Large Crest Clamshell Presses
Informed buyers make better decisions. Trained operators make better production. DCA exists for both.
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Big sheets, heavy board, no excuses.
Large Crest presses are the mass production die cutting solution for large-format digital print finishing. If you’re running an EFI Nozomi, Durst, Agfa, or similar wide-format digital press, a Crest clamshell converts those printed sheets into finished product up to 60% faster than digital cutting systems — with the same fast setup and cutting precision, no matter how many short-run jobs come off the printer in a shift. When your digital press can print it faster than your cutter can cut it, a Crest solves that bottleneck.
If you’re producing large-format POP displays, structural packaging, or running high-volume converting, a large Crest press gives you the platen size and the cutting force without the make-ready penalty.
Applications & Materials
Large Crest presses are used across large-format digital print finishing, POP display manufacturing, retail signage, trade show graphics, structural packaging, and high-volume converting.
Common substrates include corrugated board (including heavy-wall and double-wall), Falconboard®, Ultra® Board, foam core, honeycomb board, styrene, polycarbonate, PVC, and structural packaging materials. With Widemouth™ technology, material thickness capability extends to 1″ and beyond for some materials.
Widemouth™ Technology — Available on Large Crest Models
Widemouth is a patented Crest technology available exclusively on large format models. It allows the press to adjust from a standard .937″ steel rule die up to a 3″ knife — in seconds — enabling it to process thick structural materials that standard clamshell presses cannot handle.
A Widemouth press runs traditional steel-to-steel die cutting jobs and switches to cutting Falconboard®, Ultra® Board, and ½″ foam core without removing filler or cutting plates. Non-Widemouth presses — including all competitor models — must remove plates and are limited to 1.125″ knife height, restricting maximum material thickness to approximately 3/8″.
Widemouth presses also integrate touch screen and digital controls in the make-ready process, and can process multiple sheets per impression for significantly higher throughput than digital cutting tables.
Widemouth technology is available on large Crest models only: Crest 2M, 2.5M, and 3M.
Available Large Crest Sizes
Large Crest presses are available in three formats, all delivering 500 tons of press load and 200 tons of die load. Each model is available in standard and Widemouth™ configurations.
Manufacturing lead time: 4–5 months (standard); 5–6 months (Widemouth). Varies based on production levels and inventory at time of order.
- Max cutting size: 60″ × 82″
- Max cutting size: 60″ × 105″
- Max cutting size: 60″ × 120″
Zero make-ready. Not reduced — zero.
Soft Cut technology replaces the traditional cutting plate with a urethane pad matched to a serrated cutting rule, eliminating setup entirely on the right applications.Soft Cut replaces the traditional cutting plate with a urethane pad matched to a serrated cutting rule, eliminating setup entirely on the right applications. Rigid plastics cut without heat, improved edge quality, fastest possible job changeover.Benefits include:
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We’re running 40 hours a week on our Schwabe and Crest machines, both purchased through DCA, so if one of them goes down, it puts us in a tough spot. Knowing I can reach someone immediately and get the issue resolved quickly gives me real peace of mind. For me, that kind of support is the real value of working with DCA.”
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Construction & Safety
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Financing Options
A Crest press is a significant capital investment, but the payment structure shouldn't slow down the decision. DCA works with manufacturers to identify financing options that fit their specific situation.
FAQ
Widemouth is a patented Crest system that allows the press to run cutting rule from .937″ up to 3″ high knife, enabling it to process thick materials like Falconboard®, Ultra® Board, and foam core. It is available on large Crest models only and can process materials up to 1″ thick and beyond.
For manufacturers running EFI Nozomi, Durst, Agfa, or similar wide-format digital presses, a large Crest converts printed sheets into finished product up to 60% faster than digital cutting systems. Because a Crest cuts multiple parts per impression using steel rule dies — rather than tracing each cut path one at a time — it solves the bottleneck that develops when your digital press can print faster than your cutter can cut.
Standard large models: 4–5 months. Widemouth models: 5–6 months. Lead times vary based on production levels and inventory. Die Cutting Advisors can provide current estimates during your evaluation.