posted
I am a little bit embarassed to admit that I am a complete greenhorn when it comes to using a vinyl cutter. Anyway, I finally bought one and run into a problem that I can't solve, also I can't reach the technical support, so maybe one of you could help me out? The cutter is a GCC Ultra 61, and I am cutting straight from Corel 10. I need to cut eight times the same page set-up. After the third repetition the cutter started to gradually cut with less pressure towards the left side of the material, as it comes out.This got worse with every following repetition.Obviously I can't just increase the pressure since on the right hand side it still cuts just fine.What could be the problem, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks for all suggestions.
posted
Lotti..I know absolutely nothing about the make and model of cutter you are using..BUT..it sure sounds like a problem with the "platen" strip (the teflon or plastic strip that the vinyl runs over) on the cutter.
Is the cutter brand new? Is it "refurbished"?
When this type of thing happens it usually means that the platen strip is worn more at one end than the other.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Dave, the plotter is brand new. After I had made a few succesful tests, I started on this job, and it was ok but then got worse and worse. I don't want to continue trying and waste a whole lot of vinyl. It's not one of the top brands, I know, but it fit my budget and there's two years warranty on it, so I figured I couldn't go wrong. After trying to understand the manual that was somehow tranlated from chinese, I had my doubts But for now I just have to finish this job somehow before Wednesday...
posted
Have to agree with the others, with one additional thought. It may be that the platen strip and the bar that the cutter carrier rides on are not dead parallel. This is not easy to measure with the average toolbox items, because it could be off in the thousands of an inch.
Is it possible that the cutter was dropped or otherwise mishandled to the best of your knowledge?
The other fly in the ointment is the fact it cuts OK at the start, then seems to lose pressure on only one side as time goes along. Software problem, maybe?
Just our .02 FWIW.
Good luck sorting it out, and let us all know what the problem turns out to be.
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
| IP: Logged |
1.) your knife blade/holder should be properly seated in the knife carriage and the thumb screw tightened securley. If the knife blade/holder is not tightened down in it's carriage....the pressure of cutting could push-it-up in the carriage, thus causing improper pressure. (I kind of doubt this is your problem though, because if it were the case, it would cut "light" on both ends.)
2.) as the others suggested, check the thin, plastic looking cutting strip which the knife blade itself exerts pressure on (with vinyl inbetween the two of course) and make sure it is smooth, and evenly arranged in the recessed area it resides. If it has popped up on one side or the other....then it may need to be replaced.
3.) Like Bill mentioned, the bar the knife carriage rides along could be out of parallel with the platen (or floor) of the cutter. See if the uppermost horizontal bar has any "wiggle" to it. Like Bill said though, it could be only off by a few thousandths of an inch....and that's all it would take to cause uneven cutting pressure.
4.) This is probably the best advice of all....call the dealer and tell him what it's doing and if they can't resolve the problem easily in about an hour over the phone...DEMAND A REPLACEMENT OR REFUND.
I don't know what you paid for the plotter, but I believe it's a "Chineese Special"...no offense to Chineese people....but it could be an overseas junker....You may want to consider ditching it and looking for a used, name brand unit that is time tested such as Roland, Summa, Graphtec, Ioline. They have some entry models that aren't too badly priced new, and if someone is upgrading to a bigger or more robust plotter....you could find a nice deal. Good luck
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks guys, I checked the teflonstrip and it looks quite alright to me.The plotter wasn't moved since I first installed it, so I figured maybe Bill is right and it is something with the software, perhaps a problem with the repetition of the same set-up. I quickly designed and cut a test page to see if it would work out but I got only about 2" cut out of a 12"wide word. I am waiting for a response from the supplier's technician, but it's just about time for them to go home soon, I'm afraid...
I have the same plotter that you have. Sounds like a mechanical problem to me. Have them replace it. Although I would probably not buy from signwarehouse again, the cutter has performed flawlessly so far. I just don't care much for the company. The They should send you a replacement.
posted
Don't know how it could be the software, but a way to test that would be to turn the art over 180 degrees. (Where is the key with the degree symbol?) After flipping it see if it's the same side of the cutter that cuts light.
You could draw a narrow rectangle the width of the cutting area of the plotter and use that as a test so you don't waste much material.
Lotti, welcome to the realm of mechanical and electronic sign production.
Sometimes I'd rather deal with loosing hairs.
[ March 04, 2002, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Rick Sacks ]
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6745 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Seems as though this is raising more and more questions.
We don't know what you are running for hardware-- i.e. 'puter, chip speed , hard drive size, and probably most important, how much RAM. The main thing I don't know about RAM is whether 8 repetitions of your page is using the same chunk of RAM 8 times, or 8 pages is using 8 times the RAM that a single run would use, and maybe you are running out along about the 3rd page. Rick, this is where my question about software sort of comes in.
I think the others are right-- it sounds more mechanical than not, and most likely your best bet is to have the plotter replaced.
Last thought--- apparently there is more than one type of platen tape. On my Ioline, it is nothing more than thick Scotch tape type stuff, dead flat, and does not fit into a groove as someone mentioned above. Just wondering if your tape is the flat type, and if the area that the cutting is best may have an extra layer that doesn't run all the way across the platen. If it does, then you would set pressure to cut for that area, and when the blade gets across to where the tape is thinner-- or 1 layer thick, the cutting pressure is in effect lessened. Result-- poor cut, or no cut at all.
I'd suggest looking very closely at the tape--bright light, and if necessary, a magnifying glass. Or, run your fingers along the length of it, and see if you can feel an overlap, or a joint, or anything other than dead smooth.
That's it for tonight-- the little guy and I are out of ideas. Hope it helps.
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey Lotti, I've got a GCC 30 and I started running windows XP. There was a software conflict that was apparent only after my dealer replaced all of the internals on my plotter( chips, motherboard etc) Did the plotter come with a dedicated cutting programme? Mine came with Sign Wizard se version and seems to work well now. Have you tried re installing your software, killing a chicken over the empty box and casting the auguries to see if it will work?
-------------------- Lee Attewell Graffic Jam Auto Unit 3, 1731 Albany Highway, Kenwick Western Australia 6108 Posts: 102 | From: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ok, this is the latest update. I never got to talk to the` technician who should have phoned... Hope this will happen tomorrow.
Shane, I am glad to hear the same cutter works well for you, there is hope, I guess.
I checked the possibilities that you all suggested, no luck! Teflonstrip looks ok (it's not tape, Bill) no wiggling anywhere and I certainly never dropped the cutter or lifted it at the top. Knife ok, screw tight. Cutting another graphic or flipping it around never changed anything about the cutting pattern.
Bill, I know even less than you about these things, but the Computer is also new and, yes Lee, Windows XP. We had a heck of a time installing the program, but it finally worked. That's what I can't understand-it worked... The knive still definitely follows the lines when I hit the button, it's just that it doesn't cut all the way.
Oh well,enough for one day. I'll be gone all morning, but this will definitely continue. Thanks to all of you. :)You're great!
Perhaps adjusting the blade depth out a bit will compensate for the problem. Adjust the blade depth out a bit, not too much, but it should at least get you through the job.
Do a test cut, It might work, it will wear out your blade quick if you use it like this for long, so make sure and get the real problem fixed, whatever it may be.
Hope that helps, Shane
-------------------- Halo Graphics Clearlake Oaks, CA http://www.halographics.com ntshane1@halographics.com Posts: 308 | From: Clearlake Oaks, CA | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ok, I had a long talk with the technician and we did a bunch of different tests. He finally came to the conclusion that there had to be something wrong with the carriage bar, and offered to replace it. So I'll ship it back tomorrow and hope they're working really fast! Shane, I actually think their service is quite good and efficient. I'll try what you suggested though and hope I can finish at least the one job somehow. Lee,LOL, I could only find the dog's rubberchicken, could that be the reason the augury didn't work? Seriously, when I posted this yesterday I figured one of you is going to tell me " duuh, you just adjust such and such, and away you go". And now this instead... As soon as I'll have her back und running I'll post the first "In-House-Cut" vinyl sign on the Portfolio Table, ok?
I'd have the person that sold you the plotter send you a complete plotter OVERNIGHT! It's Ok for them to tool around and fix this one, YOU JUST NEED ONE THAT WORKS, NOW!
Mine is an Ultra Pro 76, and if this baby stops workin' , SO DO I! If memory serves me corectly, GBC offered FREE loaners for a 3 year period.
I'd get REAL LOUD!
My 2 cents, Mark
-------------------- Mark Neurohr "Ernest" Paintin' Place 141 Sunnyside Road Kittanning, PA 16201
Glad they're taking care of you. I didn't mean to imply that their service was bad, I've never had a service issue with them (yet).
However, my experience with their sales people has left me feeling that they are a bit sleazy when it comes to sales...but alas, that's another thread.
But I do like my plotter.
-shane
-------------------- Halo Graphics Clearlake Oaks, CA http://www.halographics.com ntshane1@halographics.com Posts: 308 | From: Clearlake Oaks, CA | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have the same cutter and have had it for over a year with absolutley no problems that weren't user created. I have had a similar problem and heres what I did. First, just in case it is the software, make sure to go into the control panel on the cutter and set it for Panel Setup Only, this will override the settings for the cutter sent from the software. I am pretty sure that what is causing your problem is that your Data Buffer in the plotter is getting too full. That is when mine did the same thing you are talking about. Make sure to clear out the data buffer after every plot. You do this at the plotters control panel also. Go to Function-Clear Data Buffer-Ok. Also, try doing fewer copies at one time, just let the cutter finish cutting and don't do anything at the machine, just go into the software and send the file again, it will start cutting from where it stopped ont the roll of vinyl. I just got through cutting about 100 ft. of vinyl continiously from the same roll without going offline with the cutter or doing anything at the cutter, just kept sending new files. However,if this doesn't fix the problem, you need a new cutter. Also try downloading the latest driver first. Signwarehouse has always been good to us, and I am very pleased with our machine. As far as it being made in Taiwan, most people don't realize that almost every part in almost every brand of cutter is made in Taiwan. The Vinyl Express is the american name for the cutter, around the rest of the world, it is known as the Sign Pal, one of the most widely sodl cutters in the world. The only prblem I have at all is with the Vinyl Express Master software which is made by Flexi-Sign, I wish I had gotten the SignLab based version they sell, oh well. One more thing, I got a roll of MACTAC 8300 one time that was not the same thickness all the way down the roll and I had a problem similar to what you are talking about. It did it in my Roland cutter and the GRC-61 so it was the vinyl. I have had so many problems with MACTAC. We now use strictly ORACAL and Avery, no problems like that any more.
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Glad to see that they are going to take care of you. I didn't read all of the posts before posting the last post. They may take a day or so to get back to you on a tech e-mail, but they have always been very helpful for us. As in my previous post, when you get a new one, make sure to clear out the data buffer often, you will have problems if you don't. Also, do stay away from MACTAC, it S@!#?. Go Avery for cast and ORACAL for calendered and you will be much happier, especially when it comes to weeding.
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
i too found the SignWarehouse sales people to be a bit quick and the shipping people a bit slow, but they took care of my concerns. they're just not very good at customer care.
as for the cutter issue, its probably too late now, but i was going to suggest you try cutting the file 8 times (once each, eight times) instead of letting the software do the 8x repeat. that would at least eliminate one source of error.
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Alright I am back and pretty well out of patience... When I read John's reply this morning I got all exited and hoped I could fix the problem. Wrong! I asked the technician from Signware to go through this with me, but he said I didn't have certain functions that you mentioned and that I had not the same program. There is a Data Clear button on the cutter itself, which I had pushed pushed before when we made the test cuts. Sorry for this vague explanation, but I am still quite puzzeled with the way computers work and the vocabulary that goes with it. Scooter, I tried what you suggested and it makes no difference,even the test cut function of the cutter produces the same result as running a file. So they are going to ship out a new cutter, and it better work!!!!!! I have a nagging little fear in the back of my mind that I could end up with the same problem again.... Thanks to all of you for taking the time to help, some have really put great effort into solving this problem for me. I can't tell you how much this means to me, you have kept me from banging my head against the wall during the last couple days.
posted
For all whom may be putting up bad replies about Signwarehouse, Lotti is not dealing with them. I see in her posts that she is dealing with Signware, not Signwarehouse. Signware is a Canadian company not affiliated with Signwarehouse, an American company. Lotti please correct me if I am wrong. Signware sells the GCC cutter in Canada. If I am right, please leave Signwarehouse alone, they don't have anything to do with this customer service problem.
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes, John is right. But if you wanna go through the trouble to go back over the posts you will find that I never mentioned any names. If it is not a real issue, I think it is better to leave names out completely, since it is easy to give someone a bad name, even by missinterpretation. Just my opinion...
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic