What is a kiss cut?

 

A kiss cut is a “light” cut that can be made with a die or laser.  It only penetrates the top layer and not the pressure sensitive adhesive liner or substrate layer.  It merely “kisses” the liner sheet.  The precision cutting performs well for closed cell sponges, foams, and other similar materials.  This cut is also commonly used for adhesive-backed materials like paper, foils and more.  Using this kind of cut can make peeling off and applying the part easy.

What are the advantages of a kiss cut?

One advantage is the assembly advantage.  Peeling the kiss cut part off the liner is faster for the end user to handle.   Compared to a non-kiss cut part, removing the kiss cut liner using fingertips or machines is a process with which people are generally familiar.  If kiss cutting is not selected, another option is to design the part with a liner peel tab for the fingers to grip.    Depending on the material and the process chosen, kiss cutting may offer precise tolerances, part stability, and quick turnaround times.  Another advantage is that parts can be supplied in rolls or delivered in groups on sheets, making for a quick and clean packaging.

More About the Liner

Pressure sensitive adhesive usually requires a protective covering for the adhesive to prevent “unwanted” adhesion and contamination of surface during shipping and handling.

• Liners are typically engineered to provide a desired release characteristic.


• Suitable liners may be:
  
  
  
  • densified kraft paper
  
  
  • poly-coated kraft
  
  
  • plastic films (PET, PE, HDPE, PP)
  
  
  • “board” – a heavier paper
  
  
  
  

 

To determine if a kiss cut is right for your project contact us.  We will support your product development, review your requirements, and deliver a quote.