move left and right along the crossbeam to carry the tool head.

Tool head: There are two tool positions, P1 and P2, which can accommodate various tools.

Main power unit (MPU): including main switch and fuse.

Operation station: equipped with a rotating display, USB interface, and operation panel.

Operation panel functions

Servo power button: Turn on/off the servo power and reset the safety system at the same time.

Start button: Start executing the machining operation.

Pause/Safety Reset Button: Pause the task or reset the safety system.

Vacuum switch: Turn on/off the material adsorption vacuum.

Blowing function: forms an air cushion on the tabletop, making it easy for materials to move.

Manual belt clamping: Use a foot pedal to manually move the conveyor belt.

Panel reference point setting: Set the current position of the laser as the reference point.

Zeroing function: Move the tool head to the selected reference point.

Tool lowering: Manually lower the selected tool.

Joystick: Manually move the tool head, and the angle of the joystick determines the speed; Press the joystick for 2 seconds to switch to incremental jog mode.

Power on/off process

Power on: Start the front-end PC → Turn on the desktop main power → Double click the iPC icon → Press servo power/safety reset → Press start to complete zeroing.

Shutdown: Exit iPC → Turn off main power → Turn off PC.

Chapter 3: Homework Preparation and Execution

Create and set up assignments

Create homework: Select a file from the homework list.

Layer settings: Assign layers and tools to different processing contents (cutting, indentation, milling).

Production settings: Set quantity, precision/speed priority, reference point, layout, positioning method, and material handling.

Speed setting: Choose high-precision or high-speed mode according to your needs.

Corrugated direction setting: Ensure that the indentation direction matches the material's corrugated direction.

Vacuum area selection: Select the vacuum area according to the material contour to ensure the best adsorption effect.

perform tasks

Before pressing the start button, it is necessary to confirm that there are no obstacles on the table, no one is approaching the danger zone, the material positioning is correct, and the cutting tools have been calibrated.

Chapter 4: Advanced Operational Techniques

Vacuum optimization

Close the vacuum area outside the material area to reduce airflow waste.

Move the material position to minimize cross zone.

Cover open areas with tape or waste to enhance adhesion.

Thick material cutting (45-50mm)

Disable camera operation.

Prohibit material thickness measurement.

Disable the 'Reference depth from top' function.

Refer to the bottom for cutting depth.

Composite processing of cardboard

Adopting a three-step method: HPMU milling the top layer → HF VibraCut vibration knife cutting the middle layer → HPMU milling the bottom layer.

Multiple processing

Suitable for deep indentation or thick material milling:

Copy layers and set different depths.

The first pass has a depth of 50%, and the second pass has a depth of 70%.

When milling thick materials, it is recommended that the depth of each pass be equal to the diameter of the milling cutter.

Reverse homework

When processing from both sides of the material:

Based on the ruler: Use the left and right baffles to flip and align to the left.

Based on camera: Read the positioning mark, flip it and read it again.

You need to enable the reverse operation function in the tool configuration and specify the flipping method in the layer (Turn flips around the X axis, Tumble flips around the Y axis).

Multi regional production

Suitable for ultra long materials or continuous operations. Each workspace is equipped with an independent control panel (ready light, ready button, vacuum button). Operators can load and unload materials in Zone B while processing in Zone A, achieving a streamlined operation. Note that the crossbeam may partially enter adjacent areas, and operators should avoid triggering the safety system in hazardous areas.

Chapter 5: System Settings and Calibration

To ensure machining accuracy, the system needs to complete the following settings:

X1-X2 angle correction: Ensure that the X-axis is perpendicular to the Y-axis.

Table size calibration: measure the effective processing range.

Measurement station position calibration: Ensure accurate measurement of tool height.

Ruler position setting: precise positioning of left and right baffles.

Main reference point setting: Fixed drilling cross markings on the table.

Surface mapping of countertop: Draw a height map to compensate for cutting depth.

Measurement station calibration: Calibrate the height of the measuring foot.

Reference point system

Main reference point: Fixed and unchanging, all user reference points are based on this.

User defined reference points: Multiple can be set for fixed position repetitive tasks.

Panel reference point: Set the current laser position as the reference point at any time through the operation panel.

Joystick settings

Customizable jog step size, fast push joystick for large step, slow push for small step.

Chapter 6: Tool Configuration and Adjustment

The C series supports two tool positions, P1 and P2, and can install multiple tool heads. The system automatically identifies tool types through hardware coding on the tool board.

Tool adjustment process

Enter the "Tool Configuration" dialog box.

Select the tool that needs to be adjusted.

Click on 'Adjust Activity Tool' and select the corresponding wizard:

Lag setting: The distance from the center of the rotating tool to the tip of the tool affects the accuracy of the curve.

Tool height calibration: Automatic measurement of tool tip height with added offset.

Rotation adjustment: Make the tangent direction of the tool consistent with the direction of motion.

Center offset adjustment: Align the tool center with the motion path.

Tool offset adjustment: Align the tool position with the laser point.

Perform test cutting and fine tune parameters.

Multiple tools of the same type

By using the dip switch on the tool board, numbers 1-4 can be set, and the system automatically remembers the adjustment parameters for each tool.

Chapter 7: Detailed Explanation of Tool System

measuring station

The C series comes with an automatic measuring station as standard, which automatically measures the height of the cutting edge every time the machine is turned on, tools are changed, or the safety system is triggered, without the need for manual adjustment. To increase the cutting depth, offset can be added through tool height calibration.

HDU heavy-duty tool head

Suitable for V-notch knives, HD knives, 150mm indentation wheels, indentation adapters, and punching wheels.

V-notch V-groove knife

Used for V-groove cutting of corrugated cardboard, easy to fold.

The angle can be selected from 15 °, 22.5 °, 30 °, 45 °, etc.

Key parameters: Width Offset adjusts the spacing between two cutting lines, and Waste Cut adds a third blade to facilitate waste removal.

The cutting depth should be just above the bottom paper.

HD Powerful Knife

Suitable for thick cardboard (such as ReBoard, seven layer corrugated).

Only for straight cutting, the length must be greater than 50mm.

Indentation wheel and punching wheel

The 150mm large indentation wheel provides a pressure of 50kg, suitable for heavy-duty corrugated.

Drilling wheel is used for easily torn wire processing.

Dual HDU dual heavy tool head

P1.1 and P1.4 can be combined with different tools, such as indentation wheel and drilling wheel, to achieve one-time indentation and drilling.

VariAngle variable angle cutting unit

Revolutionary tool that can automatically adjust the cutting angle between 0 ° and 60 °, with a step of 0.5 °.

Application: V-groove cutting, inclined cutting.

Adapter: Standard adapter (long blade) and long adapter (short blade), automatically recognized by the system.

Key parameters:

Cut angle calibration: Automatic calibration to ensure angle accuracy.

Width offset: Adjust the spacing between two cutting lines to affect the folding angle.

Waste cutting: Add a third blade.

Circular cutting adjustment: Optimize the quality of circular arc cutting.

Rotation compensation: Preloading blades to reduce blade bending.

Work area restriction: When cutting at a large angle, the effective processing range may be reduced, and iPC will alert and prompt for mobile operations.

HPMU high-power milling unit

3kW water-cooled spindle, maximum 60000 RPM, pneumatic tool change, maximum clamping of 8mm tool holder.

Safety points

The milling spindle needs to stop for 4 seconds, the red light stops flashing, and it can only be touched after visual confirmation that it is completely stationary.

It is strictly prohibited to close the chuck without cutting tools or fake tools.

The vacuum hood must be kept clean to prevent blockage and fire hazards.

The vacuum cleaner compartment must be emptied before it is full to prevent sparks from igniting dust.

Goggles and earmuffs must be worn.

Key Operating Points

Tool installation: Use specialized tools to replace the clamp head and ensure the cone surface is clean.

Tool length: Minimize the extension length as much as possible, and the clamping length should be at least 20mm.

Speed limit: The maximum speed for 8mm tool holders is 40000 RPM, and for unbalanced single blade knives with a diameter greater than 4mm, the maximum speed is 40000 RPM.

Warm up program: It takes 3 minutes to warm up after stopping for more than 8 hours, and 20 minutes to run in after 4 weeks.

Vacuum hood height: adjustable to accommodate materials of different thicknesses.

LubriCool Micro Lubrication: Used for aluminum-plastic panels and other materials to prevent knife sticking.

cooling system

HPMU is equipped with a chiller, with slight differences in models from different years:

Chiller 2023: Equipped with an automatic heater that automatically heats up temperatures below 19 ° C.

Common faults: E05 (low temperature), E03 (low water level/flow), E04 (high temperature).

VibraCut and HF VibraCut vibration knives

VibraCut：6000 RPM， Amplitude ± 0.15mm, suitable for light corrugated.

HF VibraCut：12000 RPM， Amplitude ± 0.6mm, suitable for heavy-duty corrugated.

Hi Force Strong Knife

Suitable for various flexible and hard materials, with higher pressure and pressure feet to prevent material lifting.

RotaCut Rotary Knife

Suitable for thin fabrics, with a maximum cutting depth of 2mm, not suitable for small diameter curves. Clean the blade area with compressed air every 2 hours.

Braille Tools

Used for creating Braille signage:

HPMU milling braille concave holes.

The Braille tool presses the ball into the hole.

The tool height should be set to a negative material thickness value (e.g. 6mm for 6mm material).

Drawing pen and drill bit

Pen tool: pressure adjustable.

Drill tool: suitable for drilling holes in cardboard, with a diameter of 0.5-6mm.

Chapter 8: Automation Options

I-BF automatic feeding machine

Automatically grab the board from the tray and deliver it to the cutting table.

Workflow: Zero → Measure stack height → Grab → Separate (optional vibration mode) → Send to table → Release.

Touch screen control, which can set additional grabbing stroke, vacuum establishment delay, release blowing time, etc.

The safety system is linked to the cutting table, and any emergency stop will stop both parties.

I-MS automatic stacker

Grab finished products from the cutting table and stack them onto pallets.

The suction cup layout can be set by Zig Zag to accommodate different shapes.

The vacuum partition can be independently opened and closed to optimize the adsorption force.

bottom camera

Used to read positioning marks from the bottom surface (printing surface) of materials, achieving automated production with the printing surface facing downwards.

Cooperate with the feeding machine, no manual flipping is required.

Positioning mark requirements: 6mm diameter, at least 5mm from the edge on a white background, at least 3 in the X direction, at least 3 in the Y direction, and 2-4 at the corners.

Expected accuracy: Within ± 2mm for most assignments, at least 2mm of bleeding should be reserved.

The cutting position can be fine tuned through XY offset adjustment.

Roll material feeding and receiving

MRF electric coil rack: automatic feeding with edge control.

TakeUp Unit: Automatic winding of finished products, equipped with tension controlled swing rollers.

Chapter 9: Maintenance and upkeep

daily

Clean the countertop and interior of the vacuum hood.

Check if the vacuum suction cup is blocked or damaged.

Check the air source pressure and the automatic drainage function of the filter.

weekly

Clean the guide rail and lightly apply Tellus R10 oil.

Clean the surface of the photoelectric sensor.

monthly

Lubricate the gears and racks (X1, X2, Y-axis).

Check the tension and deviation of the conveyor belt.

Clean the vacuum hole (non conveyor belt models).

Bottom camera maintenance

Check the image quality daily.

Clean the lens with a microfiber duster every time the machine stops.

Check if the anti roll board black tape is intact.

Fuse replacement

The main fuse inside the MPU is a circuit breaker type, which can be reset after tripping.

The amplifier fuse (X1/X2/Y) is 5x20mm T10A.

The tool fuse is located inside the tool board, NANO type, with different tool specifications (2A, 4A, etc.).

The specifications of the chiller fuse vary depending on the voltage.

Chapter 10: Common Troubleshooting

The machine does not start

Check the power supply, air pressure, MPU main fuse, emergency stop button, and control panel connections.

The security system cannot be reset

Check if the photoelectric sensor is aligned and if the red indicator light is on.

Power on servo/fuse error

Possible amplifier board malfunction, please contact technical support.

Air shortage alarm

Check the air source pressure and whether the hose is bent and leaking.

Difficult to remove waste after cutting

The depth of the cutting tool is insufficient and needs to be increased.

Corner cutting not disconnected

Improper tool lag setting.

Cutting edge tearing

The rotation angle of the tool needs to be adjusted.

Line offset

The center offset needs to be corrected.

Milling and cutting through the pad

The loose clamp caused the tool to sink and needs to be re tightened.

Multiple tools operating simultaneously

Check the compressed air pressure and tool head air circuit connection.