TAPPI Training - Corrugated Week 2026

Full Day Diecutting Course.

Maximize Quality. Minimize Waste. Elevate Profitability.

Calling all corrugated converters: Don’t miss this hands-on workshop designed to uncover how equipment design, maintenance practices, and even subtle structural choices can directly impact your product quality—and your bottom line.

Whether you're working with flatbed or rotary diecutters, you'll walk away with a sharper understanding of machine capabilities and limitations, and how to apply that knowledge to boost efficiency across your converting operation.

You'll also explore how implementing a Tool Readiness Program can dramatically increase uptime, reduce costly waste, and improve overall performance on the floor.

What You’ll Learn:By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to:

🧩 Differentiate among various flatbed diecutters and understand their unique strengths
✍️ Write accurate specs for rotary diecutters and flexo folder gluers (FFG)
⚠️ Spot common design flaws that reduce diecutting efficiency
🛠️ Apply maintenance strategies that increase uptime and minimize downtime
📏 Understand key causes of dimensional variation in rotary diecutting
🚧 Develop and implement a Tool Readiness Program to keep production moving

Who Should Attend: Ideal for corrugated finishing professionals, including:

Machine Operators
Production Superintendents
Structural Designers
Plant Managers
Sales Managers
General Managers

Note: Separate registration is required to attend this workshop.

Location: Omni Fort Worth
Room: Stockyards 2

9:00 - 9:15: Welcome and Self Introductions
9:15 - 9:45: Typical Diecutting Practices and Tooling Construction
9:45 - 10:15: The Difference and Limitations of "Flat Bed" Diecutting Presses
10:45 - 11:00: Break
11:00 - 11:45: Creating Accurate Machine Specifications for RDC and FFG Machinery
11:45 - 12:45: Eliminate Pitfalls Within Structural Design
12:45 - 1:30: Lunch
1:30 - 2:15: Eliminate Pitfalls Within Structural Design (cont'd)
2:15 - 2:45: Key Maintenance Practices to Increase Uptime and Quality
2:45 - 3:00: Break
3:00 - 3:45: Recognizing Influential Factors of Dimensional Variation with RDC
3:45 - 4:30: Creating a Tool Readiness Program to Reduce Idle Time Increasing Profit
4:30 - 5:00: Wrap Up with Questions and Comments

Rick Putch has 48 years of experience in diemaking and in the packaging industry, Rick’s expertise spans all aspects of paper conversion: diemaking, die cutting, packaging design, and materials testing. Rick has worked as a pressman, business owner, and in executive management. He has written technical papers for an assortment of trade publications and has taught several courses for TAPPI, AICC, ACCCSA, and IADD.

He has done best practices training on corrugated finishing and efficient package design, for many corporations in 35 countries, translated in 10 different languages. Rick is regarded as a world-class expert on evaluating manufacturing processes for new product concepts, and for resolving production issues on a wide variety manufactured products produced with steel rule cutting dies .

He previously served on the Board of Directors of the IADD and is one of only 14 IADD Tech Team members based all over the world. He has received several prestigious industry awards, most notable, IADD’s inaugural PEAK Award presented in Interlaken Switzerland and the Division Technical Award from TAPPI