Davis & Pierce Die Service Adds a Serviform RubbA to Its Kansas City Die Shop

Davis & Pierce Die Service has stayed current since 1973, and just closed the loop on ejection rubber. Some die shops chase every new machine. Davis & Pierce Die Service has kept its technology current for more than 50 years, one purchase at a time. Its newest addition is a Serviform RubbA rubber processor, paired with a Rubbot 2100 for automated pick-and-place. This is the story of a family-owned Kansas City die shop, what it makes, and why an ejection rubber cutting machine, and the automated placement behind it, fits the way it works.

Read the full Davis & Pierce case study.

Davis & Pierce Die Service was Built on Staying Current

Gene Pierce, along with his father-in-law, Charlie Davis, started Davis & Pierce, in October 1973. According to a July 2023 interview with IADD’s The Cutting Edge, conducted by Rick Ruckh of Serviform America, the shop started with a first investment of $1,500 in equipment and supplies. The business began as a corrugated die company, built its own rotary die equipment, and started making rotary dies in 1974. It later added gasket dies, and printing-industry dies. Technology has been the thread ever since. The same interview says Davis & Pierce brought a laser into Kansas City in 1990, making it the first outside die shop in the area to have one. It added more machines through the 1990s, and 2000s as it grew. In that interview, Gene Pierce said that a shop that doesn’t keep its technology current within five years will be “so far behind, you can’t get caught up.” Today the business is led by Mark Pierce, Gene’s son, and it is still a family business. The Serviform RubbA is the latest step, in a long tradition, of investing in the tools that make better dies. More information about Davis & Pierce Die Service can be found on their website, or by contacting Mark directly. (M:  816-405-2718 E:  MEP@davisdie.com)

What Davis & Pierce Builds

Davis & Pierce doesn’t specialize in a narrow niche. Mark Pierce describes the shop’s work

as “all types of dies from label, gaskets, folding carton, rotary, and flat corrugated.” That range matters when you’re choosing equipment. The Serviform RubbA is adaptive to each of these die types, and for that matter, many of the machines at Davis & Pierce are as well.

Why Ejection Rubber Deserves Attention

Ejection rubber is easy to overlook. It sits beside the cutting rule in the die, and it pushes the

sheet, or blank, off the blade after the cut. The quality of the finished die depends on it. Many shops have relied on waterjet systems to cut rubber, but this process leaves the finished product wet, and dirty requiring cleanup.

The Serviform RubbA takes a different approach.

• Pneumatic oscillating knife. Instead of a waterjet, the RubbA uses a mechanical blade system built for die making. Rubber comes off the table ready to use, with zero drying time.
• RubbASave software. A projector shows the cutting paths on the rubber sheet before the first cut, so the operator can position parts to reduce scrap. The newer models use a laser projector that performs better in bright shop lighting.
• Kiss cut, and through cut. Software controls the cutting depth, so the machine can cut through self-adhesive rubber without cutting the liner.
• Two sizes. The standard Serviform RubbA has a 1000 x 600 mm (39.37″ x 23.62″) working area. The Serviform RubbA 1000 has a 1200 x 1000 mm (47.24″ x 39.37″) working area for larger dies.

The RubbA reads DXF, DD3, DDS, and CF2 files,  and runs on Serviform’s SDDS software, which was built for die shops. It also connects directly to the Serviform Rubbot 2100 which is our pick-and-place system, sending cutting files straight over for a fully automated cut-and-place workflow. Davis & Pierce runs both, so cutting files pass directly to the Rubbot 2100 for automated pick-and-place.

(For a full breakdown of the technology, read our comparison: Waterjet vs. Oscillating Knife Systems.)

Automating the Rubbering Step

In a July 2023 interview with IADD’s The Cutting Edge, conducted by Rick Ruckh of Serviform America, Gene Pierce named the automatic pick-and-place rubbering machine as the next big thing he saw coming for die shops. He also described wanting an assembly line from the computer through the laser, bender, and counter machine to packaging and shipping. Davis & Pierce has this piece in place, pairing its RubbA, with a Rubbot 2100. Cutting files pass from the RubbA straight to the Rubbot 2100, which picks and places the cut rubber automatically, closing the loop from cutting to placement.

What Davis & Pierce Says About Serviform Equipment

Davis & Pierce has run Serviform equipment in its shop since 2017, and Mark Pierce shared his experience with us directly.

• Why Serviform? “Quality and service.” — Mark Pierce, in written responses to Serviform America
• Support. “Service and parts are a phone call away. I can order a part and have it in my shop the next day.” — Mark Pierce, in written responses to Serviform America

Mark’s one-sentence summary of the experience: “We rarely have problems with the Serviform products, and I can count on Serviform America to help me, with any problem that might arise with their equipment.” — Mark Pierce, in written responses to Serviform America

Davis & Pierce’s RubbA sits alongside the Serviform rule benders the shop already runs. Of those machines, Mark Pierce said, in written responses to Serviform America: “The Serviform machines produce cutting rules you can place in the die, with minimal force hand finishing, and the shop can make those rules with minimal waste.”

RubbASave Software: The Cutting Path, Projected Before the First Cut

RubbASave software projects the RubbA’s cutting path onto the rubber sheet before the first cut. The operator can see how the job will fit on the available rubber and position parts to reduce scrap.

On newer Serviform RubbA rubber cutting machines, a laser projector makes the cutting layout easier to see under bright shop lighting. Once positioned, the RubbA’s pneumatic oscillating knife cuts the rubber dry, without the water used in waterjet cutting, so there is no drying time before placement. The software also controls cutting depth for kiss-cut and through-cut work.

Want to see how it works? Watch the RubbASave software demonstration.

Support That Keeps the Shop Running

A machine is only as good as the support behind it. Serviform America is the North American sales, service and parts organization for Serviform machines, and it operates with:

• Factory-trained technicians across the US
• Parts and customer service in Atlanta, GA
• Remote diagnostics
• Preventative maintenance programs

You can read more about maintenance, parts and supplies on our site.

What This Means for Your Die Shop

If your shop still waits on wet rubber before it can go into a die, the RubbA is worth a close look. Davis & Pierce is one example of what a technology-minded shop looks for: quality, dependable service, and equipment that cuts rubber dry and passes files directly to the Rubbot 2100 for automated pick-and-place.

Ready to see how a RubbA could fit your shop? Speak with a Serviform America sales rep today. You can also explore the RubbA and RubbA1000 page or read more customer stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Serviform RubbA?

The RubbA is a rubber processor for die making. It is a cutting table that uses a pneumatic oscillating knife to cut ejection rubber with no drying time, no water and no abrasive.

How does the RubbA compare to a waterjet for cutting ejection rubber?

The RubbA uses a mechanical blade system in place of a waterjet, so rubber comes off the table dry and ready to place. It avoids the water, abrasive and slurry cleanup a waterjet requires.

What sizes does the RubbA come in?

The standard RubbA has a 1000 x 600 mm working area. The RubbA 1000 has a 1200 x 1000 mm working area for larger dies.

Can the RubbA work with automated rubber placement?

Yes. It connects directly to the Rubbot 2100 pick-and-place robot and can send it cutting files automatically. Davis & Pierce runs both machines together.

Who services the RubbA in North America?

Serviform America. It provides U.S.-based, factory-trained technicians, parts stocked in Atlanta, GA, and remote diagnostics.