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We just started having cutting issues out of the blue, thousands of vinyl cut, and now this.  Picture is where it looks like the vinyl is lifting? changed blade out already. 

*separate issue*  Is there a way to adjust tracking? we cut a lot of 4' and 5' stencils, and it seems it never tracks straight. we set tracking straight, yet it runs out after a cut. 

IMG_6163.HEIC

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 So how did you set your blade depth?  If too much  blade is exposed, it could also be the reason your tracking is going off.    

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By tracking, do you mean when you cut a 4 or 5' design the cuts don't line up, or the vinyl moves to the side? If the cuts are not lining up, that is a true tracking problem. If the vinyl is just moving to the side, that is more likely a setup problem and you didn't have the vinyl loaded perfect or you didn't pre-feed and the machine is pulling the vinyl off the roll. Doing that puts additional strain on the feed motors and rollers and can cause things to shift.

Pre-feed the vinyl and your "tracking" problem should go away.

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1 hour ago, darcshadow said:

By tracking, do you mean when you cut a 4 or 5' design the cuts don't line up, or the vinyl moves to the side? If the cuts are not lining up, that is a true tracking problem. If the vinyl is just moving to the side, that is more likely a setup problem and you didn't have the vinyl loaded perfect or you didn't pre-feed and the machine is pulling the vinyl off the roll. Doing that puts additional strain on the feed motors and rollers and can cause things to shift.

Pre-feed the vinyl and your "tracking" problem should go away.

we pull the vinyl out, so it doesn't pull off the roll, it still goes off tracking. (vinyl goes off to the side) and some are 75" cuts, the vinyl is straight (will run it out 7'  and it runs true, and then when it cuts the file, it tracks off. I'd love to fix the issue, we just kinda deal with it every cut, running it out, adjusting it. and then cutting the file. But we cut 8-15 cuts a day, more during rushes (might be 30-40 a day) so it gets super time consuming.  Also too, we can run it out 5-7 feet and it tracks straight down, but then runs out on the way back (?) up.  I know its not a 3-5k machine, I just figured it should track better. 

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1 hour ago, MZ SKEETER said:

 So how did you set your blade depth?  If too much  blade is exposed, it could also be the reason your tracking is going off.    

I will test the blade again, you can see the trace cut on the vinyl backing, but not through the paper backing. Usually I have it just a hair out and then do a "test" cut of 5 different pressure tests with the "test" feature of the cutter. I have one of my staff members check it for easability. Only thing I can think of is maybe I have it too deep. I'll check it again. Like I said, we have cut thousands with this machine, and this is new.  (tracking issue isn't new, been bad since I've owned it. )

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hmmm, that's weird. It shouldn't track differently like that. Only thing I can think of that might cause that would be a drag one direction and not the other but I have no idea how such a drag could happen. That might be a question for actual tech support.

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Possible, if the blade is not out far enough and the pressure in compensating for that, it could send the tracking off if there are more cuts on one side than the other.

Just a thought.

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If you are prefeeding and it will run straight on the way out but not stay straight on the way back, all this while no blade touching then you have a tracking issue for sure. They usually don't recommend messing with the tension on the pinch rollers but possibly one got messed with or has become weak. We have seen new owners immediately start cranking on the pinch roller springs and get all sorts of wonky. 

If you can get it running true in and out without a blade then adjust your blade appropriately and it starts dragging the vinyl out of track then you could have weak pinch rollers. (not common) Most of the time we see set up being wrong and too much force being applied which causes bunching and off-track. A remedy can be as simple as a high quality Clean Cut blade that uses less force to cut with. Cutting stencil though is probably rough and tough with lots of pressure. I make a couple passes if I cut stencil so I don't abuse my machine but mine has great tracking and will stay in the same grove. 

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