Countour cutting signcut throwing paper out

[babs 0]

Hi my name is Barb and I am a newbie and I am ready to cry.

I have the laserpoint 24 serial to usb connection using signcut pro software with corel draw 4x.

I am able to print my picture send it to signcut I have gone through the video and pdf tutorials of the contour cutting and still can't figure it out. I have calibrated the laser and everything. All my settings are right according to the signcut x2 video. I am loading the paper correctly I think??? Then it just spits the paper out of the back after jogging and telling it to cut. I have been trying to practice using the pen and 8 1/2 by 11 paper. I am using the template sample page from signcut with the registration marks. I need a video from start to finish, adding the graphics in corel contouring them in corel sending to signcut adding registration marks and doing the contour cut without the paper falling out. I mean I know I am getting old, but this is rediculous I have never had such a hard time trying to figure something out, I want to quit smoking but I think it will have to wait until I figure this all out.

Oh and now it is going to the right and hitting the kill switch? Don't know why it was not doing it before.

Any help will be appreciated I have been reading everything I could on this forum and trying it.

Thank you

Barb

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

you can turn the cutter off and move the carriage by hand off the kill switch.  what page size have you set in the cutter window, not the material size on the first page but in the cutting window there should be another material size

[babs 0]

thank you for replying. I am sooooooooooo frustrated. I have been shutting off and moving carriage by hand off of kill switch but it just likes to go right back there when I hit the cut button. And now my signcut software keeps shutting down. Oh, what to do. Well I will keep trying but if anyone can help please let me know. Thank you :-

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I am not knowledgeable with signcut so am no help there . . .have you tried the old reboot and try again?

[CRD 9]

Barbs,

Put the plotter pen in.

I attached a file for you.

Unzip it and load it ion X4.

You will see three layers.

The object is the part we like to print with the arrow.

So set in X4 print function ON for:

Marker layer

Object layer

Switch off the print functions of the contour layer.

Print the document.

Now set in X4 print function ON for:

Marker layer

Contour layer

Switch OFF the print functions of the object layer.

Put the paper in the LP.

Start SC by using the plugin. Rocket sign.

Turn the print 90 degrees.

The arrow on the screen should point to the right hand side.

Make sure in the contour section of SC pro the contour marker size is set to 0 (zero)

Make sure in the contour section of SC PRO the 3 point contour markers is switched on.

Now go to the advanced contour cut section follow the THREE marker steps you did before.

After step three it should start to plot the contour around the object.

Let me know if this helps.

Paco

contourcut sample X4 SC PRO (2).zip

contourcut sample X4 SC PRO (2).zip

[babs 0]

I am going to try it. I will let you know what happens.

Thank you Paco

[babs 0]

Hey paco your sample and instructions worked great I was so excited I actually did a contour. But when I try to do it without your sample I have no luck.

I am doing something wrong but I just don't know what. Setting it up wrong in corel, registration marks,  contour line, I just don't know.

I want to thank you for your help and I am going to keep trying to figure out what I am doing wrong.

Thank you

[CRD 9]

Try make the sampole I made yourselve step by step.

Enlarge it until you explorer the limits of A4 size.

Then you know what you do wrong.

The markers need to be inside the A4 size if your printer supports A4.

Let me know where you get blocked.

Paco

[babs 0]

Okay I finally got all the registration marks to work the way it did on your sample but when I hit cutout button it throws the paper out I used all the setting you said to use with your sample. I will keep on trying I am sure sooner or later I will get it to work all the way. I don't give up that easy.

I do want to thank you for all your help.

Barb

[CRD 9]

Babs we do not give up we pull you through the hole. 

We are going to track this down to the bone. ;-)

So my sample works and if you make one it dont and the machine throws it out.

Hum,

Take my sample and remove the multi angle object on the contour and object layer. Leave the arrow there.

Put two squares,  a small and a larger one inside the markers.

Put the small square on the object layer and the larger on the contour layer.

Now try to contour cut again as I described.

Let me know if this works.

Paco

[Guest HowardI]

Which version of signcut are you using?  (X2 or Productivity Pro)?

if you open signcut and click help, and about there will be a version number.  The current version of signcut pro is 1.07.  Can you please check to see which one you have?

Please let us know . . . Thanks!

Howard Irwin

Support Specialist

US Cutter

425-481-3555

888-298-8143

  - Option 2

[CRD 9]

Howard,

Babs stated about the pro version she used.

I assume as we always do, people use the latest version 

But anyway in the 1.04 vesion CC worked also fine.

Paco

[babs 0]

I am using signcut pro 1.07

The sample Paco gave me cuts fine but anything else either comes right out from under the rollers or if it does cut it is out of alignment.

Is there a setting that needs to be adjusted so it does not go out of the rollers. Do the registration marks have to be in a certain place?

Even when I use the samples provided by sign cut it just rolls right out.

My head hurts from trying to figure this out. I may never figure it out, everything else works fine I have cut out a few things and I have ctut out letters no problem just this contour cut and the 8.5 x 11 paper coming right out from under the rollers.

Well guys I appreciate your help if any one can think of anything else please let me know, I will keep reading and trying to make this work.

Thank YOu

Barb

[CRD 9]

Babs,

Select in my sample all object (CTRL +A) on all layers and enlarge them so the markers just fit 1 cm from the borders of the A4 size paper.

Do not know if your printer can print borderless so there for the 1 cm border left now.

It does not matter if the markers and the object change in shape.

The save this sample with different name and try to contour cut again.

The SC sample has round crosshair markers with a 10 mm value.

If you use this markers these will be cut also which you in the end really not want to be cut as you only like the contour to be cut.

For that reason I use the markers as they come in my sample.

But you have to set the contour cut marker size at 0 mm.

If you load the file into SC PRO you will see that borderline are the same as the markers.

Benefit of these markers I use is as you find out if you stretch them the corner point always stay the same even if the markers are set as group. So no need to reshape them.

The length of the markers is not a problem as long as they stay in the same length/wide wise shape rectangle shape.

If I open a new file I use this group on a new layer and drag it at the outside of the object I like to contour cut.

Set SC PRO in the main screen at 600 MM wide. If the setting is lower this can cause problems too.

Hope we are a step further.

Paco

[Guest HowardI]

When you create your job for contour cutting do you start with one if the templates included with signcut or are you making your own?

I am told it's quite difficult to make your own templates but once you learn the exact procedure you can do it without problems.

How did you do yours Paco?

Howard Irwin

Support Specialist

US Cutter

425-481-3555

888-298-8143

  - Option 2

[babs 0]

I was and am using the template included with signcut but it does not work the paper slides out from under the rollers before it has a chance to do anything.

So I am going to try what paco said and see if that works

I do the front 2 registration marks and then when it goes to do its thing it falls right out from under the rollers.

okay so its either me or the cutter??;D???

[babs 0]

I did it!!! I did it!!!! I did it!!!!

Paco if you read this I would like to thank you for all your help, you are a wonderful person.

It took me awhile but I was not going to give up. I have to use your registration marks if you don't mind that is the only way I can get it to contour cut.

The only thing I did have to do was change my  X and Y  on the cutter and it did a perfect cut with your registration marks.

Now if I want to stretch them out to make something bigger will that be okay??

The samples provided with signcut just do not work for me.

The only other problem I do have is sheet gets caught on something when it retracts back in after the third registration mark is registered and crumbles the paper??? Any ideas??

I did hold it up in the front and managed to get it to roll back in and do the cut.

Again thank you for your help.

Barb

[CRD 9]

Babs,

Thanks for letting me know you got iy working yourselve.

It is all so simple if you know how it works.

Use the regs if you like them and make sure you keep them as a group in a seperate layer.

Try to make your own regs one time so you know X4 better.

If you stretch them around the object you want to contour you will see that one part of the corner is getting longer or shorter.

That is no problem as long as it stays a rectangle, you only use the corner crossing as a reference point for the laser.

Put a piece of vinyl over the didge that is situated just before the measure ruler.

At the rear there is also one but without the ruler.

This didge is used for placing special plates we never will use.

So cover them with vinyl.

Let me know if it works.

Paco

[CRD 9]

Babs,

You might take a look here too.

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,25246.msg199865.html

Paco

[babs 0]

Thanks for the link that is a great thing you did, it will help alot of people.

[dbtoutfit 5]

I am using signcut pro 1.07

The sample Paco gave me cuts fine but anything else either comes right out from under the rollers or if it does cut it is out of alignment.

Is there a setting that needs to be adjusted so it does not go out of the rollers. Do the registration marks have to be in a certain place?

Even when I use the samples provided by sign cut it just rolls right out.

My head hurts from trying to figure this out. I may never figure it out, everything else works fine I have cut out a few things and I have ctut out letters no problem just this contour cut and the 8.5 x 11 paper coming right out from under the rollers.

Well guys I appreciate your help if any one can think of anything else please let me know, I will keep reading and trying to make this work.

Thank YOu

Barb

Its been a while (since I got the machine when the LP first came out) that I've done contour cutting.

Well now I have a Large format printer, So this weekend I have been back to hacking at this crap again.

Just when I though Signblazer CC was a PITA. (But it works)

When using Simple Contour you can click "Simple Contour" 1st and THEN load the paper manually in the machine.

Then run your reg alignment and cut. Only issue you run into here is IF your work area is too long for the media and the roller wheels have nothing left to carry its left hanging out of the front of your machine.

With advance it doesn't move the substrate at all until after you do the reg alignment and THEN hit the cut button.... and there goes your media right out the back.

Whats the fix? Keep your bounding box small (not much larger than Paco) But this sucks and limits the size of your decals/sticker etc.

So I spoke directly with SC they finally understood what I was explaining. Their suggestion... use a carrier, Pi$$ on a carrier just more crap to deal with.

I told them the movements (IMO) are unnecessary and are useless to the end user and certainly if its used to calculate the code behind the scene that it could certainly be done with out any output movements to the cutter.  I also added if it was a necessity then why did SignBlazer not need these movements for CC's??

Maybe I'm the one missing something?

I explained this issue is all over the net and suggested someone get with applications and R&D this issue or at the least revisit it.

I was told they are going to send the issue up stream for review...

So if your new to this problem here's the answer. Minimize your work area. (least for now) (use PACO template and don't enlarge/stretch it by too much) or don't use advance CC stick with Simple if you can get away with it. OR use a carrier. : (

For the rest of us we'll see if the changes come about...

Eric

P.S. Paco most/all your links no longer work in your posts, prob due to the new theme etc....

[dbtoutfit 5]

Here is a template that will give you every thousand of an inch of work room.
Template is saved as Illustrator CS3 format.

This template is precise.
Works for Simple and Advanced Contour Cut in SC.

I also Included a graphic I have had many request for as a bonus and a way to make it easy to see how to swap your graphic for the included one.

The boarder has extremely fine lines. In the right lighting you can see the corner of the guides in the center of the laser eye. (Very helpful)
These thin lines should help you get an even more accurate cut from top to bottom of the decals/sticker. (Use 3 point Reg)

Disclaimer
Because of the high tolerances and it being made specifically for a LP24 I can not promise any other machine will not have issues with this template and it may need to be shortened.

Some printers or print settings may not allow for the width of the guide lines.
(This template was designed with typical print settings to help it be universal, No Boarder less print settings was added)
This goes for some cutters as well. Some cutters will not allow the head to go past the rollers left to right. If your machine is like this you'll need to modify the width of the guide lines inward.
Other cutters have different design features such as shorter or longer rollers to and from the cutting head. Some machines also may have a lip further away from feed roller this could result in a bunching of the media. 


The template will allow the paper to come to the very last lip on the backside and front, any further and it would risk bunching up and jamming the vinyl cutter.
If the paper does some how jam turn the power off that second. Though unlikely to harm your cutter I take no responsibility if something major goes wrong!
If you are running a into this issue using an LP24 then something is wrong, laser eye offset, cutter calibration or poor alignment of reg marks in setup.

If you are just starting to use SC for contour cutting use PACO template. Once you have determined your getting satisfactory results then you can use this one from then on. PACO template is safer for first time contour cut setups.



I personally have tested this template and my results were extremely accurate.

Again I take no responsibility if anything goes wrong!
Good Luck and enjoy!

Eric


 

SC AI CS3 Contour Cut Templates.zip

[pwade 0]

Where can I get this PACO template?