Multi-layer polycarbonate sheeting is a translucent material that can be used as a durable and lightweight roofing material, especially for conservatories, but it is increasingly being used in restaurants and other entertainment venues to provide open and well-lit spaces for the public.

The development of a Mastercut 2200 flatbed cutting system that can cut 40 mm thick structured polycarbonate panels with a tangential knife has been one of the most productive breakthroughs in the construction of conservatory roofs revolutionising the industry. It has been hard for the manufacturers to believe that a knife blade can slice so effectively through the multiple layers of these insulated double walled panels.

Despite the hardness and thickness of the material, the Mastercut 2200 is capable of cutting tight curves and shapes. Polycarbonate sheets up to 12 metres long and up to 4 cm (1.5 inch) thick are routinely cut using this tangentially steered knife system. Sheets up to 2 inches have been cut in limited production runs and during R&D testing.

The material is held firmly in place on a vacuum bed. Previously this material has been cut either with saws or routers which produce a lot of sawdust which due to static electricity and the hollow section of the material is extremely difficult to remove. But the fixed blade cut is clean with no shavings or dust. With the efficient nesting program panels supplied with the Mastercut 2200 the panels can be cut using a common line cut which greatly reduces wastage.