An apparatus for tipping a monofilament surgical suture, comprising: an alignment frame for receiving a monofilament suture strand; a forming press for forming a section of the suture, said press having a base plate, and a slidably mounted upper plate allowing for vertical motion; a lower forming die mounted to the base plate, said lower forming die having a planar surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending upwardly from the surface to form part of the cavity, the walls having a top; an upper forming die mounted to the upper plate, said upper forming die having a planar lower surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending downwardly from the lower surface to form at least part of the cavity, the walls having a top; edges extending from the tops of the walls of the upper and lower forming dies; a cutting press; and, a punching die set mounted to the cutting press for cutting a formed suture section into a trimmed suture tip, the punching die set having an upper die plate, a lower die plate, and a cutting die, wherein said alignment frame is removably mounted to the forming press between the upper and lower forming dies, and the alignment frame is removably mounted to the cutting press between the upper and lower plates of the die set. an alignment frame for receiving a monofilament suture strand; a forming press for forming a section of the suture, said press having a base plate, and a slidably mounted upper plate allowing for vertical motion; a lower forming die mounted to the base plate, said lower forming die having a planar surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending upwardly from the surface to form part of the cavity, the walls having a top; an upper forming die mounted to the upper plate, said upper forming die having a planar lower surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending downwardly from the lower surface to form at least part of the cavity, the walls having a top; edges extending from the tops of the walls of the upper and lower forming dies; a cutting press; and, a punching die set mounted to the cutting press for cutting a formed suture section into a trimmed suture tip, the punching die set having an upper die plate, a lower die plate, and a cutting die, wherein said alignment frame is removably mounted to the forming press between the upper and lower forming dies, and the alignment frame is removably mounted to the cutting press between the upper and lower plates of the die set. a lower forming die mounted to the base plate, said lower forming die having a planar surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending upwardly from the surface to form part of the cavity, the walls having a top; an upper forming die mounted to the upper plate, said upper forming die having a planar lower surface, a forming cavity, and walls extending downwardly from the lower surface to form at least part of the cavity, the walls having a top; edges extending from the tops of the walls of the upper and lower forming dies; a cutting press; and, a punching die set mounted to the cutting press for cutting a formed suture section into a trimmed suture tip, the punching die set having an upper die plate, a lower die plate, and a cutting die, wherein said alignment frame is removably mounted to the forming press between the upper and lower forming dies, and the alignment frame is removably mounted to the cutting press between the upper and lower plates of the die set.