NitroRustlerDriver

Jagged Cuts Due to Blade Offset

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Having a bit of an issue that I think must be a setting somewhere. I'm running FlexiSign-Pro 8.1v1. This is a bit hard to explain, but when cutting, the knife retracts the distance I have the blade offset set to for every individual line in the file. My blade offset is set to 0.020". When I disable the blade offset, the lines cut fine and as one smooth continuous line, just the ends are open because there is no offset. I've tried welding the lines and it doesn't help.

Any ideas?

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you might get more help if you give more info,  as you are not stating what kind of a vinyl cutter you are using.  Does this just do this problem on this file or all files?

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Sorry, forgot to mention that. I'm using a USCutter MH871.

Here is a blurry picture of what is happening. I circled some of the jagged parts I am talking about.

jaggedlines.jpg

I tried to get a clearer picture, but my camera won't take a better picture.

Also, I've never had this problem before using SignBlazer or SignCut. It only started when I went to Flexi.

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I really don't see anything bad about the file making it cut like you showed us.  I just cut it using Flexistarter,  I didn't get those bad places.  Is the knife blade freely moving,  no vinyl stuck in the holder or anything? 

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Everything mechanically is fine.

Like I said before, it doesn't do it if I set the blade offset to 0. But then I get incomplete cuts. The same file works fine cutting using SignBlazer, so it must be some setting in Flexi. I'm new to the program and don't really know my way around it.

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I would recommend reinstalling Flexi and trying it again. Sounds like maybe there is something corrupt in the program. There isn't a setting in Flexi that I am familiar with that would cause. that problem. Or there's a possibility that you accidentally changed something and it's causing it. Doing a reinstall should set you back to the default settings.It seems like I read in another forum someone was having a similar problem, though a little more extreme, and reinstall solved it for them.

Kevin

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Everything mechanically is fine.

Like I said before, it doesn't do it if I set the blade offset to 0. But then I get incomplete cuts. The same file works fine cutting using SignBlazer, so it must be some setting in Flexi. I'm new to the program and don't really know my way around it.

From what I see, your offset is wrong. Your offset should be .25mm instead of .020".

.25mm=0.0098425197". Try the new offset and see if things improve. 

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I gotta disagree on this one - the nics in the middle of the graphic in my opinion is not from offset - either corrupt software, sticking blade or corrupt file

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I gotta disagree on this one - the nics in the middle of the graphic in my opinion is not from offset - either corrupt software, sticking blade or corrupt file

Eliminate variables and re-cut a smaller test shape. The OP posted an offset which didn't look correct at all, so it's something to look at. Start with simple fixes first.

Corrupt software seems unlikely (software does not just go corrupt in general very often). A sticking blade could be it as well, or a vector with too many nodes, though this looks like a mechanical issue.

To start simply, I would recommend a known good offset (.25mm for a 45 degree blade), make sure the blade isn't sticking out too far, add some oil and check for debris at the blade tip or a broken or dull tip.

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The OP never stated what type of operating system he was using.. Flexipro 8.1 is for Xp on down.  Was not even Vista compatible until 8.5,  Could be the problem.   Also  Flexi blade offset is in inches.

OP also has not stated what he has selected as his cutter model in FlexiPro 8.1,  because unless they have downloaded the latest Flexi driver pack,  US Cutters are not listed in 8.1 version.  I am thinking. 

No offense to OP, but also never stated whether this is a legal version of Flexisign Pro8.1,  This version is downloaded illegally all the time with corrupt files, from torrents.  ;)  

I cut the file on Flexistarter. nothing wrong with the file.  

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Any update on this? I am having the same issues. I need to set an offset of .002 (or is it .02?) but when I enable the offset my cutter slows down and starts to shake. When disabling the knife offset feature in Flexi, and changing nothing else, the cutter cuts smooth and is noticeably quicker but cuts do not close. While shaky and jagged with the offset enable the cuts close. It seems to me like there may be two settings that are conflicting with one another causing the cutter to go a bit nuts. It is obvious to me that this is being caused by Flexi since toggling the offset option on/off directly impacts how the cutter behaves.

I am using a legal version of FlexiStarter 8.5 for Mac with a Graphtec FC4100-75.

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Any update on this? I am having the same issues. I need to set an offset of .002 (or is it .02?) but when I enable the offset my cutter slows down and starts to shake. When disabling the knife offset feature in Flexi, and changing nothing else, the cutter cuts smooth and is noticeably quicker but cuts do not close. While shaky and jagged with the offset enable the cuts close. It seems to me like there may be two settings that are conflicting with one another causing the cutter to go a bit nuts. It is obvious to me that this is being caused by Flexi since toggling the offset option on/off directly impacts how the cutter behaves.

I am using a legal version of FlexiStarter 8.5 for Mac with a Graphtec FC4100-75.

most blade offsets for a Graphtec are 0.00 ZERO. try that. on both cutter and software.

and if using Flexi in inches 0.25mm = 0.0098425 inches

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When trying to dial in the cutter with Flexi I tried several offset values slowly decreasing to get the exact value needed to get clean, closed letters. Once I went to .001" that was the first time that I my cutter head started acting strange and causing movement that was not fluid and causing jagged lines like the thread starter was complaining about. I ended up adjusting the blade more and needed to go back to the .002" setting. But this time at the .002" the same strange movement of the cutter continued (before it was fine at the .002" offset). Leaving everything exactly the same on the cutter and only disabling the offset option within Flexi the cutter once again had smooth, fluid movement with smooth lines. Just to make sure I wasn't crazy I re-enabled the offset feature and cut again and like before the cutter moved erratically and vibrated and cause jagged cuts. So in short the cutter cuts smoothly when offset is at 0 for both cutter and Flexi but the letters do not close. Whenever setting the offset in Flexi is set to anything over 0 the cutter cuts very slow and causes jagged cuts. I have tried leaving the offset off on Flexi but increasing it on the cutter but the letters still do not close regardless of the setting I use.

To me it seems like there is either something wrong with Flexi or there is some kind of communication conflict between software and cutter and the cutter isn't quite sure what to do. This is definitely not something mechanical because the output of the cutter is directly related to whether the offset feature is on or off.

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I just re-installed FlexiStarter (twice actually) and did several test cuts. Unfortunately I am still having the same problem. When I loaded up Flexi for the first time after install the only thing I changed was to enable the knife offset and set it to .002 (yes .002). I actually cut it with an offset of .02 (the default value) because apparently hitting OK is not enough to save values in the production manager; you have to hit Apply and then OK for the value to stick. It was obvious that .02 was WAY to large because I have tiny semi-circle at the end of every corner. I will continue to play with it but it is obvious that this program does not like my .002 (or .003) offset value and I would really like to know why because although the cutts are jagged the cuts end spot on where they started.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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You state you have no problems when at O zero, which is the correct setting for a Graphtec.. make sure it is ZERO on the cutter as well as cutting software. I don't even have blade offset checked. And I have a Graphtec. But you state the lines don't close. In production manager, you have an OVERCUT feature to close cuts. THat is what it is for. try that. Also make sure you have your blade set correctly. Take blade holder out of machine and firmly cut a piece of scrap vinyl that you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing. Adjust to get there, You should just barely see the blade tip. Put blade holder back in machine and use the force feature on your machine to get the same results.

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42 minutes ago, flaviudat said:

I know it is an old post but I have the same issue with knife offset and jagged curved lines. So any help please ?!?!?!?!

offset affects how your corners are handled by the cutter like on a square or triangle - jagged lines on curves many times from newbies can be from trying to vectorize a poor image instead of re tracing it - 

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Dakotagrafx thanks for your quick reply but let me say the follows: I'm trying to cut only text (not graphic whitch can affect resolution). If I'm taking to 0 the knife offset, the lines are with no jagged, but, like you said before, the corners are not ok. If I'm putting (in my case 0.40cm) knife offset, the corners are ok and the curved klines are jagged. I can play a little with curve quality, witch is put to medium, because if I'm setting it up to HIGH, the jagged are more pronunced. So....what should I do?

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12 minutes ago, flaviudat said:

Dakotagrafx thanks for your quick reply but let me say the follows: I'm trying to cut only text (not graphic whitch can affect resolution). If I'm taking to 0 the knife offset, the lines are with no jagged, but, like you said before, the corners are not ok. If I'm putting (in my case 0.40cm) knife offset, the corners are ok and the curved klines are jagged. I can play a little with curve quality, witch is put to medium, because if I'm setting it up to HIGH, the jagged are more pronunced. So....what should I do?

from reading the above it looks like you are trying to vectorize the text and not creating it in your flexi sign using the text tool - as there is not curve quality anywhere else that I know of in that program - maybe we are losing something in the language translation - not sure  for one thing set your offset so the corners of the square are square and leave that alone - it has nothing to do with curve quality

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sorry for my english. It is possible that I didn't make myself clear about that. So, YES, I'm making the text with text tool in flexi, not vectorize something. The offset of the knife is ok, the square is square, the round is round...everything is ok with it. The problem is that I have jagged text (like a saw blade).   2th:  If I put 0 the offset, there is no jagged (but the text or square or round is not closeing ok.  PS: the fact is that I've tryed with PCSign too or Artcut and make the same thing.

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4 hours ago, flaviudat said:

sorry for my english. It is possible that I didn't make myself clear about that. So, YES, I'm making the text with text tool in flexi, not vectorize something. The offset of the knife is ok, the square is square, the round is round...everything is ok with it. The problem is that I have jagged text (like a saw blade).   2th:  If I put 0 the offset, there is no jagged (but the text or square or round is not closeing ok.  PS: the fact is that I've tryed with PCSign too or Artcut and make the same thing.

and there is a clue to the problem - offset is not used to close a cut - overcut is used to close cuts  in software that has that feature - on the jagged that is another unrelated issue I think - I would call sai for support - they own flexi and are great helping on their software

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