Havin a problem with my plotter thought you might have some ideas........
Ioline classic plotter using Design Art Pro
Last week the plotter just started plotting with a mind of its own. It will shoot out 3 yards of vinyl or so..... then go back cut a character....... go somewhere else cut another character move to another spot cut a character.....ITS ALL OVER THE PLACE. The file does get cut correctly but in no order. (make any sense?) Well I thought someone out there may have had the same problem at one time or other............ Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
-------------------- Rich Parthemore Buchanan NY rparth139@aol.com Posts: 107 | From: Buchanan, NY USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted August 20, 2005 12:09 PM
there is a setting in your software to make it cut in some efficeint order. Since I do not use design art any more i dont remember the terminology for the setting.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted August 20, 2005 02:41 PM
I have no clue what your problem is,but if you go here http://ioline.com/tech/classic_tech.html there are several tech support downloads and answers to help diagnose your problem,....I personally would try and perform a simple circle test and then try cutting another file,to make sure the file you are having problems with are not corrupted in some way.
These older iolines are workhorses and often as not it is something simple that goes wrong with them,however it often as not is cheaper to buy a new plotter than than try to repair them,...imho.
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted August 20, 2005 03:03 PM
i know my summacut d60 has a habit of either shooting out several yards of media at the beginning of the cut, as if to check it has enough, and will at the same time start cutting a mile from the end of the roll,
i sorted it by simply telling the machine, via a few clicks, that it had a new roll for each new cut, and told it the length of material fitted, it'll then only bother to check it has what i say it has before cutting ! long winded but it suits me ok, maybe your software has a similar thing ? i have also noticed that it cuts in a certain order, depending on how the graphic etc is made, if simple single layer text then it cuts in what i guess is the most economical way it can, or if i place a border or box aroundit, it will cut the box last if it is 'to back' in the order of layers, and so on til it gets to the top layer,
probably telling you nowt you don't know so i'll shut up now !!
posted August 20, 2005 08:11 PM
if i remember right,, you may tick the "sequencing plot" check box...
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted August 21, 2005 11:51 AM
Your plotter should have a CD or disk with "Control Center" software. Fire up the program, tell it the com port, and you can then recofigure your plotter. You should find an "AutoLoop" feature that you can enable/disable. Its to reduce tension on the roll by periodically unrolling a user specified amount of vinyl. The default is 12 inches usually. It may also have a Vector Sort option but i have not seen one with Iolines.
If you cant set these values from the software you are using, you can do it via the software supplied by Ioline.
-------------------- Frank Droog SignLab programmer Posts: 91 | From: ottawa,ont,Canada | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted August 21, 2005 07:10 PM
I have been using an Ioline Smart Trac for 5 years with vey few problems. I just found out that there was a new firmware on Ioline's website so it and loaded it onto my plotter.
I can't say that things are better as I got flooded a month ago and all my electronic equipment is acting up. The Ioline is now acting like what you are describing....and it never did that before.
I don't know if printer cords go bad but have you tried changing the cord?
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted August 23, 2005 04:20 PM
I'm not going to call myself an expert on Ioline, but I do have an old Ioline 8 that seems to go through this same problem every now and then. When the problem was happening way too often for me to accept, I made some changes. What I did establish is that temperature and humidity seemed to be the problem. I live in the south, where both are a regular problem. My shop office, where the plotter used to be located, was not always as temperature controlled as I would like it to be. I ended up moving my office into my house, putting the temperature and humidity in a much better controlled environment, and my problems have drastically improved. I am looking to replace it soon, but will admit that I am stubborn about not spending the money just yet!
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