Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

VinylMaster Pro 4.0 Jobs Stopping midway

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

I've had an issue on many occasions where a project would be sent to cutter (Titan3) and somewhere from the start to midway to near end through the cutting process the cutter would just STOP. I have began to notice that I can watch the progress bar from the beginning and sometimes it will instantly blink on and off, showing no progress, sometimes it will go to 7.85 kb or 9.75 kb or etc... and then disappear and odds are 99.9% of the time the job will stop midway through cut, ruining that vinyl. Jobs that do successfully complete I can see the progress bar from beginning to end and follow the increased numbers. I have been on phone, online, and had remote help with US Cutters, uninstalled program, reinstalled program, uninstalled cutter and reinstalled cutter,  changed cables, boards, motors, and even the entire cutter swapped out for a new one and I am have the same issue!!! I have wasted a huge amount of vinyl by the malfunctions of the program and/or machine and I am my wits end. ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS< HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE, OR SUGGESTIONS???? I also am trying to find out how to totally clear out jobs from vinyl spooler..... I delete them, reinstall program, reinstall cutter, and they reappear.... Many of these jobs were the aforementioned incomplete cuts. THANKS

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In the Connection tab of the Vinyl Spooler set the Port Type to Windows and the Port to FILE: Then, with the cutfile in question selected in the Vinyl Spooler, click Cut Now and instead of sending the file directly to the cutter, a window will appear, asking you to save the data to a PLT file on your computer.

Save this file and email it to support@future.support and they will take a look at the file to see if it is hardware or software related. 

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

Did as you suggested, on various files. Funny thing is I would attempt to cut, it would stop midways, i would follow your suggestion and save the file, then i would attempt again on direct USB and 70% of the time it would cut 100% of that particular file....? Awaiting a response from files sent although I'm not sure which version of the save file you'll receive ( the mid way stop or the full cut)....I am running a Titan3 68" on a Windows 10 PC with a  64 Bit Intel i3 Core 3.20 GHz processor with 16GB Ram and 1 TB Hard Drive. i have swapped out cables numerous times.... It's just temperamental..... like a woman......

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10 minutes ago, Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control said:

STILL NO RESPONSE ON EMAILED FILES...... Same problem persists, different day.....

18th street.plt

streets.plt

Why are you using .plt files?   .eps is the the most used file format.  And can be imported into most any cutting software. 

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On 8/15/2018 at 9:06 PM, VinylMaster said:

In the Connection tab of the Vinyl Spooler set the Port Type to Windows and the Port to FILE: Then, with the cutfile in question selected in the Vinyl Spooler, click Cut Now and instead of sending the file directly to the cutter, a window will appear, asking you to save the data to a PLT file on your computer.

Save this file and email it to support@future.support and they will take a look at the file to see if it is hardware or software related. 

 

3 minutes ago, MZ SKEETER said:

Why are you using .plt files?   .eps is the the most used file format.  And can be imported into most any cutting software. 

 

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Found this.   I have never dealt with .plt files.  

 

PLT Extension files can't open
> Also note that .PLT is not a file format.
> So a .plt file generated for an HP laserjet will not work on an HP
> plotter, or an Oce plotter, etc.
>
> It's simply code generated by a particular plot driver, but written to
> file instead of sent to the plotter.
>
>

Even if you do find a viewer or a converter, bear in mind that what you
are seeing is just lots of little tiny short pen strokes -- not objects,
dimension strings, text, etc.

By all means ask the owner for device-independent PDF or DWF files if
they are unwilling (as it appears) to provide DWG.

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I figure it was a tool for troubleshooting . . . but not an expert on vm - although I do like working in it

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10 minutes ago, Dakotagrafx said:

I figure it was a tool for troubleshooting . . . but not an expert on vm - although I do like working in it

I found that as a discussion on an AutoCad forum.  

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So you got me curious what the file actually looked like. Opened it with a text editor and it appears to be a simple version of gcode which is what CNC and 3D printers use. My assumption is PU is pin up, PD is pin down, and the 2 numbers are coordinates on where to move to. Given this, it would be possible to create software to draw the image the same as the plotter would plot it, a simple program written with MatLab could probably do it. Could be useful for tracking down if a problem is in the coding of the file or the plotter hardware.

Further research shows that it is HP-GL languange. So not sure which came first HP-GL or GCODE but either way they are both basically the same. Also found PA stands for plot absolute.

Here's an interesting write up about HP-GL Language.

https://www.isoplotec.co.jp/HPGL/eHPGL.htm#-PU(Pen Up)

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

Just doing as the Mod suggested... uploaded file to Vinylmaster a while back.... guess they're busy. 

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

Todays Magic number is 9.76 KB.... before progress bar exits and project cut prematurely stops. 

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

the Image 0021 is marked in pink where the plotter stops today, Will not go beyond there. and the screenshot shows the file is still under the current folder, although the job has stopped shortscreenshot1.JPG.87bffeb1b6914d140fed9fd4c28022d4.JPG

IMG_0021.jpg

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QUOTE from OP > ... and even the entire cutter swapped out for a new one and I am have the same issue!!! <

This would indicate that the problem may likely be with the Computer itself.

Windows 10 has presented plotter issues for other users too... maybe install your VinylMaster on an

older version of Windows and/or try (free) Signblazer Plotter Program to completely eliminate those variables .

Which version of Vinylmaster are you using?

 

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Guest truckee2

We are having the same problem that the Titan 2 stops cutting midway through a project. It is so frustrating! We are using sure cuts a lot on my Mac. Any help would be appreciated. We are definitely totally new to this, well new to using our own machine.

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For VinylMaster users Titan cutters must be set to Direct USB in the Vinyl Spooler and may also need the emulation changed.

Please see this guide for:
How to Setup a Vinyl Cutter

Please see this guide for:
How to Setup Emulation (Plotter Language)

Also, use the shortest possible cable you can 3' is ideal. Also, make certain the cutter is grounded so any static is discharged.

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Guest Jtidwell Traffic Control

I've dabbled a little in the Emulation in Vinyl Spooler.... no success as of yet, as far as USB... it has always been set to direct USB, and if my USB cable were any shorter, both machines would be related..... seems the simplest of cutting projects are the most complicated and shut down mid project. THE more complex (AS BELOW) has more success..... Still searching for a solution of clearing cache on files in vinyl spooler. I have deleted entire program and reinstalled only to have 6+ month old projects still show up there as completed.... I would like to get back to ZERO.... $400+ for the program (Vinyl Master PRO 4.0) and while I have enjoyed the features and ease of use, I have wasted over that amount in vinyl.....

PULP1.vDoc

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Next step may be cable change to Serial..... with the Keyspan High-Speed USB to Serial Adapter. I am currently running USB on 3.0 side, tried the 2.0 side as well with no difference seen.  As I work in Government it is usually difficult to Obtain things needed to work with. I have already gotten slack about the cutter and constant malfunctions, they stated I should have gotten a better brand.... Little do they know as they would have had a Stroke for a 8K to 10K request. HaHa 

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submit the procurement to them for the graphtec or roland so they understand - sometimes working in govt you have to make a point even though you know it will be shot down.   WIsh I had better advice - I had a titan2 and used the on board usb with no issues at all

I am going to assume since you are using VM you are using it on a windows machine?  read a few problems with people running macs with work arounds.  Have you contacted USC support  - what did they say?  

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44 minutes ago, Jtidwell Traffic Control said:

Yep, never messed with baud rate, think it comes set from factory like that....

Do you also have the baud rate set at 38400 in Vinyl Master?  In the vinyl spooler.   

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