types of fabric cutting machines
Laser
A huge technological leap from using a pair of scissors, textile practitioners can make use of laser fabric-cutting machines to get the job done. In such machines, no metal touches the fabric. Instead, the high-powered laser works fast while focusing on the surface of the material, which either melts away or vaporizes due to the high-power density. One of the advantages of laser cutting, mostly used for industrial manufacturing applications, comes when the laser seals the edges of the fabric automatically. Fabric cutting machines that function by laser include the Golden Laser Engraving and Cutting Machine, whose manufacturer calls it fast, precise, safe, reliable and fashioned with brand name parts. For laser fabric cutting machines, the more powerful the laser, the more it costs.
Electric
Automated electric fabric cutting machines function by blade or knife. Far less expensive than laser machines, home users commonly employ electric fabric cutters, as they're highly efficient and easy to operate, according to the Raphael Sewing company, an industrial sewing machine vendor. For example, an 8-inch fabric cutting machine comes equipped with a straight knife and an automatic, abrasive belt sharpener that maintains the sharpness of the blade. Built with an efficient motor, this device can cut through all kinds of fabric, thick or thin, and typically has a built-in lubrication system, with oil supplied by a reservoir inside the machine.
Non-Electric
Non-electric machines, such as hand-held rotary cutters, work well for smaller projects, due to the portability of the apparatus and its flexibility in cutting out intricate patterns. Guillotine fabric cutters let the user descend the blade onto the fabric to cut it, similar to the way a guillotine works.
