Wrod Industries

Graphtec CE5000-120 cutting files 90 degrees from preview

Recommended Posts

Hello, I'm a newbie poster to this forum, although I've gotten some great information from it over the years.  I'm hoping I can get an answer to my current problem.

      I've recently moved from a US cutter to a Graphtec CE5000-120 plotter.  I am using the Cutting Master 2 program to interface between my Mac G4 Powerbook (yes,a very old model, but still working great) and my plotter.  I have been running a few different files from logos to designs trying to get the settings right.  

     I am trying to print a simple design for a vinyl dance floor applique.  The design is 27" wide x 117" tall.  I thought I had everything in the dialogue box set right, but when I send it to cut, somewhere along the way it gets turned 90 degrees and only cuts the first 27" section at a right angle to what it should be.

Here is a screenshot of the dialogue box.

post-84972-0-85894900-1392498030_thumb.p

 

And what it seems to be printing is the bottom section of what is in the preview pane of the following screenshot, and then it stops.

 post-84972-0-73063400-1392498371_thumb.p

 

Thank you for your help.  What am I missing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OK, well after a little trial and error, I have found a work around, but I'm not too pleased with it.  It seems that if I invert the media size dimensions, and rotate the image 90 degrees, it prints just fine.  But that doesn't allow me much of a viewable area in the preview box, and I'm concerned that this isn't actually the way it's meant to work.

 

How can I get the image to print the way it's meant to print, and not like this?

post-84972-0-31260300-1392502287_thumb.p

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

  The second screenshot is tiled because the width of the ouline is set to 116.904 and your media is 28. It will only cut 27.2 in. because the with is too large, so it tiles the piece to fit.  The first screenshot looks correct. If you look at the position box you can flip the media around. .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

how wide is the vinyl you are using?

A graphtec should know and send the info to cutting master.

To the right of the user defined box, it the "ask the cutter the size" thing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree, that is a 48 inch cutter, and the default  Media Size, should not be past about 47.6".  x 1968 In that area.  The top line of that ruler on the layout screen, should not be past 48"   So why is it saying 64" + On that first layout screen.? ...   My 30" cutter,  my media size will not go past 29.6"     Because the driver says my cutter is a FC7000-75,  30 inch cutter.    The top layout ruler the highest number is 28"   on my Cutting master 2 That is the widest I could cut with the length being 1968...   The driver sends that info...  Could be that old Mac software is not communicating correctly.  There is no way possible that the cutter could cut 64" wide,  +, so that info should not even be there.   I don't think.  It should end at 46-48" when the length is reading 1968.....on the layout screen.  Unless something is totally different when using a 48" cutter.    That's my 2c. 

post-3058-0-69017400-1392510176_thumb.jp

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the feedback!

 

The second screen shot is just to show what it is actually being cut, while the settings are set as the first screenshot shows.

 

I am using 30" vinyl.  When I click the "poll size" button to let the machine figure out the width for itself, it only powers up for a second, and then goes back into rest mode without moving any parts at all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting.  Any idea how I might be able to change the setting from 64"?  
Even with the ruler reading the measurements that it is, the machine doesn't seem to go beyond the actual width of the vinyl. And the only options in the media size dropdown menu are "User defined," and "48x1968 inches."   And again, I am using 30" vinyl, so I don't know where that measurement came from.

 

The initial problem was that, with the settings all reading as in the first screenshot, the actual output was that of the first section of the preview window in the second screenshot.  Is that clear?

 

 

I did buy this plotter used, and didn't get any software with it.  I downloaded the Cutting Master plug in from the Graphtec website, and I am just trying to get it dialed in.  I really appreciate all the help!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

First off.  no reason to do user defined.  Put the Media size at the 48, x 1968.   It is only going to cut as big as the design itself.    I leave mine at 29.6 all the time,  even though I may cut 22"  

 

That is a driver telling it to be 64".    Try the set up with CE5000-60  and see what it does.   See if the screen changes, ruler changes. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 Could be that the wrong driver/profile is installed, if i remember corectly some posted a video about using the driver/profile for a larger plotter to cut to the edge of the vinyl. If you scale down the file by an inch see what happens, your weed box may be overlapping the pinch rollers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can cut to the edge, with my Graphtec,  cause I have the media sensor and pinch roller sensor turned off.

 

I understand your screenshots, and I was using the first one as the problem.  The Cutting Master rulers, should not be higher  numbers, than what the cutter could actually cut.  Both ways.   The width is wrong.   It is reading as a much larger cutter.  Like a 72 inch cutter.     In my opinion with the length at 1968,  the top ruler should not be past 48". The driver tells Cutting Master2 what the measurements should be for the model number....CE5000-120. and each different model number. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just try a different driver in the set up,  You can tell if the Cutting Master2 changes to 48" wide.   Go into Production manager and add a different set up.  You can always delete it. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I changed the setup to the 5000-60, and the ruler at the top didn't seem to change at all.  But I maintained the user defined media size at 1968x28.   Then I righted the orientation man, inverted the height and width again, and got everything looking the way I wanted in the preview window.  I clicked the "show me" button which is supposed to trace the file without actually dropping the blade, but all it did was travel up one edge of the vinyl about (I'm guessing) 116 inches, straight across, where it the carriage paused for a few seconds, and then went farther up the roll.  In short, it did not trace the file in question.  So I reset the origin point back at the bottom again, and hit SEND.  It did the same thing it was doing the first time, cutting the bottom 28 inches of the file at a 90 degree angle to what is shown in the preview.  

I even checked the rotate option on the cutter itself, and it is not selected.  This is bizarre!  

 

 

post-84972-0-50045700-1392513833_thumb.p

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I changed my set up to FC8000-160 and the top ruler went to 64" at the top.    You need to try on a different computer. Sounds like you have communication  problems..   Cutting Master 2 should change...with every model change. on setup.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Try a different model on set up...  try a FC7000-75    that should be 28" at the top.    My guess,  your computer.  Cause changing that set up in  Cutting Master2, has nothing to do with your cutter.   Cutting Master2 should change with each set up to a different model. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, there are a lot to choose from.  I downloaded the right Cutting Master for my setup, though.  I've run out of steam for tonight.  I'll give this another shot in the morning.  Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is an option in the Graphtec settings that turns Rotate on and off, and when On, it causes the exact issue you are describing here.

 

Mine got toggled on somehow the first day I had my machine and someone on these forums explained it to me.   The circle is now complete...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks OWJ!

   Are you talking about the settings on the machine itself?  I saw a post like that (probably the one you're referring to) and checked out that option.  Unfortunately that wasn't the case for me.   :-\

   I'm actually starting to think it might have something to do with the origin point.  That blue dot in the lower right corner of the diagram in the first image I posted.  My cutter seems to always want to start on the left side of the material roll.  By rotating the file the way I have been, everything lines up and starts from where it should.  Is there a way to move the origin point so that it is on the left side as opposed to the right?  I tried setting the origin to match the diagram, by changing it from the machine, but that didn't seem to work.

 

   And this work around of rotating the image worked out well enough to get all my files plotted for my two big jobs this weekend.  So that piece of stress has passed.  Now If I could just get things dialed in a running smoothly, I'll be all set.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now