How Jigsaw Puzzles Are Made? (Mega Factories Video)
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2021
- A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of often oddly shaped interlocking and mosaiced pieces. Typically, each individual piece has a portion of a picture; when assembled, the jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture.
Most modern jigsaw puzzles are made out of paperboard since they are easier and cheaper to mass-produce than the original wooden models. An enlarged photograph or printed reproduction of a painting or other two-dimensional artwork is glued onto the cardboard before cutting. This board is then fed into a press. The press forces a set of hardened steel blades of the desired shape through the board until it is fully cut. This procedure is similar to making shaped cookies with a cookie cutter. The forces involved, however, are tremendously greater and a typical 1000-piece puzzle requires a press that can generate upwards of 700 tons of force to push the knives of the puzzle die through the board. A puzzle die is a flat board, often made from plywood, which has slots cut or burned in the same shape as the knives that are used. These knives are set into the slots and covered in a compressible material, typically foam rubber, which serves to eject the cut puzzle pieces.
New technology has enabled laser-cutting of wooden or acrylic jigsaw puzzles. The advantage of cutting with a laser is that the puzzle can be custom cut into any size, any shape, with any size (or any number) of pieces. Many museums have laser cut acrylic puzzles made of some of their more important pieces of art so that children visiting the museum can see the original piece and then assemble a jigsaw puzzle of the image that is also in the same shape as the piece of art. Acrylic is used because the pieces are very durable, waterproof, and can withstand continued use without the image fading, or the pieces wearing out, or becoming frayed. Also, because the print and cut patterns are computer-based, lost pieces can be manufactured without remaking the entire puzzle.
Video Credit: www.ravensburger.com & www.clementoni.com
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I don't want to brag but I finished a puzzle in a week and the box said 6 to 12 years.
🤣🤣🤣
Lol...2 funny!
Hahahaha! We see what you did there! ;)
😆😆
Ohhkkaaaay 😂😂
I've always been interested in how puzzles are made. This was great! Would like to have had more focus on the die and cutting process tho.
Thank you.
You can check Mr. Robert Weldon's comment. He described the process really well.
i'd like to know different cutting methods of different manufacturers
Ya! They showed the easy "artsy" stuff! How do they make all the thousands of steel rule cutting shapes??
The metal die was the interesting bit and you skipped over how it was created.
Kindy check Mr. Robert Weldon's comment. He described the process really well.
@@engineeringworld. Perhaps you could ask him to help you make a video about how puzzles are made.
I was curious on how it was made, but what I would consider the most interesting part, how the "die cut" is engineered, was given little attention
I thought some guy with goggles on came out with an actual jigsaw and somehow was that good.
Us Diecutter's get no repect lol
Gosh! No wonder they cost so much. I like the part where the blades are hammered in place.
That part is really fascinating. It's interesting to note how each piece is unique !
Ravensburger puzzles tend to be pricey. They are also very nice quality puzzles.
1:52
Wow! I like the part where they colour them.
Nah, some puzzles are very cheap for what it is
From first hand (professional) experience; The thing used to cut the puzzle is a "Steel Rule Die", and is, when new, near razor sharp. The machine used to cut the puzzle is called a "die cutting PRESS, most likely fitted with an automatic machine called a "scrapper/stripper and packer.
The die making process is very involved and requires an awful lot more work than inserting a RULE piece into the die board.
Sorry, I was a die cutter operator for more than 20 years and the art part is only a part of the process, not most of it. My job, at times, could rise to the level of art also.
The whole video should have been much longer than this. I'm very disappointed. ;-(
My family and I often wonder about the _types_ of patterns cut; some seem much more irregular and seems would be more complicated to make. It also seems that really good puzzles have pieces where the image is cut at unexpected places, e.g. right at a color change or splitting an eye in half, so it's not so obvious where the pieces go.
Hey!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and the minute details. Just curious to know, how long does it take to make the 'Steel Rule Die' ?
@@engineeringworld. The time to build a steel rule die can vary by it's complexity. For a puzzle similar in size to those shown in the video can take many hours.
Remember I was a machine operator, not a die maker. Even so I often saw the process in action. Die builders are highly skilled, maybe one would like to comment instead of me.
Out of curiosity, is the same die ever reused on multiple puzzles? If you had two puzzles, printed with different artwork, but but cut with the same die, then their pieces could be mixed and still fit?
@@dwdinrolla Yes. The die will work with any puzzle image with the same "out side" dimensions. So you could possibly mix puzzle pieces, (not recommended) ;-)
I absolutely LOVE Jigsaw puzzles... my parents kept a card table up at all times as a family activity as my brother & I grew up in the 60's & 70's. Thank you SO much for publishing this & the most interesting was the end where I found out that there is a largest puzzle in the world. I'm going to forward this video to my childhood friend of 51yrs as her parents did the same thing & we helped each other with puzzles when we visited each other over night!! Great informative UA-cam!❤💕
I work puzzles with my mother in law. She has friends who bring her their already-dones. I keep a little library of puzzles, they are one of the ways I relax.
@@user-mv9tt4st9k so do I .... it's a great way to relax. I have a small collection as well but I mainly trade with other puzzlers.
I have been trying to find out how I can determine if a puzzle has "standard" pieces or odd shaped ones. I much prefer working puzzles with the standard shapes but I find it difficult to find them because I have no idea how to tell. I don't even know if there is a technical term for that shape of puzzle piece. Have you ever come across any information on this subject?
@@reynoldsbillie No I have not run across any information on that except that I believe the boxes I have, they say standard on it and the ones that are animal shaped. You have to look at the picture to see. however you could Google it. I'm sorry I wasn't. A lot any more help.🥰😃😄
I had hoped for some detail about the process for ensuring that each piece is unique, so that there is only one combination of two (for edge) or four (for interior) neighbors that fits. This uniqueness must be harder for a large (3,000+ pieces) than a small (150 piece) puzzle. Is it done by hand? By computer?
While I found the video entertaining, this is what really interests me the most -- and is missing.
The main bit I was wondering about was how they separated the jigsaw puzzle after it was stamped, whether it went over a vibrating plate or something like that. They skipped right past that bit. The puzzle is stamped, then it 'comes out the other side' all separated and ready to be bagged.
I wondered too. After they stamp it they probably only have to rotate the board it's on and they all slide into a funnel bag. But do pieces get stuck in the die?
most small jigsaw factories use the same die cutter for all their jigsaws which means that all the actual pieces are identical and you actually combine pieces with different pictures and they will fit perfectly
I was wondering about that I was wondering about a few other things as well but that answers one question I had❤
This was interesting to watch! Have done a handful of puzzles myself and gotta love the amount of work and effort behind them ☺️💛
Wow! We would love to know about your experience. How each specimen is unique while making the die for the puzzle?
I was just laser cutting a puzzle today.
"Each dice is a unique specimen"
Me fail English? That's unpossible!
I always assumed the pieces would be cut like cookies, by the whole sheet going through big rollers with one having all the contoured knives on it. But then they'd obviously need a way of stripping the pieces out of the knives, maybe with an excentric cam pushing out lots of pins. I would've loved to know how many times the knives can be used before they go dull. Paper or cardboard is apparently pretty bad on metal blades.
The artwork is absolutely amazing! I would love to have them on the cardboard UNcut and framed! We used to glue puzzles together on a board and display them, but it's just not the same with the lines in them. ...Even though the cutting and placing of the dies is definitely fascinating, too! Thank you for this video! :)
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us! :D
That's just called a picture then. LOOOLLLOOOLLLOL Download any picture and frame it
@@markylon right, it's pretty much a poster before it's cut they sell those at Walmart lol
The die cutting was very interesting to see because of the precision needed to make a quality product.
I love this. I love doing jigsaw puzzles. I have always wanted to see how they were made. Thank you for the presentation. The only thing that I don't like is that you do a puzzle and a piece is missing. Or more. They should have to put on the box guaranteeing that all the pieces are there
2:58 Now THIS is the most American thing I have ever seen... An instruction manual for a puzzle?! (In Germany there might be a flyer what to buy next, but a manual? Lol)
Still, nice video!
This is America. Here we have warning labels on coffee cups and candy bars.
@@loonatikk981 You should check the reason for the coffee cup warning. It is not because "stupid customers", but because companies try to protect themselves while saving the most money possible. Corporate greed. I feel really sorry for the woman who got burned because of that.
Well, one page is all about what to do if your puzzle is not complete cause of missing pieces or other technical things.
You guys in Germany have some funny ideas.
This is amazing to see how jigsaws are made. I love them but only the best quality. After I finish a jigsaw I hold it up in full, if it falls then the quality is not so good. Ravensburg and Gibson are the best. Xxx
Ravensburger has really nice quality puzzles. I like Cobble Hill, too. I like quality and interesting subject matter.
My autistic brotger has an amazing process that involves refining portions of the puzzle, then shapes, and then records them mathematically to make sure none of the pieces end up missing during the piecing together process.
Intriguingly amazing to observe. 🎉
The master dice making!!! I had no idea it was man-made. Fascinating!!!
It really is ! :D and each specimen is unique every time!
I.,am a grandma and i spend 2 hours everyday
To make jigsaw puzzles . Thank's a lot.
I started getting into doing puzzles about a year and a half ago, when I got an advertising email from one of the news sites I read. It was for a 1000 piece puzzle of Military medals (I'm a Marine, so I liked the idea). It took quite a while for me to complete it because of ADD, but once it was finished, it now is framed and on my wall. A long time friend of the family sent me a web address for the DEVILS PUZZLE, which is a unique puzzle, because there isn't a picture to follow-its just weird shapes. Later, he sent me a link for the UNIDRAGON puzzles and those became a nice challenge. I've completed 3 of them (and all of my puzzles are hanging up on the wall). When the $$ is available, I'm going to have two photographs printed (6 copies of each) and made into puzzles and I'm going to get two circular puzzled made. I'm retired, so I have the time to do it.
What an impressive production facility, ultra modern, high tech machines, and automated, high quality processing.
Clearly, this company invests in modern technology to keep them viable, and they certainly make it work well for them.
The entire process it's amazing 🤩🧩 Love it. Every Jigsaw Puzzle is a piece of art 🥰🤩😍
Thank you so much for kind words of appreciation. Will you try that HUGE puzzle as a challenge? ;)
I'm going to start a company making puzzles but with 1 missing piece.
@The annoyed: That's sadistic.😈
That's going to be a puzzle in itself !
It's been done. My cat started this years ago. She's just not happy if the puzzle isn't missing at least one piece.
Idk why I woke up and decided to look this up but I am glad I did!
This is why I love puzzles💚
I must be doing puzzles wrong.......those things are enormous!
Which part of the video? All of it, because I'm an automation engineer, but I especially liked the clip of the truck leaving the lot, because of the quick, nostalgic view; the town is a wonderful destination and attending Rutenfest is a favorite activity!
Thank you so much for your feedback and for your kind words of appreciation ^_^
The town indeed looks absolutely beautiful.
That was interesting!
Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
What!? 40,320 pieces of the jigsaw puzzle in a box!? I haven't tried that! I love this hobby to keep my boredom going!
Please do try and let us know your experience of solving such a HUGE puzzle! :D
Btw which process did you like the most ?
The entire process is very fascinating, but I would LOVE to have the huge funnel at the end of the production line! Putting disassembled puzzles back into the box is a necessary evil that could be so much shorter and simpler with a great funnel!
It is easier to put all of the pieces into a plastic bowl, then put the bowl into a 1 gallon bag, pull the bowl out and all the pieces are in the bag.
The way it goes through the funnel and into the bags is really mesmerizing xD
it's been a long time I have solved a puzzle. this makes me wanna do it again
I'd like to tackle that huge puzzle & see how long it takes to finish working at least 6-8 hrs daily, or more...I love puzzles & seeing how fast I can finish them...more challenging, the better...
SALITE .Very good knowledge to know how is made . APPRECIATED
This video is very puzzling.
We see what you did there ! ;)
Never had a puzzle with an assembly guide. Usually just something about the company and other products.
With utmost details and and precision.
I had to rewind and double check I had indeed seen what I thought I saw, I like to think someone knew what they were doing
LOVE Jigsaw puzzles
They sure put alot of work on these while my siblings would just throw away the pieces like garbage
Yikkssss! Should be careful with those small parts.
Aiee! Ravensburger puzzles are pricey. Someone would get banned from the puzzle table.
I loved learning how puzzles were made but I wish you nixed the music. Very distracting. Thank you
Pam Dolan
i loved everything. especially knowing that they use production tools like the Adobe Creative cloud to touch up the image and so fourth
Thank you so much for your feedback. Which process you liked the most?
@@engineeringworld. the procees that i like the most was the editing, since that is a very critical part of editing an image to be able to get the right image Quality
@@engineeringworld. Stop it with the stupid robotic responses.
The biggest puzzles like the Disney panel monster highlighted are really six or more smaller puzzles that connect together. The piece pattern repeats. Otherwise you'd need a stamping press the size of an aircraft hanger to make a low production puzzle. That would not be profitable.
Interesting point!
There's room for every skill👍👍
Can a puzzle piece ever be duplicated and put into the wrong box, thereby having 2 of the same piece in one box?
Fascinating
Thank you for your feedback. Which process did you like the most?
I found all of it interesting..as a quilter I was interested in your process and "how do they do that" type of thinking.
The cutting of the pieces!
Thank you for your feedback :D
I figured they’d probably move to some kind of laser cutter instead of making a master die for such things
Design process got my eye 👀
That's really the most fascinating part of the whole puzzle manufacturing process. Especially the die making process, do you agree?
@@engineeringworld. I definitely agree
I loved the whole thing but seriously that design process woww ❤
I love Ravensburger's quality and fitment but Buffalo has more fun pictures. I would buy more Ravensburgers if they had more fun pictures. 1,000 piece.
Every step was shown except how the die cuts themselves are made. I would like to see that.
Were puzzles ever featured on the program "How It's Made"?
The sketching part 😍
Amazing!!! 👍👍👍
Sad we no long need companies like this, with the internet just order a Pizzle and it is sent to you home.
This company needs to make a 60,000 piece kansas city chiefs puzzle!
Just finished a 300 piece puzzle. 500 piece if next. Great for the mind!👍🏾
That is NOT an instruction manual per se. It is a piece of paper with info on how to contact support in case you have an issue with the puzzle like missing pieces.
I just finished a 1000-piece puzzle and actually had 12 duplicate pieces left over. I do a lot of puzzles and this is the first time ever, that I had duplicate pieces left.
Up until today, I only bought 2 puzzels full price...new...cuz they are expensive. Now I can appreciate their expense.
Fabulous, this answered my question.
Wow never knew about that
I looove Ravensburger!!!
This is how one company makes them.
*I use both my laser cutter and Cricut Maker 3 for making my puzzles.*
Beautiful.
Glad that you liked it. Which process was your favorite?
@@engineeringworld. how they cut it.
That's definitely very mesmerizing.
j'adore les puzzles .le confinement a peut etre ete une periode prospere pour les fabriquants de puzzles
How to come up with an idea: 15%
How to draw a picture: 30%
How to work a printer: 20%
How to buy a puzzle: 10%
How to put together a puzzle: 10%
How puzzle is actually made: 5%
Invitation to see more content like this: 10%
I don’t understand how or why you would assign percentages to the creative process of producing a puzzle. Did you make the comment as a joke?
@@bigred6815 Nope. He’s just got nothing better to do.
@@tortinwall 🤣😂
Although, each die iza unique, are the die ever used again in another puzzle or could they be & what's the punch retail at??
I like puzzles
At 1:48 you can see there is a distinct vertical mark on all those uncut puzzle posters.
Good observation !
So, the puzzle pieces are put into a plastic bag. Then they are put in a cardboard box. Then it's put into a plastic seal. Then they are put on a tray and they are wrapped in plastic.
If the box is put into a plastic seal, then why are the puzzle pieces put into a plastic bag? moisture isn't going to get there anyway. And if the boxes are wrapped in plastic for shipment, then they are also protected form moisture so they don't need to be put in a plastic seal. A sticker kind of seal is good enough to ensure that the box is new when someone buys it..
Using less plastic is cheaper and better for the environment, so I don't get why so much plastic is used..
That's a very interesting observation and a very valid question indeed.
Requesting everyone to share their opinion.
Animiles, I am adding three comments to your observation. First, have you noticed that the interior plastic bags, which can be recycled at the supermarket, have air holes? Interior plastic bags are an inexpensive tool against shrinkage of a manufacturer's profits even though their environmental impact is borne by anyone but the manufacturer.
Second, have you noticed that only some not all puzzle boxes are shrink wrapped? Some manufacturers use the two circular stickers you mentioned, while others' boxes are sealed with glue. I recently noticed that only the most feeble boxes (Bits and Pieces) are shrink wrapped, while the sturdy boxes (Pomegranate & Ravensburger) use the sticker or glueing methods. I believe shrink wrap is used to minimize box damage during storage prior to sale and in transit to the eventual consumer.
I suspect shrink wrap is less costly to the manufacturer than the cost of building a more stable box.
And finally, a comment and a question for you:
I see puzzles like good books. Some are hardbound while others are mass paperbacks. Once completed, they are intended to be cherished on a bookshelf, shared with others or donated to libraries or thrift shops. If the manufacturer of cheaply mass produced puzzles is expecting them to be used once and tossed, what is the point in selling a higher quality product?
Our dad used a fret machine (treadle driven) to make a jigsaw, it took him hours!
Does the same die cut many different puzzles? IOW, could you end up with Snow White and Bambi together if you bought both puzzles and started at opposite ends?
imagine the cost savings if they just sold the image as a printed poster.
I’m doing a new puzzle now and I’m sure several pieces are missing as well as some apparently identical duplicate pieces in the box. I will try to complete it as far as possible but it’s disappointing and frustrating. Back to the shop with it I think..
I kept thinking, any minute they're going to shrink the image down before cutting.
*Me after realizing it was a 40 thousand piece puzzle 😳 ...nope
Isn't it fascinating !? :D
@@engineeringworld. yeah, it's pretty wild, though I'll stick to 100-1000 piece puzzles like any normal lazy person.
Do they use the same jigsaw dies to make several unique puzzles?
I always wondered how puzzles were made. I love doing puzzles, always have. Hadn’t done one in years, since the pandemic started I’ve done two, each 1000 pieces, I jus take my time. I’m unable to buy Ravens due to cost yet they have the best ones, I live on a fixed income. I do online but prefer manual, so therapeutic and enjoyable.
Wow! How much did it take to complete the 1000 pieces puzzle? We are just curious to know.
We totally agree with you regarding puzzles being therapeutic and enjoyable :D
@@engineeringworld. the first one took 2-3 wks, the second one much longer, I took my time. In the past it was usually less than a wk.
You should do a Jan van Haasteren puzzle. Challenging but not too and really funny puzzles. Enjoy it. You might want to look for puzzles in yardsales, carboots etc. Always a possibility of incomplete puzzles gut most people are carefull.
I have a few Ravensburgers that I found at thrift stores for only a couple bucks. That's the only way I buy them.
@@crochetingcanuck yes I see them there but don’t buy anything paper because of bedbugs. I want to tho
It seems as though modern jigsaw puzzles are kinda lame compared to older ones. The older ones had very unique, differently shaped pieces...the challenge was to find the right shape plus the right color when looking for a puzzle piece. Now the pieces are all the same size & shape. I know, the colors still have to be in the proper place, but somehow it seems as though a small but fascinating element of the puzzle is gone...
I'm just about to do one of Ravensburger puzzles called Titanic...Maiden Voyage...I can't wait to get started!!!
When all is packed and ready to go, then you find 1 piece on the floor, it must have happened.
Imagine dropping that puzzle
I love jigsaw puzzles... when I was young, my mother would only let me help put the outside together and do the sky. Consequently, I became extremely good at doing the sky... it’s the part I do first after I’ve put the outside together...
That's amazing! Solving sky first must be quite tricky since most of the pieces looks exactly the same.
@@engineeringworld. It was at first, but then you get used to it and you look for the subtle differences in shape and match those...
Instruction Manual:
Step 1: Attach two adjacent pieces together.
Step 2: If unattached pieces remain, repeat Step #1.
Still sometimes you get some pieces stuck together!
You have no time to make a machine that completely separates all piece?
I am using a puzzle app, it’s so much more challenging than I thought. Can’t imagine doing a 1000 piece, it would take me years to complete.
I just finished a 3000 piece puzzle. It took 54 hours and 36 minutes...for the first 2,999 pieces. It took about an hour and a half to fashion a replacement for the 3000th piece.
Maybe you should give it a shot once !
Seven hundred fifty piece puzzles are my preference--I puzzle for relaxation and with family members. I have a few 1,000 piece puzzles, they are a challenge.
A 1000 piece puzzle sounds like a lot, but it's really not that hard, depending on the picture. I do mine in about three days, about 2-3 hours each day.
Puzzle apps are literally the easiest thing ever...
Imagine saying you work at a jigsaw puzzle factory.
40000+ parts wow!!! There is a market with so many free time???????
Really interesting!
Glad you think so! which process did you like the most?
Is the creation of the artwork influenced by the process of puzzle making?
0:35 "With utmost details and and precision" gee too bad the video wasn't ;)
I like the part where the pucture isn't so enlarged it becomes blurry!
DeLaRosa Steel Rule Die Company in New York City made in the past dies for Milton Bradley puzzles. Also did work for Parker Brothers. Founded by my late grandfather in the 1920's
I have learned that if you have a puzzle that is missing a piece or two (older puzzles, puzzles found at second hand type of places), buying the same puzzle does not afford you the missing pieces to fit exactly. Why do puzzle companies cut one puzzle design with different cutters? This video made it seem like one puzzle design was always cut with only one cutter. That is not the case.
That's an interesting observation. It could be that when they are making one batch of puzzles they use one set of die to cut the puzzle and maybe use a different die for another batch and hence the difference.
I would love to see how the puzzles are broken apart before they are bagged.
After the die cut they just break on their own during the packaging process.
You skipped over the most important step, making the die!
When I was child 20 years ago I was making puzzles with 4000-5000 pcs but like a 3D I want back this kind of puzzles 🧩
I can go through 1000 piece, 75cm x 50cm on a good distractionless day. So maybe 7m x 2m would take ~40 days instead of a year.
i think it's time i make my own puzzle
How is each piece made unique? Do you have ten thousand different edge dies and then mix them up randomly?
Maybe it depends on the company? Some puzzle companies have a range of several puzzle shapes. Other companies (Springbok or Cobble Hill come to mind) have uniquely shaped no-two-alike pieces.
I bought what I thought was a puzzle of a cockerel only to find it was a box of cornflakes. Very disappointed.