Controlled weakening of cuttable material bodies along contour line, e.g. for motor vehicle airbag cover, by heating blade, applying to material contour, and applying pressure to cut to predetermined thickness

摘要

The method involves abutting the material body (36) against a predetermined surface (10), and heating or maintaining at least one cutting blade (22) whose cutting edge has the shape of at least part of the predetermined contour, to or at a predetermined increased temperature. The blade edge is brought towards the contour line of the material body to be weakened. Pressure below or equal to a maximum value is applied via the edge to the material body, to effect cutting up to a predetermined residual material thickness, and then removing the blade from the cut. Independent claims are also included for a cutting machine, a combined cutting and punching machine, a cutting tool, and a material body.