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TimEdwards888

FC8600 not cutting small stuff properly

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So I own both a Roland GX-24 and a Graphtec FC8600 which I just bought because I wanted faster production, and now I discover that its not completing my jobs properly. Also when the carriage moves across the tracks it's making a funny sound, like a recurring banging sound.. I think its because one of the wheels has a flat spot but I don't know.

 

Can anyone look at these pictures and tell me what i'm doing wrong? This is what they should both look like - http://wallpapersdsc.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/image.jpg

 

The Graphtec is the first image, and as you can see it's not even close to the BO3 logo. The Roland is the second image, and it's perfect.

 

Graphtec - http://postimg.org/image/vpj064lnh/

 

Roland - http://postimg.org/image/3u3lfa5p9/

 

What's going on? Is this right?!

 

Edit* Both designs are the same size, about 1cm in height.

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It appears to be an offset problem, set it at Zero and see what happens, what Degree blade is in the Graphtec?

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Unfortunately the machine is not set up at the moment because I don't have the room for it in my office along with my other machine so I can't really play about with settings, but I will say that I experimented with Tangential mode, downforce, speed, acceleration, move step, step pass to no avail. I also tried another blade. Both a 45 degree and a 60 degree. Each time the cutter did the same thing.

 

Also, other designs cut out fine and the edges looked sharp so I didn't play with the offset. Is there a smoothing mode on this machine? I know my Roland might do something similar if smoothing was enabled, but without smoothing the Roland cuts this perfectly. Also, what about the noise on the tracks?

 

Another problem I didn't mention is that with Arial 'O's and 'g's, and circles, the machine does exactly what every other Graphtec I've ever seen does, which is leave hang-nails/little nubs where the start and end points of the cut don't align. I know there are people who claim that their Graphtecs don't do this, but I really struggle to believe that when every Graphtec I've seen does it exactly the same. I believe this to be a design flaw with the Graphtec units. Anyway, that isn't particularly my issue - it's this.

 

The design is very small but the spec sheet claims it's capable of cutting down to 3mm text, which is much smaller than this.

 

Is there any way anyone with a graphtec could try cutting out the design if I provide the file?

 

Thank you for answering me.

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How long have you had the Graphtec FC? I think they have a three year warranty on them.  Definitely shouldn't be making "banging noises".

 

Go ahead and post the file and I will give it a shot, I have a SignWarehouse Q series which is the same as the Graphtec FC7000 series, and I can say that I have never experienced and hang nails or little nubs that you say you have experienced.

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Thank you very much mb20music, it's much appreciated!! This is a link to the file http://www.filedropper.com/graphtecblackops

 

Dimensions for the whole thing should be approx 53.844mm x 12.3 - 12.5mm (seems to vary depending on what I put it through).

 

Yep, as the cutting head crosses the track it's making a recurring clanging/tapping noise, like the wheel on the tracks are flat at one point or something.

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contact graphtec to troubleshoot - the sound you hear is not normal and as far as every other graphtec you have seen leaves hangnails - think there are a few hundred on here that might have to disagree - never got them on any of my graphtecs.   
where are you located?   love the anonymous proxy server - works well

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With the machine powered off, move the carriage back and forth by hand to see if it travels freely and smoothly.

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contact graphtec to troubleshoot - the sound you hear is not normal and as far as every other graphtec you have seen leaves hangnails - think there are a few hundred on here that might have to disagree - never got them on any of my graphtecs.   

where are you located?   love the anonymous proxy server - works well

I am browsing with Tor as I always do. Not sure how this is relavent though.. maybe spending $4000 on a machine which is dysfunctional is more of an issue? I have owned a CE3000 and a CE5000 and while I was very happy with them they did both have a hang nail problem. Also when I demoed the CE5000 the shop one did exactly the same! Perhaps youre not looking as closely as me? I can't be that unlucky can I?

 

The carriage feels like it moves fine, it doesn't make the noise when I push it slowly by hand, and it doesn't make the noise when it moves slowly (less than 10cm sec). It only makes the tapping noise when moving reasonably quickly, setting up, cross cutting etc.

 

Thankyou everyone, the file has been posted above mfatty :)

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So here is what I got on my Graphtec FC7000 with your file. It needed some work- it was two colors so I combined the objects. this may be part of your issue.  I actually do alot of small work.

 

 

Also a picture of my bladeholder. can you see my blade tip?   It's that small dot on the top!  :)

 

Settings: Cleancut blade 60 deg. 

Conditions:  12, 5, 3, CB09UX-0

 

Material ORACAL 751 Black

 

photo_2.jpg

 

 

photo%202_1.jpg

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if you spent $4K on a new plotter why isn't the dealer providing support ?- I just tend to question everything = it is an occupational hazard from a place i worked for years.  no offence meant just wondered why you might be hiding - again occupation hazard from where I worked. having owned at least 4 ce3000's 4-5 ce5000's, 2-3 of the qe-60 rebranded machines - I have never had hangnails when properly set up with the offset at 0 - that is why I questioned that - pretty sure our people around here will testify I am pretty picky on set up and results - sometimes obsessive.   with all that said if I paid $4K for a machine and it was making the noise you described I would be in contact with them immediately followed by a call to graphtec if I didn't get results.

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Thanks for doing that Jburns, it's greatly appreciated!! They are certainly better than mine, but without being rude they aren't exactly as they are supposed to be as with the roland - note the line on the right is slightly lower than the line on the left, perhaps 0.5mm out, and the edges aren't sharp as with the Roland - http://postimg.org/image/3u3lfa5p9/

 

They are both drag cutters so I don't see why one should be able to cut the edges pinpoint straight and the other not? Perhaps I am scrutinizing this too much, or being too pedantic. I would love to love this cutter but I am certainly struggling. 90% of what I do is small stuff and it HAS to be 100% accurate. My blade only just peaks out as yours does too!

 

Anyway, aside from that the tapping noise is very prominent so at the very least that needs to be fixed I think.

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if you spent $4K on a new plotter why isn't the dealer providing support ?- I just tend to question everything = it is an occupational hazard from a place i worked for years.  no offence meant just wondered why you might be hiding - again occupation hazard from where I worked. having owned at least 4 ce3000's 4-5 ce5000's, 2-3 of the qe-60 rebranded machines - I have never had hangnails when properly set up with the offset at 0 - that is why I questioned that - pretty sure our people around here will testify I am pretty picky on set up and results - sometimes obsessive.   with all that said if I paid $4K for a machine and it was making the noise you described I would be in contact with them immediately followed by a call to graphtec if I didn't get results.

Thats fair enough dude, dont worry! I just wanted to gather some info before contacting them as I may be missing something, thats all!

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Oh I see-- my result is more of a curve rather than sharp angle. You could try and add a few nodes- and slow the speed- try tangental Emulation mode

 

( Graphtec and Roland are not "true " tangential. Summa makes a true tangental cutter).

 

But this stuff is pretty tiny- reaching limits of resolution for my machine.

 

Good luck!

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Thanks very much Jburns, your photos were really helpful and show that my particular machine at least is probably not defective (aside from the tapping sound). It works well for other designs but I do need it to work well for anything I can throw at it.

 

This is a picture from my GX-24 which works based on the same principles as the FC8600.. hence I don't see why the FC8600 shouldn't be able to cut it too..

 

rolandworking.jpg

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Yep- for that vector, the Roland has a better setup so far. But I didnt try tangential emulation- that might make a difference.

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Yep- for that vector, the Roland has a better setup so far. But I didnt try tangential emulation- that might make a difference.

I think you are right when you say 'that vector' as the Graphtec definitely cuts some stuff better than the Roland. Some designs are much sharper and more detailed, which is why I think this is definitely a software/firmware thing. Typically I would say the Graphtec does the details better, but I was really surprised with this design.. it's a big seller of mine. Would you guys suggest getting the cutter repaired or replaced with regards to the tapping noise? I'm fairly certain it's just one of the wheels is slightly flat on one of the edges, but it took 2 weeks for the machine to get to me from Japan. I'm not too sure what to do here. Just want to be armed before I contact the dealer!

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I ran tangential emulation - Modes 1 and 2--- results were best with Mode 2- but not as nice as the Roland. :)

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Jburns you've been very helpful. I'm glad that isn't an issue with just my machine, perhaps it's just something I will have to work around as I do like a lot of the features. Would you say for 99% of small stuff it's perfect? I haven't tried too much as the noise has been so prominent I didn't want to cause any damage.

 

Here's a video showing the problem -

 

That isn't normal right?

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That definitely does not seem right - like the servo motor is jumping but that would cause bigger cut problems 

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Hmm, the motor is in the body of the cutter right? I'm fairly sure the sound is coming from the carriage rather than the body but not 100%.. if it's just the wheels that are at fault I'd be happy with a fix, but I think if the problem is more extensive I'd like a replacement/refund...

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