A method of operating a cutting apparatus, the method comprising: moving a to-be-cut sheet of material onto a cutting table surface and cutting the to-be-cut sheet of material using a cutting tool, the cutting according to a pre-determined pattern resulting in a cut sheet of material, including one or more final portions and one or more cut pieces of waste material; moving the cut sheet of material to a stripping station surface positioned over a strip die at a pre-determined position relative to the strip-die position; removing the pieces of waste material from the cut sheet of material using a removal tool; and removing the removed waste material from the stripping station, characterized in that the method further comprises: determining the strip-die cutting pattern for cutting a strip die according to the predetermined pattern for the to-be-cut sheet of material, such that any region of any of the portions of the to-be-cut sheet of material has a shape similar to and larger than a corresponding region in the strip die cut according to the strip-die cutting pattern; preparing the strip die according to the determined strip-die cutting pattern; positioning the prepared strip die on the stripping station surface to the strip-die position; controllably moving, by a cutting tool holder mechanism, the cutting tool over a cutting area, the cutting tool holder being on a transverse rail moving in a longitudinal direction under control of a controller, the cutting tool holder being movable on the transverse rail under control of the controller, the controllable moving being in a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction to carry out the cutting of the to-be-cut sheet of material; and controllably moving, by the a removable tool holder mechanism, the removal tool over the stripping area after the moving of the cut sheet of material to the stripping station, the removable tool holder being on a transverse rail moving in a longitudinal direction under control of the controller, the removable tool holder being movable on the transverse rail under control of the controller, the controllable moving being in the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction to carry out the removing of the pieces of waste material from the cut sheet of material. moving a to-be-cut sheet of material onto a cutting table surface and cutting the to-be-cut sheet of material using a cutting tool, the cutting according to a pre-determined pattern resulting in a cut sheet of material, including one or more final portions and one or more cut pieces of waste material; moving the cut sheet of material to a stripping station surface positioned over a strip die at a pre-determined position relative to the strip-die position; removing the pieces of waste material from the cut sheet of material using a removal tool; and removing the removed waste material from the stripping station, determining the strip-die cutting pattern for cutting a strip die according to the predetermined pattern for the to-be-cut sheet of material, such that any region of any of the portions of the to-be-cut sheet of material has a shape similar to and larger than a corresponding region in the strip die cut according to the strip-die cutting pattern; preparing the strip die according to the determined strip-die cutting pattern; positioning the prepared strip die on the stripping station surface to the strip-die position; controllably moving, by a cutting tool holder mechanism, the cutting tool over a cutting area, the cutting tool holder being on a transverse rail moving in a longitudinal direction under control of a controller, the cutting tool holder being movable on the transverse rail under control of the controller, the controllable moving being in a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction to carry out the cutting of the to-be-cut sheet of material; and controllably moving, by the a removable tool holder mechanism, the removal tool over the stripping area after the moving of the cut sheet of material to the stripping station, the removable tool holder being on a transverse rail moving in a longitudinal direction under control of the controller, the removable tool holder being movable on the transverse rail under control of the controller, the controllable moving being in the transverse direction and the longitudinal direction to carry out the removing of the pieces of waste material from the cut sheet of material.