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Copam 4500 help!!

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Hey everyone, i recently picked up a Copam CP-4500.

No it came with no software, no cables, nothing apart from the machine itself,

Can anyone please help a rookie out with how to get this up and running on a Mac Book Pro?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance

-Greg

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You should have posted this in the Copam section and I probably would have noticed it faster. I have a Copam CP-2500 but run Windows 7. I don't have much Mac experience however. Unfortunately, USCutter has taken down much of the setup information for the Copam's. But I do have good news. I know where you can get the latest VCP (Virtual Com Port) Drivers you need for Mac, Windows and Linux!  http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm Bookmark that page! It's critical.

Here is an old link for the Copam's for installation. I know it's semi-useless because all the images are not there...but the links work and the actual instruction words may help. http://start.uscutter.com/copam/osx

I have included my Copam CP-2500 manual (.PDF) as an attachment to this post that should help. Our cutters are identical except yours is bigger (cuts a wider swath).

How are you going to hook this up to the Mac? USB? Serial? It depends on what ports are available on the cutter. My CP-2500 has USB, Serial and Parallel ports. I can connect directly to USB but I sometimes use something called a Keyspan Adapter to go from the cutter's serial port to the Keyspan USB adapter and then to my PC's USB port. I find it's a more reliable connection. I had to buy the Keyspan adapter separately and the brand I used is the best, Tripplite USA-19HS https://www.tripplite.com/support/USA19HS

If you use serial connection through a Keyspan Adapter you will need a straight through serial cable and NOT a null cable. A regular printer type USB cable will connect to the other end of the Keyspan adapter and connect to the USB port on your laptop. You may not need this kind of setup though if your cutter has a USB connection on it. In that case I believe just a printer style USB cable will connect directly from the cutter to the USB port on your laptop. A picture is worth a 1000 words: https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=624&q=printer+usb+cable&oq=printer+usb+&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.1496.3613.0.5835.12.12.0.0.0.0.189.1515.1j11.12.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.12.1505.WWbJfOg0Ir4#imgrc=_

Anyhow this is the Copam section on the forums http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/forum/26-copam-cutting-plotter-support-requests/

and http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/forum/25-copam-cutting-plotter-discussion/

You will need some type of cutting software and design software. Some cutting software will include design tools. Some software is purely cutting only. Inkscape from http://www.inkscape.org is free and there is a Mac port. That's pretty much design software but there is a rudimentary cutting feature under the Extensions > Export > Plot menu heading. 

Cut only software (until at least version 2 arrives in Feb/March) I'd suggest is SignCut Productivity Pro from http://www.signcutpro.com/

It's available in a Mac format and version 2 will include a vector drawing interface. Still, Inkscape is much much better for design. Of course Adobe Illustrator is available too if you have the budget for it - even for a monthly subscription.

There is a lot to say but one email isn't going to cut it. Download and install the drivers and follow the PDF manual I posted. See if that gets you going.

copam_cp-2500_manual.pdf

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If you download and install Inkscape as design software (vector editor) you can find lots of videos on how to use it via Inkscape's own website http://www.inkscape.org or via YouTube (search out Inkscape tutorials) or my suggestion is see if your local library has access to http://www.lynda.com Lynda.com is awesome for video tutorials on how to use all kinds of software...

My local library has free access to the ENTIRE Lynda.com video library for the cost of my library card (which thankfully for me is $0.00/year) That's where I learned how to use Illustrator and Inkscape vector editors. I already knew how to use Coreldraw (another vector editor typically found on PC's though Coreldraw 11 was available on a Mac at one time).

Anyhow, I should be able to get you going but only to a certain point as I don't know anything about Mac hardware...just PC. I also know a lot about replacement knife holders and knife blades that you can buy through EBay.com. If you were on a PC, I would point you to download Signblazer Elements as cutting software (it's now abandoned and free...) and using Inkscape as design software, you can export to Signblazer to cut...but ya, I don't believe SignBlazer Elements is available on a Mac so that's not much help.

 

 

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Found some manuals for Mac on my hard drive in PDF format.

The driver install guide below happens to have all the missing images in it from the semi-useless install link I gave you in the first post. This one should get you going. Copam_USB_Mac.pdf

I also have some USCutter videos on cutter assembly and setup. I also have one on stand assembly. I have no idea where I got them from, I think YouTube. But they're on my hard drive and 45MB and 2.7MB in size so I would have to put them on a file hosting site like Zippyshare.com or Uploaded.com, Rapidgator.com type thing...let me know if you want this stuff sometime.

Motherboard replacement manual is attached.

Material loading guide is also attached.

 

copam_motherboard_replacement.pdf

material_loading_guide.pdf

 

Found the official USCutter Copam webpage that's "supposedly updated" I say that because the setup video they have on that page is "PRIVATE" and it's the same video I have I think...who tests this stuff on here anyhow? Sheesh!

http://www.uscuttersupport.com/copam-vinylcutter-setup.html

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