Media Shift Copam 2500

[JBE 0]

Forum members:

Has anyone else had problems with media shifting when cutting long signs especially noticeable on the borders.

If so have you solved the problem and get to the root cause?

• pressure settings.  (current 90-120)
  Using good grade of calendered vinyl
  Speed settings- (currently set at lowest speed 10 cm and use override on speed for axis)
  Blade is new but it doesn't mean the Blade is sharp
  Small details cut and weed very nicely but cant sem to get long features such as borders to cut accurately
  Blade not adjusted to right depth  --Will keep backing it off until it just cuts vinyl
  Can pinch rollers be not tight enough -  I see no adjustment on pinch rollers? 
  
• 
  

I watched this video on Vimeo

and it looked like they were making 12 ft long cuts accurately with a table top machine- it sounded awful too.  I cannot not get the COPAM to cut a 36" long rectangle with out going catty-wampus.  I've ruined a lot of vinyl.  Any help appreciated.

The machine is basically brand new with only a few hours of cutting on it.  Produced many scrapped signs.  The problem is intermittent.

Joe

jmjsboyl@charter.net

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

submit a ticket while it is still new - I used my copam for months with no problems so it is not normal to that machine

[rrc1962 0]

submit a ticket while it is still new - I used my copam for months with no problems so it is not normal to that machine

It is if it's not set up right.  Roller pressure and blade pressure have to be right.  Too much blade pressure will cause drag on the side of the vinyl that is cutting and cause the tracking to go off.  Not enough roller pressure will cause the same issue.  If you look at the video he posted above, the tracking on that machine is not perfect.  Looks to be 1/8' - 1/4" off over 12 feet when cutting, yet tracked perfect in a dry run.  That's because of blade pressure.  I can get less than 1/4" over 12 feet with my MH781.  I did a 10' job for a trailer the other day and it tracked within 1/16".  It's all in the setup.  Just aligning the vinyl slightly crooked (and I mean VERY slightly) will cause noticeable tracking issues over 10 feet.

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

also on long tracks like that , I would not use weedlines, if you are. 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

submit a ticket while it is still new - I used my copam for months with no problems so it is not normal to that machine

It is if it's not set up right.  Roller pressure and blade pressure have to be right.  Too much blade pressure will cause drag on the side of the vinyl that is cutting and cause the tracking to go off.  Not enough roller pressure will cause the same issue.  If you look at the video he posted above, the tracking on that machine is not perfect.  Looks to be 1/8' - 1/4" off over 12 feet when cutting, yet tracked perfect in a dry run.  That's because of blade pressure.  I can get less than 1/4" over 12 feet with my MH781.  I did a 10' job for a trailer the other day and it tracked within 1/16".  It's all in the setup.  Just aligning the vinyl slightly crooked (and I mean VERY slightly) will cause noticeable tracking issues over 10 feet.

The video is not even of the copam, and the copam should track accurate right out of the box it is much heavier built than a refine.  this is why I would submit a ticket. If he was cutting all the way thru the vinyl it should track properly.  I owned one and they are rock solid machine

[rrc1962 0]

I know they are a good machine.  I also know that if a person is having tracking issues, it's probably because of setup issues or operator error.  He can submit a ticket and go through tech support, but in the end, finding the right combination of settings is largely trial and error. 

Good call on the weed border also...

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

With this being a new machine it could be a manufacturing problem . . . .

[Megaworkz 3]

I'd like to figure this out also. When my Copam was new it had not problems. After about 6 months I started having tracking issues on long cuts. Now it's at a point where I'm lucky if if it will cut 2ft right. My pinch rollers are not adjustable far as I can see. They seem to have plenty of down force. I've had to go back to my P-Cut for anything over 2ft. I'll try lowering my blade pressure since I seen that said in this post. Any one have any more ideas?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

a friend with a copam just had the same problem and it turned out to be 2 problems.  dull blade and the adjustment screws on the pinch rollers wasn't long enough to produce the needed down pressure so he replaced them with longer screws and it works great again.  I did tell him about rodgers experience with the pinch  rollers breaking!