Publication Type: Article

This paper presents a methodology for exporting data, visualising mechanisms, and generating their 3D models within a specialised computer-aided-design environment. It describes how a mechanism defined in the program is converted into engineering documentation and into 3D geometry for other CAD systems, including automated generation via AutoLISP. The methodology links mechanism analysis with downstream design and modelling work.

This paper analyses the software available for the research of the mechanisms of printing and packaging machines. Existing programs for mechanism synthesis, kinematic analysis, and visualisation are compared by their capabilities and limitations, and the requirements for a specialised research tool are formulated. The analysis motivates the author’s own software for the construction and kinematic analysis of machine mechanisms.

This paper presents a software system for the automated kinematic analysis of lever (linkage) mechanisms with constant link lengths, developed in Embarcadero RAD Studio. The system decomposes an arbitrary mechanism into structural (Assur) groups and computes the positions, velocities, and accelerations of the links across a full cycle. Results are presented as graphs and tables and can be exported for further engineering use. The tool automates routine kinematic calculations for the linkage mechanisms of printing and packaging machines.

This paper studies the movement of the pressure plate driven by wedging mechanisms in a flat die-cutting press. Analytical relationships are derived for the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the plate over the working cycle, and the influence of the wedging-mechanism parameters on the motion is examined. The results show how the wedging drive shapes the plate’s approach and dwell during cutting, providing a basis for tuning the drive to reduce impact and improve cut quality.

This study examines schemes of combined double-crank wedging drive mechanisms for the pressure plate of a die-cutting press and defines the conditions for their application. Structural and geometric synthesis of the mechanisms is performed, and their kinematic and functional characteristics are derived analytically. The combined double-crank wedging arrangement is shown to increase dwell during the cutting phase and to smooth the plate’s motion, improving the quality and stability of cardboard die-cutting. Recommendations are given for selecting the scheme parameters according to the required press cyclicity.

Scientific research on die-cutting press pressure-plate drive mechanisms is analysed and, based on the results, an upgraded drive is proposed that combines two wedging mechanisms, an additional pair of driven cranks, and a gear transmission. A geometric synthesis of the mechanism determines its relative and absolute dimensions, and a methodology based on similarity theory is developed to calculate its kinematic parameters, yielding analytical expressions for the invariants of the mechanism’s motion. A 3D model is designed from the synthesis results and a virtual experiment is conducted in SolidWorks. For a press operating at 60 cycles per minute with an 80 mm plate displacement, the maximum speed reaches 0.372 m/s while inertial loads at plate reversal remain minimal (negative acceleration of −0.139 m/s²), confirming the effectiveness of the proposed drive.

The die-cutting of large-format cardboard concentrates very high forces on the pressure plate and its drive. This paper argues for replacing the traditional monoblock pressure plate with a two-section design, in which the plate is split into independently driven sections. Dividing the load between sections lowers the instantaneous force on the drive, reduces plate deformation, and improves the uniformity of cutting and creasing. The study defines the conditions under which the two-section plate is justified for high-capacity die-cutting automata.

This conference paper reasons for the use of a crank-gear drive of the pressure segment in a sectional die-cutting press. It shows how combining a crank mechanism with a gear transmission shapes the motion of the pressure segment, increasing the dwell during cutting and reducing inertial loads. The proposed drive is presented as a route to higher productivity and better cut quality in sectional die-cutting equipment.

This paper presents the design and analysis of a novel double-wedging drive mechanism for the pressure plate of a flat die-cutting press, proposed as an alternative to traditional crankshaft-based systems. The mechanism improves motion transmission, increases the uniformity of contact with the cardboard sheet, and reduces inertial loads during embossing, creasing, and cutting. A kinematic scheme is developed and analytical expressions for displacement and torque are derived, while a custom Python tool automates parameter calculation, model generation, and integration with SolidWorks for simulation and optimisation. Three-dimensional models and motion studies validate the analytical results and confirm the mechanism’s advantages for high-cyclicity die-cutting equipment.

Flat die-cutting is the primary method of producing cardboard packaging, and the pressure-plate drive must deliver large, uniform forces with stable, repeatable motion. This paper performs the geometric synthesis of a combined double-wedging mechanism for the pressure-plate drive and determines its relative and absolute dimensions. Analytical dependencies for the kinematic parameters are derived and evaluated over a full working cycle, and a 3D model is built to verify the synthesised geometry. The results show that the combined double-wedging scheme provides smoother plate motion and lower inertial loading than conventional drives, making it suitable for modern sectional die-cutting equipment.