ttik

line is not connected to the point it starts

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Hi all,

I've a problem with my design not cutting properly when it is 1.5meter long. the line is not connected to the point it starts. I've tried both cut and plot on 2 different vinyl (Oracal 751 and Avery 700)

When I tried to plot the same design on brown packaging paper (kraft paper), it was perfect!

I've played around with the setting on flexi like overcut, blade offset and i am pretty sure it is not related to that pronblem i am facing.

now i suspect the vinyl is slippery than kraft paper. i tried to put more clamper on vinyl and it didnt help. I also tried clamp them on black mat and it is not helping at all.... what i can do now?

thanks

PCUT CREATION CS1200

WIN 7 / WIN XP

FLEXI 8.6V2

post-16923-0-99199600-1312894588_thumb.j

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Hi all,

I've a problem with my design not cutting properly when it is 1.5meter long. the line is not connected to the point it starts. I've tried both cut and plot on 2 different vinyl (Oracal 751 and Avery 700)

When I tried to plot the same design on brown packaging paper (kraft paper), it was perfect!

I've played around with the setting on flexi like overcut, blade offset and i am pretty sure it is not related to that pronblem i am facing.

now i suspect the vinyl is slippery than kraft paper. i tried to put more clamper on vinyl and it didnt help. I also tried clamp them on black mat and it is not helping at all.... what i can do now?

thanks

PCUT CREATION CS1200

WIN 7 / WIN XP

FLEXI 8.6V2

I'm an absolute beginner in this but when you plot the design there is no blade offset to consider. When you cut it however there is blade offset which you will need to compensate for so this is where I would look for a solution.

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In this case, it looks like a simple matter of the vinyl drifting.

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Maybe try the slowest cut setting to see if it will help with the drifting.

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I've used the slowest cut speed which is 30 (i dont know the unit)

When I plot on kraft paper, I used both high(350) and slow (30),the result is still good.

For the blade offset(60deg blade used), the set-up was 0.020" which i am satisfied with the sharp edges.

To see if the blade offset causing the problem, I also ran a test using 0.020" blade offset during pen plotting on the kraft paper, the line connected where it starts, it was good....

the only thing is the edges is not sharp (90deg).

from there, i can confirm it is not related to blade offset.

now i am focussing on the material (vinyl vs kraft paper). anyone can give me suggestion what should i do next... or any test needed

thanks!

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Are you doing the basic stuff:

Pinch rollers definitely over the knurled (usually black) part of the bottom bar/roller?

Pulling out the amount of vinyl you're going to cut off the roll before you cut so the cutter doesn't have to drag it off the roll while cutting?

Checking for alignment of the vinyl by feeding several feet through the cutter and watching to see if it creeps left or right while moving?

That's all I've got at the moment as far as creeping and vinyl alignment, but my head isn't working 100% at the moment...

Oh, and if the head pressure too high, it can cause drag on the vinyl which may eventually push/pull it more in one direction than the other.

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BearlyRich,

Pinch rollers definitely over the knurled (usually black) part of the bottom bar/roller?

Yes. I have tried that and it still the same. Sometimes it gets bunched up in the middle as I go back and forth and starts getting all screwed up to the point here i have to undo the pinch rollers and re-flatten out the vinyl/kraft paper. Normally i don't position the pinch roller over the knurled. it still get good result.

Pulling out the amount of vinyl you're going to cut off the roll before you cut so the cutter doesn't have to drag it off the roll while cutting?

All tests performed without the roll. Just the kraft paper or the vinyl. both about the same length (2 meter long x 630mm wide)

Checking for alignment of the vinyl by feeding several feet through the cutter and watching to see if it creeps left or right while moving?

Yes. It shifted left/right when using vinyl(oracal and avery). Kraft paper was alright.

Oh, and if the head pressure too high, it can cause drag on the vinyl which may eventually push/pull it more in one direction than the other.

The tension of the pinch roller (Pcut CS1200) cant be adjust.

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Maybe we're getting someplace here...

For now, forget about the kraft paper. It will feed much easier than vinyl.

#1: If your vinyl bunches up while feeding, it's showing a major problem that should not be there! Take out any vinyl and release the pinch rollers. Look at the feed roller on the bottom. It is a long round rod made in multiple sections. Some knurled and some not. Try to roll each section with your fingers while the cutter is off. The rod should feel like a single unit. NO section should move independently of any other. If it does, that section is loose. They're held in place by small set screws and will have to be tightened. If none of the sections are loose, you may have a bad pinch roller. How many do you have? If you have more than two, try switching one of them and only use two. Check the rod and pinch rollers carefully. Something there is bad and causing the bunching up!

Okay, if the vinyl shifts left or right while feeding, it's not aligned correctly (or due to the problem above). It should NOT shift at all when feeding in and out.

I was talking about head pressure, set on the control panel of the cutter. Not pinch roller pressure. Head pressure must be set correctly. On my CT900, the "normal" pressure I use is between 110 and 140 depending on what I'm cutting.

So far, the problem seems to be either the pinch rollers or feed roller. Carefully check those and see what happens...

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BearlyRich,

Yes, I always use 110 as the head pressure.

I have tried to roll the rod using my finger, it seems like working as one unit.

Yesterday night I found something.... please refer to attached pdf.

When i load my vinyl thru Section 1 and 2 and clamped using 2 pinch rollers (doesn't matter which pinch roller i used), as long they are positioned on the knurled spot, the result was perfect(cut and plot,plotting on back surface). The vinyl wasn't shift to left/right at all !

Well, then i tried on Section 2 and 3, the vinyl is shifted to the right with the same setting above (2 pinch roller on knurled area).

Could the Section 3 rod is too loose or too tight? how can i fix that(it shifted to right)? please refer to the photo in the pdf again, look at the red circle, is it where the screws are? Which tool i need to use? allen key? but it doesnt looks like allen bolt.

roller.pdf

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Looks like you figured out your problem. Good going!

Yes, from your great pdf drawing and description, it sounds like the section 3 roller is slipping, so section 2 is pushing the vinyl to the right.

Yes, in the roller pic, those holes have set screws in them. Probably standard hex wrench for the screw and probably metric in size. If you don't have them laying around, any hardware or auto store will carry some cheap set that will do you.

From the descriptions, I'm surprised that section 3 can't be moved while holding section 2. Maybe you didn't push hard enough? :D

Good luck, seems like a quick twist of a hex wrench should fix it up.

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wow...you don't have to sleep?? look at the time u posted. :o

ok, I want to make sentence below a bit clearer. actually I put the vinyl over section 2 and 3 and clamped using 2 pinch rollers on the knurled spot (K5 and K6). and then the vinyl shifts to right.

"Well, then i tried on Section 2 and 3, the vinyl is shifted to the right with the same setting above (2 pinch roller on knurled area)."

i also want to add something here what i've tested yesterday. maybe this is another clue...

1. put the vinyl over section 1 and 2 WITHOUT having 2 pinch rollers clamped on the knurled spot. it shifted to the left.

2. put the vinyl over section 2 and 3 WITHOUT having 2 pinch rollers clamped on the knurled spot. it shifted to the right.

i will try to use metric Hex to tighten/loosen the screws at section 3.

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Yeah, I sleep a little now and then. But on these meds at the moment, I tend more to doze a lot :P

It really seems like a feed roller problem. If there were a problem with the pinch rollers, the vinyl would always move in the same direction, unless you switch from 3 different pinch rollers.

After reading another thread about these rollers, I get the impression that the set screws probably lay on a flat area of the internal rod. That would mean if the screw was just slightly loose, the roller would lock but be able to move back and forth a bit. So try pushing the individual feed roller sections in both directions, in and out to see if one is loose. I suppose there could be some other fault, but it all points to a loose section which are held in place by the set screws.

Hope this finally gets fixed for you.

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i tried to use hex wrench to tighten the screws on the rod (where the red circle in the pic), it looks tight.

not sure if that's the correct screws... or the set screws are in the machine which i need to remove the cover 1st?

The whole rod (section 1,2,3) will move as one when pushing the individual feed roller sections in both directions. I also try these:-

using my finger push the roller forward at section 1, at the same time push the roller backward at section 2, then vice versa. also tried the same thing on section 2 and 3. cant find anything wrong with the rod...

remember last post i said "When i load my vinyl thru Section 1 and 2 and clamped using 2 pinch rollers (doesn't matter which pinch roller i used), as long they are positioned on the knurled spot, the result was perfect(cut and plot,plotting on back surface). The vinyl wasn't shift to left/right at all !"

can i say the pinch roller is working fine?

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Wow, you got me? I would have to guess you tested the knurled sections too?

If it doesn't matter which pinch rollers you use but it only happens at one side of the cutter, than there's obviously something wrong with that side of the cutter. But what? Maybe measuring the distance from the feed roller to the pinch roller bar at both ends? Looking for some other mechanical problem between the left and right side? Is the blade the same distance from the cutting strip at both ends?

I thought maybe we found the problem, but now maybe some help from USC through a support ticket is in order? I wish someone else that 'knows' would have chimed in here.

One last thought that might have been obvious to you and/or not associated. You said the vinyl would 'bunch up'. If you start the vinyl with the front edge very near the cutting blade, as most of us do, it usually hits the edge of the aluminum strip in front of the cutter and jams as it's moving forward. Most people cover that edge with either a strip of vinyl or tape (I used duct tape ). Maybe this is your problem? If it feeds fine and bunches up later with more vinyl out the front, than it's not. But you should still tape over that edge. When I first tried my cutter, it even got hung up on that label on the front right side of the cutter because the label edge was sticking up just a tiny bit...

May be out of ides I'm sorry to say...

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yes. i got you. all tests have been carried on the knurled sections. if not the vinyl tends to slip one side.

the measurement is same.

that day i told you that when i put the vinyl thru section 2 and 3 with K5 and K6 clamped with pinch roller, the result was the vinyl moved to the right.

today i tried to loosen a bit of the set screws at section 3 rod, it moves to left now.

meaning that when the screws are tight vinyl will move to right and when the screws are loosen, the vinyl moves to left.

tried to play around with the tightness, it's hard to tune it properly. there are 4 screws on that rod each self (section 3).

for that bunch up issue, it happened when i add one extra pinch roller on the rod with two pinch roller on knurled area.

i've already removed the safety label on the machine which you mentioned.

i will have to get 1200mm wide vinyl 1st then try to position few pinch rollers (at least 2) on knurled area and see how it goes.

not sure if i use all pinch rollers on knurled area will cause 'bunch up' or not. will update once i tested on 1200mm wide vinyl.

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Howdy,

When the cut line ends do not line up, check for twist in the carrage assembly. Watch for clock or counter clock movement (twist) when the carrage changes direction. You MUST be cutting when watching as the pen plotter function does not put sufficient stress on the carrage assy to twist it!

I have a PCut 24 and about a year after I got it the upper left carriage guide wheel attach point simply broke off. Super glue has been my friend for the past year but tonite I pulled the broken carrage assy off, transfered the parts to a new backing plate and re-installed the carrage.

I ran a bunch of test cuts and finally ran a couple of actual stencil cuts. I can immediately tell a big difference in the amount of twist in the carrage. It appears that my cuts are much better.

I do not know the specs and maintenance procedures but I would begin by checking carrage twist. With power off manually put the carriage assy in the middle of the cutter. With your fingers gently twist the carrage assy clock and counter-clock. I do not know how much is too much twist but I suppect that there should be very little movement. It appears that the upper guide wheels are the only items that have any adjustment in them. As I said I do not know the factory settings but it appears that the long screw with the spring should be screwed in snug. This keeps that max tention on the upper wheels.

Hope that this helps someone.

John

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