posted
After the flood of 2005 I got a new Ioline to replace my old one. After a while it wasn't cutting good so I sent it back to the company and they could not find anything wrong with it. I tried it again, after it came back, and the same thing...mis-shapened letters, poor quality of cutting.
I bought a new network switch to see if that had anything to do with it but there was no difference. So I parked it and haven't used it since.
Monday my Roland VersaCamm started doing the same thing. Its really noticeable with small letters. I end up getting these hangin’ chads while weeding because the ending cut didn't meet exactly at the starting cut. The VersaCamm is hooked directly to the network switch with brand new CAT 5 cable.
I called my tech (at this point I had forgotten about the Ioline) and he had me run a test print/cut and make adjustments. One side was off and I could never get it straightened.
My Roland PC600 is doing the same thing now. The Roland is hooked directly to my new Dell computer. I needed to re-formate it so that’s what I did on Monday. Today I used it for cutting and there is no change...letters are wavy instead of straight and hangin’ chads. Grrr!!!!
Could the flood have caused some electricial problem causing this? The floor got wet when the water heater broke so its not like water was dripping from the ceiling or down the walls.
ps. I have tried new blades, oiled the inside of the blade holder, checked the platens for gouges, etc.
[ October 25, 2007, 02:26 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- 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
I really don't know at all what your problem might be, but I have had a problem with my design software (Flexisign) occasionally sending a bad cut file to my cutter. It seems to happen on certain fonts. The cut lines don't match up, the curves aren't smooth, etc. Just something to be aware of.
[ October 25, 2007, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: Patrick Wedel ]
-------------------- Patrick Wedel North Country Signs Barron, Wisconsin Posts: 72 | From: Barron, WI | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
Its can't be pinch rollers. The Ioline was brand new...not even refurbed. Its something else going on but its got me beat.
I just exported a file from Corel X3 to the VersaCamm...basically a round 9" circle with a gradient (Ameriprise logo). When it came into VersaWorks, it was 1.12" round. I tried resaving...just in case I missed something when I exported...and the same thing...1.12". I was able to blow it to the size I needed and it printed good.
If it was just one machine I could probably figure it out. But all 3...?
[ October 25, 2007, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- 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
That's really weird. Do you want to drive up to Ioline's place and beat up a few guys for you? There about 40 miles north of me. I'm still mad at them because they don't have parts for my old Ioline.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3814 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Alicia, I had thought about it. I couldn't understand how their sample that they sent back was perfect...except to think that they had cut it with a different machine.
-------------------- 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
next time im over that a aay,,i'll pick the ioline up and take to my test chambers. There it wll get a fari and balanced evaluation. That way you can determine if its really a bad machine or some cabling problem within your shop.
Savy?
-------------------- 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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Laura, we have been having the same problem with our Vinyl Express it didn't use to do things like that but it does now. Tried a new blade holder, cutting strip and pinch rollers no luck same thing. If I send the job to our VersaCamm it cuts fine. I have noticed where ever there is a deflection there is a point if I change the point from a line to a curve that fixes the problem. I am using Flexi.
-------------------- Dennis Raap Raap Signs Posts: 839 | From: Coopersville, MI | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
Just a thought... I've had a problem at my shop, replaced a lot of malfunctioning but not dead electrical gear - cordless phones, microwave, modem, computer, etc. Then one day I noticed when I turned on my saw the lights got brighter. I called our local utility company to check it out. Here the ground wire outside had been nicked during some sewer work a few years back. I wonder how many pieces of equipment have been lost because of this. Maybe worth checking your powers integrity if all 3 machine are malfunctioning, especially after a flood.
-------------------- Teri Aune Frontier Signs Huron, SD Posts: 21 | From: Huron, SD, USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
Hiya Laura, Teri is right, a faulty or irregular ground can cause major problems with any electronic equipment - guess how I know. Our technician brought in an electrical tester that was able to detect a minor source of power leaking into the ground line, which was the root of our issue. Apparently, my former employer wasn't the great electrician he said he was because he did the wiring and he never found the source.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
My brother had an Ioline that did that too. The plotters memory was bad. Does it screw up more when there is alot of small text vs just a few words?
There is a small memory chip/board in the plotter that the computer files spool to. His screwed up when there was a lot of small copy, making it a bigger file to spool to the plotter.
Why it's happening to 2 different plotters is weird. The bad cord theory could definitely do it. Try a new one & make sure it's connected tightly.
Bad ground? I would think your plotter would shut down & restart while plotting if you lost any power & you'd notice that.
Good luck!
-------------------- Michael R. Bendel Bendel Sign Co,. Inc. Sauk Rapids, MN Posts: 913 | From: Sauk Rapids, MN | Registered: Jul 2005
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EXORCISIUM????????? it tis that season......
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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have you reset the blade offset for the new blades? often as not a blade will need a new offset setting even tho it is a new factory blade ,...your problem sounds like the offset is a few thousands off and it only shows on small copy,..a simple problem with all trailing blade plotters
-------------------- 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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Its a USA term used in the last election. Some districts used punch cards for voting. It described the punch holes that were still hanging from the inside of the cards that didn't get punched completely through the cards.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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its the gay guy in the BARBIE/KEN COLLECTION))))))
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Laura thanks for that and apologies for not saying "please" OP sorry mate you obviously have more experience than I at playing homosexuals with dollies
-------------------- Steve Broughton Alpha Grafix Signs Lowfields Road Benington, Boston Lincolnshire, England Posts: 315 | From: Boston, Lincolnshire, England | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
OK, long shot here but, what brand and how wide is your vinyl? I used a new "cheaper" brand of vinyl a while back for some temp banners. It was 24" and was kinda doin' the same thing you are talking. What I noticed is that the backing paper was thinner and that the blade was actually pushing a "wave" in the vinyl as it moved. the letters were odd shaped and not all of the corners matched at the end of the cut. I too thought it was my machine at first but when I put in a roll of HP vinyl the problem stopped. Put the cheaper vinyl in, same problem. No matter how "tight" I had the vinyl between the pinch rollers, it still did it. To me, that might explain "all" of your machines doing it. I'd say its worth a try......just my 2¢ worth.
-------------------- Dave Utter D-utterguy on chat Sign Designs Beardstown, Il. signdesigns@casscomm.com Posts: 777 | From: beardstown, illinois, usa | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Maybe I have more than one problem going on here. I have noticed the some vinyl when cut has cut lines that look like the knife skipped or dragged itself trying to cut. It weeds ok but doesn't always look good.
The other thing is that all 3 machines are leaving "hangin chads"...that little spot where the knife doesn't return to the starting point and when weeding, the vinyl tears, usually leaving a bad spot in the vinyl.
I just cut some translucent last night and this morning on the PC 600 and it left "chads."
I keep meaning to bring in my laptop and hook it to each machine and try cutting that way. I wasn't not going to plug it in to the electricity. I suppose that I could even hook the machines up to the generator and run them to test the electricity option.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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When my circles weren't cutting back their origins, I replaced the cutting strip on my Ioline Classic and that took care of it. They get a lot of use (If you think about it-a 1 point line accross entire width of the plotter) and occasionally the knife cuts through, etc. Its worth a try, though I think you said it was a new unit.
•Another thought... What is the rel. humidity. Some electronic device malfunction in too high a humidity.... (from the flood,) I'd wonder what's still present especially if they're all doing it.
•I have an Ioline Classic, and of course same deal with the Ioline boys."Oh, we discontinued that model." I had to cut a precise 10" rectangle for a job, and no matter what I input in Corel>Co-Cut it still would plot 10.25" Never fixed the problem...I suppose I must manually correct to get accurate numbers, but I shouldn't have to, ya know?
posted
Its just that its so strange that all 3 machines are doing the EXACT same things. I know that some of my fonts have gotten corrupted and I can't seem to get that fixed...even by downloading and re-installing new ones. I really thought that once I re-formated the one computer that that would take care of a lot of this. NO.
Maybe pics will help. This is a sample from one of the last times that I cut with the Ioline in Oct 2005. It has been parked in my hallway since I sent it to Ioline and they sent it back saying that it cut perfectly for them.
This is recently from either the VersaCamm or the PC 600. It doesn't matter as they both are doing the same thing.
[ October 30, 2007, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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