How to contourcut with Corel X4-Illu CS3 and Signcut pro with three reg marks

[CRD 9]

After some repeated questions here is a HOW TO to contourcut from Corel X4 with Signcut Pro.

For X2 there are nice videos and the manuals.

For the PRO version with the "advanced contour cut" and all needed settings there was nothing uptill now.  

Click on the link and use it to your benefit.

http://www.jupacreations.com/downloads/How to contour cut correctly with SignCut Pro_Corel_X3_4_Illustrator_CS3.pdf

There are 3 download samples one for X4, the older V11 version and a CS3 .ai file.

If there are addtional questions let me know.

Regards,

Paco Raap

[babs 0]

Paco,

You are the best. I know this will be very helpful to alot of people.

[CRD 9]

Let me know if I forgot something or something is not clear.

I need a new bie to test the manual.  

I added a Version 11 to the manual and for download.

Paco

[Guest manwayvan]

Hey CRD I will try this tonight from the newbie standpoint. Also I was in the process of creating a wrap for my phone last night and I am stuck. Below is the steps I done to the point where I am at now:

1.Found Template for Iphone and jpeg that I wanted to use as the image

2.Masked the jpeg and the template together in flexi to make the jpeg overlay the template.

3.Created a .03 contour cut around the image(I had no clue if this size was right but just playing around and thought it looked good)

4.Put 4 reg marks on image and printed to my epson printer.

5.Sprayed with frog juice to seal

So this is where I am getting confused. Currently I have a printed image with 4 reg marks on my removeable vinyl. So I loaded this into my plotter and placed my origin point to the top righ registration mark and set it. I dont see how the machine is going to compensate the difference between the laser and the blade as flexi never prompted for me to move the laser nor the blade to a specific place. So then I read that you need to rip send the image to the printer first and it will automatically print the reg marks for you and after printing it will then display the contour menu in flexi.Well I got an error when trying to rip so I then downloaded signcut pro and hoping to get this thing contour cut so I have not wasted a piece of papilo paper that cost a dollar.Lol I suck at this stuff. Currently I have signcut,flexi, illustrator, sbe,inkscape,and corel draw and cant seem to figure out how to cut a simple thing...

[CRD 9]

If you follow this X4 SC PRO manual and go to the next step CC with your iphone project you have skipped the worst part.

Just follow the new bie manual for X4 CC and let me know the result.

I have been there too and rubished 30$ of printjobs from my printshop!!!

So one dollar .........................:-)

Paco

[Guest manwayvan]

lol I'm a money miser so a pennie lost is a penny lost..But thanks again as always and I will def go step by step with this tonight..I just got in a hurry trying to print my first stuff and was relying upon memory and plus it was late..lol All bad combinations.

[Guest manwayvan]

Okay my cutter is broken..lol I tried running through the calibration of the laser through signcut and when i press the job buttons sometimes the cutter will move and sometimes it will not but it will only move to the left and the paper feed will only feed toward the front. So basically I have no way of calibrating my cutter now. Any idea on why my cutter will not move back nor to the right

[Guest manwayvan]

I wanted to note that also that I can change a setting three times before it actually does move. I had a similar issue when I use to use Signblazer, in order to preview the cut I had to hit the button 3 times before it would do anything. Also when I increase the jog and then try to move it back to 0 sometimes the paper will move and sometimes it will not. I think this maybe an issue with USB. I am using PCut 630,Windows 7, Signcut Pro Trial, all through usb.Also this is the only thing thats connect to usb at the moment

[Guest manwayvan]

Tried Hotshot demo and print with SBE and it messed up another piece of paper..lol great

[CRD 9]

Just use A4 size paper and the plotterpen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How did you set up the USB communication is it as mentioned in the new bie manual?

Does SBE work OK when you plot normal vectors?

If that does not work correct no need to try anything or other programs first.

Your bases should be 100% first before you try to contour cut anything.

Paco

[CRD 9]

I updated the manual and the test files.

I changed the shape of the plot file into a single arrow.

Screenshots are added for which layer to switch ON and OFF for correct printing in X4 and older versions.

Enjoy.

Paco

[edge 67]

Adobe 7 indicates an error report on my end when attempting to view this link........is it me or does the document have errors?

[CRD 9]

Whow version 7 of Adobe reader.

Try newest version9 from reader.

it works here at three different PC's with version 9 so file is OK.

Paco

[edge 67]

With Corel X3 (using the 11 template in this tutorial) and SignCut pro dongle thru USB to Copam. All goes well untill cutter lays out the first crosshair, then SignCut Freezes. I use the USB connection all the time with SignCut Pro, no issues so I'm inclined to believe USB is not the problem.

Any suggestions?

[CRD 9]

Edge,

Sorry for no response.

Which Signcut version are you using?

I added also an illustrator CS3 contour file for download.

paco

[CRD 9]

I rewrote the whole document so it also useable for Illustrator CS3.

I also made the whole layer structure more understandable (I hope )

Paco

[edge 67]

With Corel X3 (using the 11 template in this tutorial) and SignCut pro dongle thru USB to Copam. All goes well until cutter lays out the first crosshair, then SignCut Freezes. I use the USB connection all the time with SignCut Pro, no issues so I'm inclined to believe USB is not the problem. Any suggestions?

SignCut Productivity Pro with Dongle Build 1.07 WIN. Obviously with the Copam any alignment would need to be performed without a laser....however I thought I'd try it just for the experience. Have used a Dell laptop for several years now with AMD Sempron 3600+ and 1.3 GB ram with SignCut X2 and now Productivity Pro to run this Copam without any other unresolvable issue thus far.  Just can't seem to figure this one out. What do you think? Is this an operator, laptop / software, or Copam issue?

[CRD 9]

For my understanding.

If you set up the laser pointer offset (although you do not have a laser pointer machine) this can cause a freeze up.

I know some one was using a laser point machine using the wrong non laserpoint driver which caused a freeze.

So if Copam has a similar driver with laser pointer I would give that a try.

Otherwise try the USCUTTER LASERPOINT 24 in SCPRO and see what happens and let us know.

Paco

[CRD 9]

Nukleon and for all who cant get things to work and paper is spit out when you jog th regmarks.

Use on the cut layer the sample template I made, it shows a rectangle around the objects.

You may copy it also to the layer with the objects to be printed.

This rectangle will have 4 corners and as results of it 4 regmarks as the corners are the reg mark points you will jog the laser on later.

Use the template as the arrow object also shows the direction it should be placed in the plotter when imported in SC PRO.

That is why I used a arrow shape.

And remember if you use the rectangle as boundry regmarks square to set reg marksize to 0 mm.

Let me know if this will help.

Paco

[NukleoN 34]

OMG.

First, I am a complete idiot. I was trying to use the arrow as my contour cut calibration. I just realized that the numbers refer to the box, not the arrow. A couple red dots on your picture would clarify that to idiots like me!

IT WORKED!!!! *Hugs for Paco*. Yes, the contour cut looks very nice and the pen plotted right around that arrow. So now all I gotta do is put my own shapes in that box and they should contour cut the same way, right? (Assuming I set them up the same way in Illustrator, which is very simple).

It's so nice with 3-point calibration, and a nice small box so the rollers don't lose the paper (I think one of my rollers is a little loose). The relief I feel is ridiculous right now. I've literally been working on this for 48 hours trying all different combinations...and dreaming about it too.

THANK YOU PACO! You not only explained this, you did it in English which I know is not your native language. You sir, are a rockstar.   :D

Dan (NukleoN

*Update* Here's a quick little test I did with new shapes and new contour lines, using the 3-point box-calibration process.

[CRD 9]

OK,

Now Nukleon (Dan) knows how it works I like to appoint him as my deputy for the SignCut Pro contopur cut issues. 

As you see it is all written in the manual or did I forgot something?

I think the problem is when some one gets stuck and start to read the contour cut manual he is thinking three steps ahead and does not read the manual step by step.

It is not difficult but take your time and do not think OUT THE BOX 

Once you mastered to englarge the template to contour cut you know what you can do to alter the file and start from there.

Always leave 3 cm at the top so the rollers still grip the vinyl when it is cutting the upper limit of the contour cut.

Tip

When I contour cut an A4 size object that needs to be contour cut at the edges I put it on a carriersheet.

This way you can fully use (if your printer can do borderless printing) to print the reg mark box as maximum as possible.

so you have no loss of A4 size objects.

Have fun with it all.

Paco

[NukleoN 34]

OK,

Now Nukleon (Dan) knows how it works I like to appoint him as my deputy for the SignCut Pro contopur cut issues.  

As you see it is all written in the manual or did I forgot something?

I think the problem is when some one gets stuck and start to read the contour cut manual he is thinking three steps ahead and does not read the manual step by step.

It is not difficult but take your time and do not think OUT THE BOX  

Once you mastered to englarge the template to contour cut you know what you can do to alter the file and start from there.

Always leave 3 cm at the top so the rollers still grip the vinyl when it is cutting the upper limit of the contour cut.

Tip

When I contour cut an A4 size object that needs to be contour cut at the edges I put it on a carriersheet.

This way you can fully use (if your printer can do borderless printing) to print the reg mark box as maximum as possible.

so you have no loss of A4 size objects.

Have fun with it all.

Paco

Hahahaa. You can bet I will be helping others with this. I see a lot of people are confused about contour cutting like I was. One thing I mis-interpreted in your directions was using the box as  the calibration...I was so used to the idea of bombsights or registration marks. Kinda lost me there a little and then I read another post which clarified it.

I love the carrier sheet idea! I was wondering how much of my letter-sized paper I'd have to waste leaving space for the rollers.

Oh, I am still wondering how the calibration box comes to SignCut, but it doesn't try to cut that? I'm guessing it's because that's being defined as our 3-point border, but is that correct?

NukleoN

[CRD 9]

I recently found  out (3 weeks ago) that as you use on the cutting layer a rectangle box as surrounding of the object you like to cut, it uses this box as a design/form for the regmark points needed when set at 0 mm regmark size.

And as a side effect it will not cut this box!!!!

I mine case of contour cutting is was a welcome discovery.

If you like it you can put the center of a crosshair object at each corner of the rectangle box as this looks better to center the laser pointer.

So print these crosshairs but do not put them on the cut layer only on the layer your printing your objects.

Leave 3 cm at the top of your paper for the rolles to hold.

Rework you cutter with vinyl so it will not grab the slid in the front and rear of the cutter.

Cheers, Paco

[NukleoN 34]

Hi Paco,

Ok, I did my first contour cut with a blade, set to .25mm offset in SignCut. (I have a Clean Cut Roland 45 degree blade). I have lots of experience cutting vinyl, so I know my blade was loaded correctly with the blade depth set right.

I notice the contour is a little off, and I took pains to line up my laserpoint with the box points, just like in the plotter tests.  

Should I just set my blade offset to zero? Any ideas why a blade contour would be off when the pen worked great?

I might just try zero offset and see what happens. I can't think of any other variable assuming my alignment was good. Come to think of it I don't think my offset was .25mm before....so I am gonna change back to zero and see what happens.  

Also, when printing, should I use borders or borderless? Borderless makes sense, coz I would think it would prevent any unwanted scaling of the print. I think the default was borders tho. I guess I'll have to test it. What do you guys use?

Thanks!

Dan (NukleoN)

[CRD 9]

Dan,

When you use a pen use 0mm offset.

When you use a knife use between 0.1 to 0.25 MM.

The offfset depends on the brand and design of the knife.

I display all in Milimeters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not inches, take care of that.

If you print bordeless you can print more on the paper.

If you select printing with border you must make sure there is not a setting ON that says scale or fit to size.

There is no other possibility for the offset between pen and knife.

Never try to contour cut on a small line.

Always make sure if you need an outline that you make it twice the thickness you like and you cut on the half of this line.

If there is a little tolerance it is less noticable this way.

Paco