Methods and apparatus for cutting profiles

1. A method for making cuts on a first surface of a profile to enable folding of the profile to make a channel letter, the method comprising:

determining positions of the cuts to be made on the first surface of the profile,

wherein the positions of the cuts are determined along a longitudinal axis of the profile such that the cuts are appropriate for making curvatures of the channel letter;

feeding the profile into a folding machine along the longitudinal axis; and

making the cuts at the determined positions on the first surface of the profile in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis by driving a cutter toward the first surface of the profile and moving the cutter in the transverse direction on the first surface of the profile,

wherein making the cuts on the first surface includes

making a first cut at a center line along the transverse direction, and

making at least one additional cut along the transverse direction on either side of the center line and the at least one additional cut having a cut depth into the first surface along an entire width of the profile,

wherein the center line is a first line about which the profile is to be folded centered at the first line,

wherein the first cut and the at least one additional cut are cuts for one fold of the profile of a particular angle made at the center line.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile also comprises at least one rib disposed on the first surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein making the cuts on the first surface of the profile also comprises

making cuts to the at least one rib disposed on the first surface.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cuts made to the at least one rib are v-cuts.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the cutter in the transverse direction on the first surface of the profile comprises

moving the cutter up and down in the transverse direction.