With Zünd, Plyform takes high-performance cutting to the next level

In the advanced composites industry, cutting is a critical process: it must deliver precision, repeatability, and compliance with strict technical requirements, all without slowing down production. These demands prompted Plyform Composites to partner with Zünd.  
 
For decades, Plyform has been a leading manufacturer of advanced composite components for the aerospace, motorsport, and automotive industries. The company operates four production facilities in Italy’s Piedmont region and offers co-design, manufacturing, and assembly services, producing everything from smaller interior components to high-tech structural parts. Since 2022, Plyform has been part of the ALL-WAYS Group, which is committed to supporting Italy’s composites and precision mechanics supply chain. Quality and compliance are central to Plyform’s operations. The company holds several prestigious, internationally recognized certifications, including NADCAP accreditation, which is awarded for special processes in the aerospace and defense sectors. 

As production demands grew, the existing cutting systems could no longer support the required volumes and performance levels. The cutting department became a bottleneck, directly impacting the overall flow of production. 

Plyform’s goal was clear: to introduce a new technology capable of reducing cutting times, handling complex composite materials, and maintaining the strict quality standards required by the aerospace and automotive industries. 

“Our previous cutting technologies could no longer keep pace with production demands,” says Diego Pede, Manufacturing Engineer at Plyform.  Ilaria Oddi, Head of the Laminating Department, adds, “Today, thanks to the new Zünd G3 machine, we can plan production several days in advance without compromising the strict requirements imposed on us by the aerospace industry.” 

Plyform was already familiar with Zünd, which has a strong presence in the advanced composites sector. The decision followed a thorough evaluation of the technology’s capabilities and its suitability for Plyform’s production requirements. 

“The decision to go with Zünd was a very natural one after seeing the technology’s capabilities firsthand. This was further supported by a clear, informative demonstration of the system,” says Diego Pede. 

Plyform opted for a Zünd G3 L-2500. With the help of the Zund Italia team, the system was configured to meet Plyform’s specific workflow requirements and support the processing of advanced composites. 

1. Automatic fiber alignment
   “Fiber orientation is a requirement for all certifications, and especially for customer designs. With Zünd, a camera module automatically aligns the nested parts with the fiber,” says Pede. Correct fiber orientation is one of the most critical requirements in cutting composites. To meet this requirement, Plyform integrated the Zünd ICC camera for automatic fiber recognition and layout alignment.
2. 70% faster marking
   Plyform combined its Zünd cutting solution with a Leibinger inkjet printer, significantly improving day-to-day production efficiency: “It allows us to print codes and text on each ply before cutting, which saves us a lot of time. Compared to a standard marker, it prints roughly 70% faster,” says Diego Pede. 
3. Efficient cutting of even the most complex materials
   Carbon fiber, aramid fiber, and other high-performance materials require special tools and precise cutting parameters. With the Zünd PRT, Plyform was able to increase processing speeds while maintaining high levels of precision, even with the most challenging materials. The Power Rotary Tool is a motor-driven cutting tool that uses a rotating blade to precisely cut complex and highly resistant materials such as glass fiber and carbon fiber at high speeds.  
   Plyform also chose the Zünd UCT (Universal Cutting Tool), which allows the user to adjust for different cutting speeds, material thicknesses, and blade depths.
4. Modularity, ease of use, and technical support  
   Another key advantage is the modularity of the Zünd platform. The ability to integrate different modules and cutting technologies allows Plyform to adapt the system to a variety of processes while maintaining ease of use and long-term flexibility.

Plyform also highlights the support provided by the Zund Italia team in configuring the digital cutting solution and considers this an integral part of the project’s value. 
 

With the introduction of the Zünd G3, Plyform has made its cutting department a model of efficiency, increasing production capacity without sacrificing process control or the quality standards required by the aerospace, automotive, and motorsport sectors.