Rotary Die-Cutting for High-Volume Converted Parts
Continuous roll-fed rotary die cutting with cylindrical dies, for the lowest per-part cost at high volume on 687+ engineered materials across 50 chemistries. Excellent kiss cutting, thickness roughly 0.0005″ to 0.125″, tolerances to ±0.005″, with in-line lamination and slitting in the same pass. The right process for acrylic foam tapes and thin foams and films above roughly 10,000 parts. Converted to your drawing in Winsted, Connecticut.
Built for: high-volume adhesive-backed pads and tapes, thin die-cut gaskets, kiss-cut parts on a liner, and labels, run multi-up on continuous roll stock.
Rotary die cutting at H-O Products feeds continuous roll stock between a cylindrical die and an anvil, cutting and kiss-cutting parts as the web runs. It reaches the lowest per-part cost of any converting process at high volume, roughly above 10,000 parts, with excellent kiss cutting on thin material from 0.0005″ to 0.125″ and tolerances of ±0.005″ to ±0.010″.
Lamination and slitting integrate in-line, so multi-up parts finish on a liner in one pass. It is the right process for AFTC acrylic foam tapes and thin foams and films at volume; thicker parts and lower volumes fit flatbed die cutting better. All work runs under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system in Winsted, Connecticut. See the process strip for lead-time and ordering details.
- High-volume tapes & adhesive pads: AFTC acrylic foam tape and PSA-backed parts kiss-cut multi-up on a liner
- Thin gaskets & seals under 0.125″: thin BISCO® [TDS] sponge and PORON® [TDS] at volume for enclosures and displays
- Labels, overlays & shields: printable stock, conductive and barrier foils, and thin EMI shielding kiss-cut on a liner
- Thin insulators & barriers: Kapton®, Nomex®, and PTFE in roll form for slot liners and dielectric parts
- Below roughly 10,000 parts or thicker sections: flatbed die cutting is the better fit
- Thick soft sponge or dense rubber: waterjet, which does not compress the part
Rotary die cutting, converted in-house
Rotary die cutting uses a cylindrical die, rotary tooling, turning against an anvil roll while continuous roll stock feeds between them. As the web runs, the die cuts and kiss-cuts parts at high speed. H-O runs the process in Winsted and integrates in-line lamination and slitting in the same pass, so finished, multi-up parts come off the web on a liner.
What makes rotary different from flatbed is that it is continuous rather than indexed: the web never stops, so throughput is high and per-part cost falls sharply with volume. The same engineered-material inventory we keep for converting, from AFTC acrylic foam tapes and PSAs to thin BISCO® sponge and Kapton® film, feeds the rotary line, with cylindrical dies and cut depth calibrated to each chemistry, grade, and thickness.
Rotary die cutting, kiss cutting, in-line lamination, and in-line slitting are performed in Winsted, CT. For thicker parts above 0.125″, tight low-volume work, or large profiles, we run flatbed die cutting instead; for thick sponge and one-offs, waterjet cutting. See the process comparison below.
Continuous, multi-up, kiss-cut on a liner
Continuous roll-fed cutting
A cylindrical die turns against an anvil as the web feeds between them, cutting parts without stopping the material. Speed and uptime are what drive per-part cost down at high volume.
Excellent kiss cutting
The rotary die kiss-cuts the face material and stops precisely at the release liner, leaving parts on the liner for peel-and-place or automated dispensing. Depth control is a strength of the process.
Multi-up lanes
Several columns of parts cut across the web width at once, multiplying output per pass and using the web efficiently on small parts and adhesive pads.
In-line lamination & slitting
Adhesive lamination and slitting run in-line with the cut, so the web is laminated, cut, and slit in one pass, with the matrix stripped and finished parts wound on a liner.
Rotary kiss-cut depth is calibrated per material-and-adhesive combination. A thin AFTC tape on a 0.002″ polyester liner needs different depth than a 0.062″ PORON® on a 0.004″ paper liner: too shallow and parts will not lift from the matrix; too deep and the die cuts the liner. Continuous-web depth control is one reason rotary excels at kiss cutting.
Guidelines that hold tolerance and cut tooling cost
Designing for rotary means working with a continuous web and a cylindrical die. Following these notes before drawings are finalized prevents costly redesigns after tooling is committed; our engineering team reviews every part for manufacturability first.
- Design for the web direction
- Rotary parts repeat around the die circumference and across the web width. Keeping the part within a sensible repeat and lane layout maximizes parts per revolution and per web width, which directly reduces per-part cost at volume.
- Thin material holds tolerance best
- Rotary holds ±0.005″ to ±0.010″ on thin stock from 0.0005″ to 0.125″. Tolerance is tightest on thin, dimensionally stable film and tape; soft, thicker foam near the top of the range is harder to hold. Specify tight tolerances only on functionally critical dimensions.
- Kiss-cut and liner spec
- State the face material, adhesive, and liner so kiss-cut depth is calibrated correctly. Liner options include single-piece, scored split-back, and island placement, configured for peel-and-place or automated dispensing.
- Minimum features on the web
- Very fine features and tight internal corners are limited by the rotary die geometry and the material. Tell us the smallest feature and the stock thickness, and we will confirm what the cylindrical die can hold or whether a flatbed or laser process suits better.
- Design file requirements
- DXF or DWG preferred for tooling design; PDF with dimensions for inspection criteria; STEP and IGES accepted for 3D reference. Include material callout and thickness, critical-dimension tolerances, adhesive and liner specs, multi-up or lane preferences, and annual quantity.
| If your requirement is | Material family to start from | Die style and mode | Best process to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-volume adhesive pad on liner | PSA-laminated foam or film roll good | Magnetic flexible die, kiss-cut | Rotary at volume |
| High-volume separated gasket | Silicone or EPDM sponge roll good | Solid engraved cylinder, through-cut | Rotary at volume |
| Tightest tolerance, lower volume | Stable film or laminate | Matched-metal flatbed die | Flatbed |
| Thick soft foam above 0.250″ | Open-cell or soft closed-cell foam | Flatbed or waterjet | Flatbed / waterjet |
| Prototype before tooling | Any roll good | Flatbed steel-rule die | Flatbed prototype |
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1Send drawing & materialShare a DXF, DWG, PDF, or STEP with the material callout, thickness, critical tolerances, adhesive and liner spec, and annual quantity. A sample part works too.
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2DFM & tooling reviewEngineering reviews the part for manufacturability, confirms rotary against volume and thickness, and lays out the cylindrical die, multi-up lanes, and any in-line lamination or slitting.
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3PrototypeSamples typically 3-5 business days for common configurations once the rotary die is built. Standard production 2 weeks; special orders run custom lead times.
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4ProductionCut, laminated, and slit in one continuous pass, finished multi-up on a liner, with first-article inspection and lot-code traceability carried through the run.
Send the part and get a DFM review
If your drawing has the material, thickness, adhesive, liner, and annual quantity, send it over. Engineering reviews manufacturability, confirms rotary, and comes back with a quote.
What we rotary die-cut, and for whom
High-volume adhesive pads, thin gaskets, kiss-cut parts, and labels ship into medical, aerospace, defense, electronics, industrial, energy, and transportation programs.
- High-volume tapes & adhesive pads
- AFTC acrylic foam tape pads and PSA-backed parts kiss-cut multi-up on a liner for peel-and-place assembly, laminated in-line, at the volumes where rotary delivers the lowest per-part cost. The signature rotary application. From our catalog: AFTC HA7412 · AFTC HA7408 · R1776 double-coated tape.
- Thin gaskets & seals
- Thin BISCO® sponge, PORON®, and thin rubber gaskets under 0.125″, cut at volume for electronics enclosures, displays, and sealing pads where the part is thin, small, and high-quantity. From our catalog: BISCO® 7304 silicone sponge · PORON® AquaPro® 4701-41 · kSil® US400.
- Labels, overlays & shields
- Printable label and overlay stock, conductive and barrier foils, and thin EMI shielding kiss-cut on a liner for high-volume identification, graphic-overlay, and shielding parts. From our catalog: C-58 PS copper-foil EMI shielding tape · C-58 NPS shielding laminate.
- Thin insulators & barriers
- Kapton®, Nomex®, and PTFE in thin roll form cut into thin slot liners, barriers, and dielectric parts at volume, where rotary holds tight tolerance on dimensionally stable film. From our catalog: Kapton® PST polyimide film · 6113-10 PTFE film tape · DeWAL® DW2000.
AFTC 5344 acrylic foam tape mounting pads kiss-cut 6-up on a continuous web across 5 part numbers at 250,000 annual, laminated and slit in-line and wound on a liner for automated peel-and-place, held to ±0.008″. Quality systems are built for medical, aerospace, and defense programs, with lot traceability typically retrievable in under 2 hours.
Rotary die cutting questions
Common questions from engineers speccing rotary parts.
What is the difference between rotary and flatbed die cutting?
Rotary uses a cylindrical die turning against an anvil while continuous roll stock feeds through, so the web never stops and throughput is high. Flatbed presses a flat die against material on a platen in indexed strokes. Rotary gives the lowest per-part cost on thin material at high volume; flatbed handles thicker parts, large profiles, and lower volumes at lower tooling cost. We run both in-house.
When should I choose rotary over flatbed?
Choose rotary when volume is high (roughly above 10,000 parts), the material is thin (0.0005″ to 0.125″), and the parts are small and repeatable, especially acrylic foam tapes and adhesive pads. Choose flatbed for thicker parts above 0.125″, large profiles, tight low-volume runs, or quick low-cost tooling. The rotary tooling cost pays back only at volume.
What thickness and tolerance can rotary hold?
Rotary cuts thin stock from roughly 0.0005″ to 0.125″ and holds ±0.005″ to ±0.010″, tightest on thin, dimensionally stable film and tape. Soft, thicker foam near the top of the range is harder to hold. For thicker material, flatbed die cutting is the better process.
How much does rotary tooling cost?
Cylindrical rotary dies run roughly $1,200 to $8,000+ depending on size, the number of lanes, and complexity. That is more than a steel-rule flatbed die, which is why rotary pays back at volume: above roughly 10,000 parts the tooling amortizes to near zero and the continuous web gives the lowest per-part cost.
Is rotary good for kiss cutting?
Yes, excellent. Controlling cut depth precisely as the web runs is a strength of the process, so parts kiss-cut cleanly to the release liner for peel-and-place or automated dispensing. Depth is calibrated per material and liner. This is why acrylic foam tapes and adhesive-backed pads are a natural rotary fit.
Related converting capabilities
Rotary sits inside a connected set of in-house converting capabilities. These pages cover the adjacent processes that often share the same drawing.
Capability overview
Converting & Fabrication
The parent hub: how die cutting, waterjet, laser, rotary, slitting, and profiling fit together, and which process suits which part, material, and volume.
Read the overview
Related capability
Precision Die Cutting
Flatbed die cutting for thicker parts.
Read the page
Related capability
Slitting & Spooling
Precision slitting of roll stock to custom widths and spooling onto cores.
Read the page
For an accurate quote, include the following with your drawing or sample:
- DXF
- DWG
- STEP
- Material callout
- Thickness
- Critical tolerances
- Adhesive
- Liner spec
- Annual quantity
Request a rotary die-cutting quote
Send a drawing, a sample part, or a description of the part with its annual quantity. Engineering reviews manufacturability, confirms rotary, and comes back with a quote. Prefer to start with a conversation? Contact our engineering team directly.
Material data & standards. Material properties, temperature ranges, tolerances, and rotary die-cutting parameters referenced on this page are taken from the source manufacturers' technical data sheets and the cited industry references. H-O Products converts and these materials; we do not independently re-certify them against the standards unless explicitly stated on the quote. Achievable tolerance is geometry-, material-, and die-dependent.
Verify against your application and the vendor TDS for your specific construction. Lot-specific documentation is available on request.
Capability scope. Rotary die cutting, kiss cutting, in-line lamination, and in-line slitting are performed in-house in Winsted, CT. Lead times and minimums vary by material, die, and construction; expedited handling can be arranged.