Will different software fix this or should I adjust a mystical setting?

[Wim 4]

Using SCALP 3 and cutting on the MH 871-MK2, I run into an interesting...quirk.  If it's a simple enough job with mostly straight lines and minimal curves, it seems to cut just fine.  When I get into cutting figures that are all curves or compound curves, I seem to run into issues where it will cut the first portion correctly, but then partway through (not repeatable btw) it will relocate somewhere on the y-axis up or down an inch or two and finish the cut job - naturally through what had already been nicely cut.

 

I experimented with taking isolated shapes out of the overall job and cutting them singly, but still ended up with random cut issues.

 

Further info: the vector was created in Illustrator CS5, exported as a .eps file and looked correct when displayed in SCALP.  Is there a mystery setting that I should be looking for or some sort of file size that I shouldn't go over when cutting?  The cutter was set to take in data at 4800, cut at 500 mm/s with a pressure of 100 gms.

 

Please ask if there's anything else that would help solve this or if this is a known issue for the printer/software and I should be looking at upgrading one or the other.

 

Thanks folks!

[Jay2703 704]

Is your cutter grounded correctly?

 

Are you using USB or a Serial connection?

[Wim 4]

USB connection, and It's using a 3 wire plug to a grounded outlet as well as the self-ground to the stand.  Will/can grounding issues cause this problem?  If so, I can probably improve the ground somewhat.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

USB can give you all those symptoms and more. If you have serial capability I'd try that first. If not a keyspan adapter may be in order.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

Static can also cause issues but from what you are describing it wounds different. Static seems to just lock the thing up from my experience with a P-Cut. Don't have first hand knowledge on the MH but have heard they have some of the same symptoms. Good luck. I doubt it is a software issue. I'm not a huge fan of SCALP but never had any cutting issues when I was using it. I think I sent files in CS5 native format without any real issues other than cut-by-color was giving me enough grief that I started breaking by designs up into single color files and cutting them separately. There have been many upgrades since then so it's probably a totally different program at this point. Or not. 

[Wim 4]

That's interesting.  I layered all my cuts by color anyhow since that's how I've needed to look at thing from a screen printing perspective before and it seemed to make sense in this medium.

 

Wildgoose, When sending from CS5, do I need any kind of special driver or plugin, or can I just push a vector file to the cutter after addressing it as a printer?

 

jaybird, I'll go see if I can dig up an old serial cable somewhere.  What do you mean by "keyspan adapter?"  USB to serial? or something else entirely.  I'm certain that if I can find the right old box, I've got multiple variations of each of those hanging around. 

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

Here is the Keyspan Adapter below that is the brand name made by Tripp-lite.  Not any ol USB to serial cable will work,  Not Radio Shack Best buy etc.   Tech support says either a Keyspan or a Belkin will work.   You attach the serial cable that came with your cutter, to the 9 Pin end of the Keyspan Adapter, then the end to your cutter,  USB end of Keyspan goes into your USB  on computer.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Tripp-Lite-USA-19HS-Keyspan-High-Speed-USB-to-Serial-Adapter-/160804080791?pt=US_USB_Cables_Hubs_Adapters&hash=item2570ab8c97

[Wildgoose 4,200]

I don't remember if there is an illustrator plug-in or not from the SCALP program but I didin't use it either way. I just saved the file in CS5 and opened it in SCALP. I design on a completely different computer than I cut with so I usually transfer my files over on a thumb drive all the time. What I remember happening with the colors was that I designed like normal but when the file opened in SCALP all the colors were the same so I would have to try and break it apart and re-color it and that was a pain so I started just copying whole color layers over into new .ai files and then I had no real issues. 

[Wim 4]

Oh gotcha.  That's pretty much what I have been doing.I have both programs on the same computer (although I may install SCALP on a second laptop - but different story) 

 

As far as copying into separate files for colors, you've hit on the head what I was experimenting with before finding this place with all you impressively experienced folk who I could ply with questions.

 

Going to try the serial cable thing tonight as well as a few other tricks that might get me there.  Thanks for the tips!  I'll keep you all posted.

[Wim 4]

Discovered that it is the OLDER laptop I had and not the current one that has a serial port.  (not really a surprise I guess) 

 

Was just curious from all of you with the experience: does going USB --> Serial alleviate the USB issue or should I dredge up an old desktop that still has a DB-9 serial port and use that puppy so that the serial throttle is in place on the application side?