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Re: Contour Cutting in Flexi 10 Starter with a Laserpoint

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Hello,

       

Help with Contour cutting with new Flexi 10 Starter & Laser Point

I talked with Dave from Masterwarehouse.  From were I purchased flexistarter 10

He gave me information I already used, No Go..

He said he cant help me and I should write to you. So here I am.

Here's what happens with the laserpoint setup. I've tried (usb and serial)

windows Vista(usb only laptop) and Windows Xp (both usb and serial) Same thing

What works

Send a image to cut-plot. Works great.

What don't work

To CONTOUR Not great!

The laser point dose not work at all for contour with flexi 10 starter.

1) I type a letter or square

2) I did what Dave said, MENU  "effect", add contour

3) I did what Dave said- back to MENU 'effect'  again and  add the

registration marks.

4) Print image, from  MENU file-print { I make no adjustments except what

printer I am using. Epson 4800

5) remove and put to plotter

6) Now click on Cut Contour.

7) Send to my laserpoint.

I've tried Send Now, hold then send,. I've tried save file, then open, then

send.

It goes straight to cutting. But nothing happens with the plotter. Status

bar moves to 100% then completes.

Same thing all the time. Shows progress bar. But not cutting.

I expect to see. When send to contour. A window to open that allows me to

adjust the cutter to the contour targets. Arrows = Left,Right,Up,Down.

That don't pop up at all. Goes straight to cut. But it don't do that  either.

I have the latest driver from uscutter flexi package & the latest

update from Flexi Starter 10

I have been using SignBlazer. I like it. It needs tweaking that I can't do.

I bought Flexi 10 starter hoping it will give me better results for contour. I like the way flexi sets up the contour cutting lines.

Now I just need it to contour my image..

Here is what I've tried  :D

I used the modification creation p-cut to the letter http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,11924.msg90910.html#msg90910

It will contour sometimes. But when it dose. It is way off. I do my measuring. add the values. No change.

Also, Sometimes don't even come close to cutting the image as is. Just cuts a quarter of the size. or jagged long lines.

Their are times when I send to contour. The alignment window will open. But pushing the arrows. nothing move's.

Any thoughts ;D

I wanted to put a ticket in. But I don't have all the required info. I bought this unit from uscutter a year or so.

Any guidance at this point will be greatly appreciated :)

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here is what I was given, by a member,  for Flexi8.6 with Contour cutting.   But I have a Graphtec,  so can read auto registration marks

First import or create a image you want to contour cut. Next select your image and click on Effect, Design Central should come up with setting options, like: Contour, Ellipse and Rectangle, choose your desire. You also have Offset values, with holes or without, stoke value, and color contour. Once you make all your selections, click the check icon, click off your design and then click it again. Next you will click Effect again and click Contour Cut Marks. Another dialog box will come up in Design Central. You can select 4 points or Graphtec Type 2, the Graphtec will read both just fine. As a beginner with this to show that it works, select 4 points. After selecting 4 points you will see four crosshairs with numbers. Click your check mark again...then click on a blank area and reselect your object. Now you are going to send to your printer. After it prints, place paper into the plotter. Your next icon would be the Contour cut icon next to the Cut icon; select that. Once the Production Manager appear, go ahead and select send....another panel box will appear saying Alignment. In this box, you have two choices... Interactive Alignment and Digitize Alignment, select Digitize alignment (Digitize alignment allows the Graphtec or any other ARMS or OPOS reading plotter to use its laser to identify the reg. marks [where as Interactive alignment is for nonlaser plotters, it is done manually by moving the plotter head mark by mark]) . Move the plotter blade or pen to the first crosshair ( Do not press Origin on the plotter), follow the instructions on the next boxes that opens, they will guide you from there. But do not press Origin on the plotter, only Okay in the software. Let me know how you come out? Goodluck and may the Force be with you!  

 UPDATE:   I just was walking thru the steps,  When you click SEND  after putting your printed image into the cutter,  Look down at the bottom of your screen,or where ever you slide production manager to.   The words Production manager changes colors and is FLASHING,  Click it..    There is the Alignment box.  THat gives you a choice  of interactive (manual) or digitize,,  now see if you can follow the rest of the instructions and align the lasers.

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flexi will draw what appears to be the contour cut line around your image, but if you do not click the check mark in the upper right corner it will not stay. Same thing for reg marks, make sure you hit the check mark.

as for the cut being off, try using the four point reg marks. two point is not very accurate.

There is the Alignment box.  THat gives you a choice  of interactive (manual) or digitize,,  now see if you can follow the rest of the instructions and align the lasers.

choose manual.

use you arrow keys(or number pad) to move to the first reg mark.

you need to be careful when loading your print and setting your origin. you cannot scroll down or to the right past 0.000 in either direction.

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Thank you for your fast reply.

I tried what you said. I keep getting the same thing no matter what changes I make. I'm sure I'm missing something.

I am using the modification. But I am using the ct-630g - The ct-630 will not work for me for what ever reason?

I know I'm putting the mod in the correct places.

I looked at the bottom after send. Nothing flashing. I do have the laser point manual alignment.

when I click for next target. It move to the next one and passes it about a quarter inch for each target.

I do each target. Then it cut's.

But still way off.

If I go by inches

1/8" to the right of image

1/2" above image

I cant get it to move for me.

Maybe I'm not doing my adjustments the correct way in the mod

09:$1016.0,-.172,-.600,0,8388807,$

I use the cutter y - x  I will put the laser on edge of square. hit the home button. then move in the direction of the line that was drawn.

lets say my x= -1.25 and my y= -3.42

Then I would mod like this

09:$1016.0,-2.250,-3.420,0,8388807,$ correct  ;D

if it's +

or 09:$1016.0,+2.50,+3.420,0,8388807,$ Correct :D

I can only say I have made extreme changes just to get a reaction. Nothing changes .

Maybe bigger changes or I'm doing it all wrong.

I see most people are having success. I'm sure I'm missing something.

If only the laser point driver would work.

one other note.

I send the untitled.job to cutter. I tried the save as Native.plt

When I go to cut the .plt file. It dose allow me to adjust to contour targets. it just cut immediately.

Thanks again

Wait. I got something. I did realize that the distance between the cutting blade and the laser is that about that distance.

If I alien with the knife. it is almost on. Only because it's hard to see.

I need now to figure how to get the laser offset corrected?

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Your cutter is under  USCutter,   Creation PCUT CTN630,  The Pcut and laser pointer are the same machine.  JUst laser pointer has the laser

Don't use the laser. with Flexistarter.  You use your blade. dead center in the reg mark

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 I always slide my production manager to the botton , out of the way. If you cannot get the words production manager to flash , click SEND a couple times until it does flash.  Mine turns ORANGE  from blue.  look at the bottom of my screen.  Once you get there.  Click the ORANGE.  Then you will get your Alignment box.  to choose manual.   You have to get to that point to use Flexistarter for aligning the registrations marks.    It will give you buttons to jog on Flexistarter, to move your cutter to the registration marks.   You CANNOT do it with the buttons directly on your cutter.  Flexistarter cannot read that. You can only use the jog buttons on the Flexistarter software to measure the registrations marks  to make a contour cut with Flexistarter.

And don't use the laser to measure with, when using Flexistarter,  use the blade, dead center in the registration mark.

post-3093-12986567083482_thumb.jpg

post-3093-12986567096767_thumb.jpg

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I am uploading a quick video I just made, I will post a link to it in a minute. you can set the offset somewhere so you can use the pointer, I am looking for that now.

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Thanks for the video.

I have not been having any problems with the production manager coming up. sorry if I'm misleading. I'm just a little frustrated and trying to give as much info as possible. 

The main thing is The driver for the laserpoint don't work at all for contour cutting. Yes the p-cut  driver dose.

My problem now is to make the cut using the laser for the reg marks.

what I'm finding with everyone's help is. I have to use the blade for the reg marks alignment. I don't like it! but it works that way so fare.

I've tried that before and it did not work. But now it is. Go figure.

It's a pain in the @$$. It defeats haveing the laser. I would think that uscutter could create a driver that would offset the laser the 1/2" Y

approx for me (Y+- 2.55) distance from the laser to the blade. Like sighnblazer has.

or maybe it's Flexi making hard to use the laserpoint? Either way their got to be a cure for the salutation out their somewhere.

if anymore suggestion I'm willing to try.

A BIG THANKS to everyone for your help :D

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If you knew the distance between the laser and the blade you could use that for an offset..   It is called red eye offset.  But I would think it would be a pain.  The purpose of Flexistarter WITH contour cutting is for cutters WITHOUT the ability to contour cut on it's own.   Not just for a laser pointer. The laser pointer vinyl cutter on it's own, is capable of contour cutting. and was set up to be used primarily with Signblazer. With the red eye offset. LASER   This is why  with Flexistarter,the blade is used to measure the distance to the  registration marks. That distance is between the blade and registration mark. For cutters like the Copam, MH series, Seiki, etc.  any cutter other than the laser pointer.   But it can be used with the Graphtec ARMS systems, which automatically reads the registration marks on it's own.  This why there is a manual alignment and an automatic  aligment.

red eye offset.   Last post

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,5583.0.html

I would guess, you could take the blade out of your machine, and use a marker, when finding the distance between the registration marks.  

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Thanks

           Although I have been using the pen all this time.

I have trying to find the (red eye offset) settings? any idea were I might find that setup?

I put the original driver back in place for the uscutter laser point. Still send for contour cut. Then acts like it cutting. States bar to 100% then deletes.

No option to set reg marks.

Thank You

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Thanks

           Although I have been using the pen all this time.

I have trying to find the (red eye offset) settings? any idea were I might find that setup?

I put the original driver back in place for the uscutter laser point. Still send for contour cut. Then acts like it cutting. States bar to 100% then deletes.

No option to set reg marks.

Thank You

for what software??    If Flexistarter.  mine does the same thing,  it shows it is cutting,  the bar goes.  When I click send. Look at my screen shot up above.   BUT at that time it wants you to click on the flashing Production Manager,  (at least flashing on my software. and turns orange.) After you click on it,  then it gives you the  Alignment box to work with, and you set manual.  after you click  the Production manager.   Then you get the buttons to jog your cutter. those  jog buttons are on the Flexistarter software,  not your vinyl cutter.

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I have the new flexistarter 10. when I send to under cut contour window(production manager under laserpoint 24)

the production manager comes up. the status bar go 100% the disappears. I try to hold and hit send a bunch of time. But same thing all the time. Nothing.

Thanks

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You have done this so many times.  Have you made sure and deleted everything from your production manager?  It should be empty.   Flexi 10 is the same operation as Flexi 8.6.  I have seen the ads.  Didn't you get instructions with it for contour cutting?    Or go into your main screen HELP at top of screen.  Alot has to do with FlexiPro, but this info may be in there also.  

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the ad says  user manual on your dvd.

Latest FlexiSTARTER 10 Software Program DVD**

- PDF user manual on DVD

- Quick guide for installation

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this was originally the Flexistarter 8.6 ad,  all they did was change it to the Flexistarter 10..    I believe the only difference is more cutter drivers  and the shadow effect.  Contour cutting was introduced in the 8.6 version.

**Advanced Contour Cutting Feature**

For the first time, Our New FlexiStarter 10 now supports precise contour cutting with all the vinyl cutters, including LaserPoint cutter and any regular cutter without laserpoint. (see the following listing)

Please see the following brief steps on how to do contour cutting with flexistarter 8 software from us.

( A printed instruction for contour cutting is included with this software package)

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Read that done that in the beginning.

Read all the instructions .

So for now I am just going to take a rest.

I have other jobs I have to do.

This has taken way to much of my time.

Thanks again.

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well,  when you get some time, possibly YOU post screen shots, of what you are doing, in sequence,   Then maybe we can go from there,  and see from YOUR end.  I can't think of any more to tell you.  Or a video would help. 

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Couple things.

                      Now it seems that when I load the laserpoint driver. then send for contour. It will now cut. But still no alignment tool. Straight to cut.

You got me. It would not even cut before.

Here is a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLa_Z7da-1Q

Maybe you can catch what I am doing. Also note that I changed working area. If I leave it as is. Everything is way off.

also up in the corner were it reads for driver laserpoint.

I know after viewing the video on line it is not real clear. Just keeping it small.

If you need a better one I will upload it

Let me know. Gotta make some sublimation T's now

Check back now and then.

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