Automated Cutters for Shade Sails and Shade Structures

Big products and wide fabrics used in shade sails means you need an Aeronaut wide-span cutter to cut your jobs. Knitted shade cloth can be a nightmare to cut with scissors since it frays like mad but it can be cut quite easily with a rotary blade. The rotary blade rolls over the top of the shade cloth and cuts remarkably cleanly. Shade cloth is relatively stretchy so some fabricators join their cloths together and cut the finished shape while others will cut the panels to size and join them as accurately as necessary.

A 28mm or 45mm rotary blade tool is probably all you need to cut shade cloth but few if any fabricators only make shade sails and only use knitted mesh. You'll need the versatility of other tools for other products from fabric. All Aeronaut cutters have quick change tools so the cutter doesn't have automatic tool changing, you can still fit any tool in a few seconds. 

A vacuum table normally doesn't work that well with shade cloth but it's heavy enough not to move much when being cut with a rotary blade. You can place a few pieces of plastic film here and there over shade mesh and the vacuum table will stabilise the fabric. Other materials which need accurate cutting will benefit from the stability of a flatbed cutting table with vacuum hold down.

The Tools of Your Trade

Essential

Aeronaut's Elektron Mono WS with Cam-lock quick change tooling is a hugely popular cutter for outdoor shades and awnings. The Elektron Mono WS can be made up to 6.5 metres wide to span the widest fabrics or joined materials. A heavy-duty machine, the Elektron Mono WS has the power to do the job, and the reliability to keep working with minimal maintenance.

Versatility

The Elektron Quattro multi-tool cutter can carry up to four steered Cam-lock quick change tools including rotary blades, drag blades and drill punches which are switched by software when cutting. This means you can handle the widest range of work, efficiently and accurately whatever the future holds in outdoor awnings and shade products. 

Cam-lock Quick Change Tools

Cam-lock tools can be changed by hand in a few seconds so you can fit the tools you need, when you need. On the Elektron Quattro, tools are changed automatically under software control.

The Cam-lock tool range includes 18mm, 28mm and 45mm rotary blades, tangential or drag knives with various depth stops for normal and high friction materials, creasing and scoring tools in a wide range of profiles and drill-punch sizes from pin to over 25mm. Drill-punch inserts are easy to sharpen and exchange.

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Software, Nesting and Technology

Nesting & Control

Aeronaut's Tangent software is the key to reducing fabric waste and Tangent's powerful and user friendly cutter control is essential to increase production. 

Autonesting

Fast and efficient autonesting can pay for a cutting system in months if your fabric is expensive - and isn't waste fabric the most expensive fabric in your business? 

Rapid Patterning

Aeronaut has developed rapid patterning software and CAD plugins to reduce the design to cut time down to a few minutes on complex patterns.

Autotracing Patterns

Aeronaut's revolutionary SiliconEye machine vision software can accurately trace and digitise a table full of patterns in seconds.

Aligning Patterns

With Aeronaut's full-table or gantry mounted machine vision systems, aligning cut profiles to patterned fabric or digitally printed material is simple.

Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printing is the fastest way to do pattern numbers, markings and reference text on almost any fabric.

Contact Aeronaut

Get the facts from the factory direct. If you want advice on automated cutting, an offer on a complete cutting system or to arrange a demonstration, just ask!