Replace Lectra bristle blocks when the cutting surface stops doing its two jobs: holding the spread firmly under vacuum and letting the blade pass cleanly through the bottom ply. In practice, five signs tell you it is time: weaker vacuum hold, an uneven surface, poor cuts on the bottom ply, bristles that no longer recover, and damaged feet or bases. You rarely need to replace the whole table at once.
Key Takeaways
- Bristle blocks hold the spread under vacuum and give the blade somewhere to go below the bottom ply.
- Wear concentrates where the machine cuts most, so blocks in those zones wear first.
- Five signs: weaker hold, uneven surface, poor bottom-ply cuts, bristles that stay bent, damaged feet or bases.
- A simple hand check and a test cut take minutes and catch wear early.
- Rotating blocks and replacing by zone keeps the table even and spreads the cost.
What Do Bristle Blocks Do on a Vector Cutter?
The cutting surface of a Vector is made of bristle blocks laid side by side. Air is drawn through them, so the vacuum holds the spread flat and compressed while the head cuts. The bristles also let the blade pass below the bottom ply without hitting a hard surface. When the bristles wear, both jobs suffer at once: the spread moves and the bottom of the cut gets worse.
Sign 1: The Spread Moves or Lifts During Cutting
Worn or matted bristles leak air, and the vacuum loses grip. You see it as small shifts in the spread, corners lifting, or parts that do not match the marker at the edges. If the vacuum system itself checks out, the blocks under the moving area are the first suspects.
Sign 2: The Surface Is Uneven
Run your hand across the table. A good surface feels level. Worn zones feel lower or softer, often in lines that follow the machine’s most frequent cutting paths. Even a small dip changes how the spread is compressed, and the blade cuts differently over it.
Sign 3: The Bottom Ply Is Not Cut Cleanly
If the top plies are clean but the bottom ply shows uncut threads, notches or ragged edges, the bristles may no longer be supporting the material at the point where the blade finishes the cut. Check this with a new blade, so you know the blade is not the cause.
Sign 4: The Bristles Stay Bent
Healthy bristles spring back after the blade passes. Worn bristles stay bent, flattened or matted, and dense debris builds up between them. Press a block with your palm and release: if the bristles do not recover, the block has reached the end of its useful life.
Sign 5: Feet or Bases Are Damaged
Cracked bases, broken feet or blocks that no longer sit level in their position all affect the surface. A damaged block also lets the neighbouring blocks move. Replace these as soon as you find them, even if the bristles still look good.
A Quick Inspection Routine
- Clean the table and remove debris packed between bristles.
- Run a hand check across the full table and mark low or soft zones.
- Press-test a few blocks in each zone to see whether the bristles recover.
- Make a test cut on a short spread over a suspect zone and check the bottom ply.
- Note which zones need replacing, so you order the right quantity.
Should You Replace the Whole Table?
Usually not. Wear is uneven, so most cutting rooms replace blocks by zone, and rotate blocks between high-wear and low-wear areas to even out the surface. Replacing a whole table makes sense when wear is general across it, or after a long period without rotation.
| Situation | Typical approach |
|---|---|
| Wear in a few cutting zones | Replace those zones; rotate others |
| General wear across the table | Plan a full or half-table replacement |
| Single damaged blocks | Replace as found |
| New or heavier material mix | Inspect more often for the first weeks |
What Do You Need to Order the Right Blocks?
Bristle blocks differ by machine, size, foot type and filament. To order, send the reference number of your current blocks, or the machine model and a photo of a block from the side and from below. The black bristle blocks on our In Stock page, for example, are listed for Lectra MH, MH8, M88, iH5, iH8, Q50 and Q80 cutters.
Count how many blocks each zone needs before ordering. It is a common reason for a second order a week later.
Bristle Blocks From PeiParts
We make compatible bristle blocks for Lectra Vector cutters, confirmed by reference number before every quote, with mixed orders across models welcome. See parts for your machine: MH / MP / M88, earlier Vector models, Vector iQ or Vector iX.
Order Bristle Blocks
Send your block reference or photos and the quantity you need. We reply within 12 hours.
