What is a Vertical Foam Cutting Machine?

The vertical foam cutting machine gets its name because its cutting blade typically moves vertically from top to bottom. These machines mainly come in three types: sliding table, moving blade frame, and angle-adjustable.

(1) Sliding Table Vertical Foam Cutting Machine

As shown in Figure 1, the sliding table vertical foam cutting machine is the most basic model. It features a fixed cutting frame and a sliding worktable. The operator manually pushes or pulls the table to cut foam blocks. Manual vertical foam cutting machines generally use single-edged band knives.

Figure 1: Sliding Table Vertical Foam Cutting Machine

(2) Moving Blade Frame Vertical Foam Cutting Machine

This type is typically semi-automatic or fully automatic (Figure 2). The cutting blade frame is driven by steel belts or chains to move back and forth along dovetail guide rails to cut the foam. Cutting thickness is controlled by the movement of the baffle. A computer control system can accurately regulate each cutting stroke, allowing for automation. These machines usually use double-edged blades, enabling cutting in both directions and improving efficiency.

Figure 2: Moving Blade Frame Vertical Foam Cutting Machine

To overcome the limitation of single-direction cutting, modern fully automatic vertical cutters include a liftable rotating platform in the center. After one cut, the foam block is rotated 90° for a second cut, which is ideal for mass production of small pieces. Compared to sliding table machines, this type saves up to 50% of floor space. With a band saw instead of a knife, it can also cut rigid polyurethane blocks.

Another variant is the Edge Trimming Vertical Cutter (Figure 3), also a moving blade frame type. The blade moves perpendicular to the foam block’s direction and trims the edges. Multiple machines can be used in a line for edge trimming and longitudinal cutting.

Figure 3: Edge Trimming Vertical Foam Cutting Machine Diagram

(3) Angle-Adjustable Vertical Foam Cutting Machine

This type allows the angle between the blade and table to be adjusted for angled foam cuts. It usually has a sliding worktable and is manually operated.

Two main types exist:

Tilting Blade Frame Vertical Cutter (Figure 4): The blade frame tilts left or right, with the worktable in front. It can tilt up to 75° either way, achieving a minimum angle of 15° between blade and table.

Adjustable Blade Wheel Vertical Cutter (Figure 5): The blade angle is adjusted by changing the position of the four blade wheels in a parallelogram structure.

Figure 4: Tilting Blade Frame Angle Vertical Cutter

Figure 5: Adjustable Blade Wheel Angle Cutter