Innovative Testschnitt-Vorrichtung bei SOMATEC im Rahmen einer Bachelorarbeit entwickelt

19. December 2025

As part of a bachelor's thesis on the topic of ‘Design of a cutting test station for the longitudinal cutting of web-shaped materials’, a novel test cutting device was designed and successfully implemented at SOMATEC Sondermaschinen GmbH. The aim of the project was to develop a flexible, practical system that would enable different cutting processes and material properties to be examined under realistic conditions.

Project content

The test station developed is used to analyse the cuttability of a wide variety of materials and allows direct comparison of several cutting types:

Blade cut
Heated blade cut
Crush cut
Shear cut

The test material can have dimensions of up to 500 mm x 1450 mm. A pneumatic clamping device ensures precise and reproducible fixation of the material with individually adjustable tensile force – an essential prerequisite for reliable test results.

Technical features

The design impresses with a range of technical highlights that enable flexible and practical use:

Quick tool change thanks to variable knife holders with dovetail mountings
Freely adjustable process parameters, based on the adjustment logic of modern winding machines
Universal material compatibility – from paper and films to complex composites

Practical benefits and added value

This test cutting device provides SOMATEC with a powerful tool for the further development and optimisation of cutting processes.

The system allows precise analysis of material and cutting behaviour, testing of new cutting technologies and simulation of customer-specific requirements under realistic conditions. It thus makes a valuable contribution to quality assurance and product development at SOMATEC.

Results and prospects

The project illustrates how scientific research and applied engineering practice go hand in hand at SOMATEC. The combination of technical innovation, sound methodology and practical implementation has resulted in an instrument that will make a decisive contribution to the further development of modern cutting technologies in the future and is a strong example of successful knowledge transfer between universities and industry.