darcshadow

Are they spread out across the width of the cutter? If so, could be a bad spot in your cutting strip.

That's really weird that offset and overcut are linked, they don't have anything to do with each other. The scale calibration thing is independent from overcut. If you design a box that is 275mm square, and it cuts 273.9 on one side you need to adjust the steps per inch/mm. Here's a video from SignCut on how to calibrate the cutter size.

I don't see overcut or offset in that screen shot, am I just not seeing it?

3mil = 0.0762mm

+1 on check blade depth. If you're cutting into the backing and ripping it then there is too much blade. No matter the pressure it should not be possible for the blade to cut the backing if the depth is set correctly.

You're square corners don't look square, I believe you have an offset issue. I don't think that would explain the start/stop cut not lining up but getting the offset correct can't hurt anything. How does the machines built in test cut look?

Vinyl Master DSR has a nest to page function that appears to do what you are looking for. Not sure what level of VM this feature gets unlocked but the DSR level has it.

I've used paper a few times and never noticed any issues. Are you putting the pen in the correct location? Mine has two spots in the holder arm, one for the blade over the cutting strip and one for the pen over the hard plastic.

One of those holder spots is for the pin and over hard plastic. the other is for the knife and over the cutting strip. I forget which is which. I think the one you have the blade holder installed in the photo is the one for the pen. If that is the case you've very likely broken the tip of your blade.

That test cut looks really bad. The test with the pin looks better so that would indicate you have a problem with the blade or the blade holder. Inspect your holder arm closely and make sure there are no cracks. It's easy to tighten the arm too much and crack it which would then allow the blade to wobble. Have you tried calling tech support? I think that's were we are at now, not sure how much more the forum users can help.

The size problem is likely a calibration issue with the software. Some place in the software there should be a setting for steps per inch. You will need to calibrate the software to your cutter. Is the cuts not joining, stopping too short? Or is it off to the side a little. If stopping short you can fix that by adding a bit of overcut. If not lining up then that would be a tracking issue. Are you pre-feeding your vinyl? Don't let the machine pull the vinyl from the roll, you don't want the machine working any harder than it has too.

If your blade is set correctly and your corners are still being rounded then it's time to start adjusting the offset.

What does the plotters self test look like?

I believe you can set VM to only cut a certain length at a time to help account for bad tracking. I don' thave access to the software right now, maybe someone that does can look up that setting and tell you how to activate it. Basically it cuts everything in the design in say the first 5 inches, then advances and cuts th×e next 5 inches.

Using a comm port VM doesn't find anything. You have to specify everything and then VM just sends the communications commands.

Also, offset only effects the corners of a cut, not the line itself. As Skeeter said, get your blade depth set correctly and if it's still doing it post a photo or two if you can.

Sounds like your cutting arm is not moving. Watch the arm holding the blade/blade holder. Does it go up and down?

Technically any cutter can contour cut, it's just a matter of getting things lined up. Some cutters make that easier than others.

Signblazer has an automated way of doing this, although it's not as intuitive as I would like. Select your square tool and then right click on your drawing, manually enter start and stop points for your square, then select the type of corner you want from the drop down menu and then select the corner radius. Hit ok and your square will appear. I can not figure out how to do this after you've drawn the square though. Vinyl Master also has a drop down menu that lets you change corner type as well.

I would convert to curves, then do a break apart and weld. It'll leave you with just the black shadow. If you still want to words, you'll need to duplicate them and move them out of the way before doing the break apart and weld. Also, you might want to do some node editing on the text, there are what look like some stray nodes causing sharp points in the S, C, and O

Typically, you will get less bubbling if you apply each color individually to the window. But as haumana said, it depends on the design and personal preference. Either option will work.

Color of the box, wouldn't matter, and you would want to use the punch option, I forget what VM calls it. This video should show you what you need. Just going by the description of the video, I can't actually view it from my work right now.

Just to make sure, you have your USB 2 serial cable plugged into the computer, and then a serial cable plugged into the other end of the adapter cable and your plotter correct? You can not plug the USB2Serial cable directly into the plotter. Also, are you using the serial cable that came with the plotter? If not, make sure you have the right kind of cable, most plotters require a null modem cable.

This is a common problem on the MH plotters and is usually a simple case of the Z-chip has gone bad. The z-chip is a simple op-amp and can be replaced. Older MH cutters had the chip in a socket, newer cutters it is soldered to the board. Chances are good it is the same with the Seiki plotter and just replacing the z-chip will get you up and running again.

Just have him do it. He'll sit down, hit about 3 buttons and it'll start working, darn kids and tech. ha!