Method and apparatus for cutting a laminate made of a brittle material and a plastic

1. Field of the Invention The apparatus for cutting a laminate, which is made of a brittle material and a plastic, has a cutting tool for severing the plastic along a predetermined cutting line and simultaneously scoring the brittle material; a heating device for heating the plastic along the cutting line; a device for pressing the cutting tool with an adjustable pressure on the laminate; a device for moving the engaged cutting tool along the cutting line to simultaneously sever the plastic and score the brittle material and a controller for controlling the heating device so that during the severing and scoring a temperature of the cutting tool is maintained constant and the heating is sufficient to lower viscosity of the plastic along the cutting line so that a predetermined loading pressure of the cutting tool on the laminate necessary for simultaneously scoring the brittle material and severing the plastic is not exceeded, whereby uncontrollable fracture of the brittle material does not occur.