The new head will be shown for the first time at Sign & Digital UK, where the firm will also debut the latest release of its Zund Cut Center software, version 2.0, which adds a raft of improvements, the most significant of which is a tool for estimating the production time of each job.

SonicZ was developed by Zund UK to provide firms processing a lot of paper-based boards with a tool to improve productivity.

"Historically oscillating knives slow right down when cutting paper-based boards," said Zund UK sales director Peter Giddings. "Using an ultrasonic knife enables cutting at the machine’s rated speed on corrugated sheets."

The SonicZ head, which can be retro-fitted to all Zund’s cutting tables, costs £10,000.

Giddings said that its development for cutting board was a technology transfer from signage and vehicle graphics where Zund UK was working with 3M on ways to process the reflective materials used on emergency vehicles.

In that application for producing the "Battenburg effect" of contrasting colour panels on the sides of vehicles, the reflective materials need to be cut and sealed to prevent water ingress, which destroys the reflective properties. Ultrasonic heads can cut and seal these materials at the same time.

Giddings said that the addition of a tool for estimating production time in Zund Cut Center 2.0 was, as far as he was aware, a unique feature not offered by other cutting table suppliers.

"Before estimating the time was at best an educated guess," he said.

The software enables accurate production planning and capacity management. In addition to estimating production time it tracks actual production time, which can be fed back to an MIS.

Other new tools in the software include cutting path optimisation and batch processing, which in conjunction with the new email notification function enables tables with automated materials handling to be left to run unattended, with the operator alerted if they need to intervene.

New tables will come with the software as standard, it will be a paid for upgrade for existing users. Pricing will be available at Sign & Digital UK.