Platen Pressure

Uniformity Requirement

Uneven force distribution often stems from slight misalignments in the press bed or variations in the thickness of the dies. Operators use make-ready techniques, such as adding thin layers of paper behind the die, to compensate for these discrepancies and achieve consistent platen pressure across the entire sheet. If the pressure is too high, the substrate may undergo permanent thickness reduction or suffer from cracking at the edges of the cut.

Insufficient force leads to incomplete die-cutting where the waste material remains attached to the finished piece.

Substrate Resilience

Different materials require specific force settings based on their density and compressibility. A dense, multi-ply board needs significantly higher platen pressure than a light, single-layer paper. The elastic recovery of the fibres after the pressure is removed also influences the final appearance of the embossed or die-cut detail.