A Summa Newb Here...Regarding Barcode Reader

[GivenToFly]

Not dumb at all! Although if you're using GoSign for everything I may not be helpful.

I create my final print file (PDF) in Illustrator, with the art on one layer and the cut line ('cut contour' spot color line) on a second. Since I like 2 passes, I stack two identical cuts on that same second layer. Then I 'select all' and step and repeat everything across and up as needed, for my rows and columns. I start with an artboard that I know is the right width for what will fit on the media and still allow Onyx to add regmarks/barcodes.

Onyx doesn't have a 'hit multiple times' option for cuts like Flexi does, so I'm forced to impose things the old fashioned way because I want the multiple hit, but this also means I can rotate and arbitrarily make things closer or further apart as I see fit—which can mean a lot less waste on long term repeat jobs as I can usually fit more up than the software would. Yes, it's a bit more work that just dropping a 1-up into the impositioning software, but not much once you've got it nailed down.

I would say it's either a layer issue, since most cutters will take how things are stacked super literally—OR you might be able to get away with finding a 'cut in order' or 'cut with least movement' or 'sort cut paths' type option to toggle. I think most cutting software has something like this, where you can either force it to cut your file as you set it up exactly, or let it kinda decide how it thinks it should be cut (preferably with the least moving around.)

Ahhhh...yes, you are right about the layer order. I am 99% sure that's what it is. For GoSign I have premade artboards as well that I set up with my print layer, kiss cut layer and thru cut layer. I set that up in Illustrator as well, arranging my graphics however I need them to get the most efficient use of material. I think my issue is probably due to the fact that I used an existing print file with 30 or so decals and then simply duplicated the cut layer. So that made it go through and cut all of them once (the first cut layer) and then went back and started cutting them the second time (the duplicate cut layer I created). What I may do is take the graphic, create a duplicate cut layer and then do my layout again, stepping and repeating after that duplicate has already been made. I'm pretty sure that will fix the problem.

Thanks again for all your help!