Abstract: After a large thin sheet (17) has been gripped in a registered state by a plurality of chuck tools (21) and transported in the X direction to a control start position, Y direction movement control for moving the sheet reciprocally by a prescribed movement pitch in the Y direction which is perpendicular to the X direction, and X direction movement control for moving the sheet by a prescribed movement pitch in the X direction each time it has been moved in either Y direction, are repeated in alternate fashion, and every other punching location (18) of a plurality of punching locations in the Y direction on the large thin sheet (17) are successively registered in position with respect to punching tools (23) and the plurality of alternate punching locations (18) in the Y direction of the large thin sheet (17) are then punched out simultaneously.