glossary

Parallelism — Industry Glossary Entry

Definition of parallelism in industrial blade measurement: the difference between two parallel reference surfaces of a knife, and how parallelism affects cut.

Definition of parallelism in industrial blade measurement: the difference between two parallel reference surfaces of a knife, and how parallelism affects cut.
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Parallelism is the difference between two parallel reference surfaces of a knife, measured in millimetres. On a slitter, parallelism is the difference between the two side faces; on a shear, it is the difference between the cutting face and the back face of the upper or lower blade.

Typical parallelism by application

  • Precision slitter (film, foil): ≤ 0.005 mm across full face
  • Standard slitter (paper): ≤ 0.010 mm
  • Tissue slitter: ≤ 0.015 mm
  • Plate shear: ≤ 0.010 mm across the cutting edge length

How to measure

  • Place the knife on a precision surface plate
  • Set a dial indicator on the parallel face
  • Traverse across the face
  • Read the TIR = max - min

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Adhesive Wear — Industry Glossary Entry

Adhesive Wear — Industry Glossary Entry

Definition of adhesive wear in industrial cutting: loss of knife material when micro-welds between the edge and the substrate fracture at the knife side.