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Bridge/Cutters
- Thread starter dmt
- Start date
Jim Doggett
New Member
If it's cutting you'll do mostly, it's probably fine for most jobs. But if your primary need is contour-cutting, you really need to consider one of the cutters that has worked the bugs out, like Summa or Graphtec. Putting scanner on the cutting head is child's play; getting the firmware kinks worked out and software support dialed-in takes years; the Chinese are making better cutters, but they're years from a good alignment system ... plus they lack the tracking accuracy needed for contour-cutting. Cutting vinyl is no trick these days; contour-cutting is uber tricky.
Best,
Jim
Best,
Jim
Biker Scout
New Member
Bridge cutters are fast and cut really nice. However, show me the link where they have a "True Optical Eye" for contour cutting.
They do offer a $45 upgrade when you buy them new to add a "Laser Pointer" next to the plotter knife, but that doesn't make it a true optical registration system. In fact I've never found out how to make use of it.
Plotter features to have if this is really something you want to get into are:
Tangential Cutting (Means it spins the knife on every turn, rather than dragging a knife that swivels.
Optical Registration Mark Recognition (Means that it works with the software and printer to lay down a special registration marks on all 4 corners of the printed piece. Then a contour cut line is then set to the plotter. When the plotter "sees" the registration marks it knows how to mechanically adjust for skew, stretch, offset and alignment inaccuracies.)
They do offer a $45 upgrade when you buy them new to add a "Laser Pointer" next to the plotter knife, but that doesn't make it a true optical registration system. In fact I've never found out how to make use of it.
Plotter features to have if this is really something you want to get into are:
Tangential Cutting (Means it spins the knife on every turn, rather than dragging a knife that swivels.
Optical Registration Mark Recognition (Means that it works with the software and printer to lay down a special registration marks on all 4 corners of the printed piece. Then a contour cut line is then set to the plotter. When the plotter "sees" the registration marks it knows how to mechanically adjust for skew, stretch, offset and alignment inaccuracies.)
Jim Doggett
New Member
Hi Biker Scout,
I'd agree with everything, with exception of tangential-cutting, which I spent the over a decade believing superior to drag-cutting. But a after a year of working closely with Graphtec / Graphtec OEM cutters, I had to change my opinion on that. Graphtec cutters, head-up, really do out-perform Summa T cutters, in pure cutting ability. But in tracking, Summa is still slightly ahead, I believe.
I think the explantion is that Tangential's strength is also its downfall. Lifting the blade from the vinyl is both good and bad. Bad, because it can cause "ears" that you simply don't get with Graphtec, especially on tiny stuff and thick materials (supposedly, T's main advantage).
I also think that corner cutting, on finer details, benefits when the blade doesn't leave the vinyl surface ... dimensional changes, on the microscopic level, can occur in the time the blade lifts from and returns to the vinyl surface. Plus, Graphtec's soft landing accomplishes much that T does, with way less movement.
I'm sure you'll agree that T is slow when cutting Tangentially. So throughput is WAY faster on Graphtec, and in the end, the cutting is better too.
But on really long stuff, and especially in contour-cutting automation, Summa is, I believe still, superior. But I must admit, after years of believing (and debating) otherwise, that Graphtec has surpassed Tangential with its drag-blade technology.
IMHO,
Jim
I'd agree with everything, with exception of tangential-cutting, which I spent the over a decade believing superior to drag-cutting. But a after a year of working closely with Graphtec / Graphtec OEM cutters, I had to change my opinion on that. Graphtec cutters, head-up, really do out-perform Summa T cutters, in pure cutting ability. But in tracking, Summa is still slightly ahead, I believe.
I think the explantion is that Tangential's strength is also its downfall. Lifting the blade from the vinyl is both good and bad. Bad, because it can cause "ears" that you simply don't get with Graphtec, especially on tiny stuff and thick materials (supposedly, T's main advantage).
I also think that corner cutting, on finer details, benefits when the blade doesn't leave the vinyl surface ... dimensional changes, on the microscopic level, can occur in the time the blade lifts from and returns to the vinyl surface. Plus, Graphtec's soft landing accomplishes much that T does, with way less movement.
I'm sure you'll agree that T is slow when cutting Tangentially. So throughput is WAY faster on Graphtec, and in the end, the cutting is better too.
But on really long stuff, and especially in contour-cutting automation, Summa is, I believe still, superior. But I must admit, after years of believing (and debating) otherwise, that Graphtec has surpassed Tangential with its drag-blade technology.
IMHO,
Jim
Biker Scout
New Member
I kinda wish I had purchased a Graphtec when I first outfitted my shop.
The T-Cutting thing is really slow, compared to some of the speeds that I've seen on a Graphtec. I do notice from time to time that cuts don't quite complete on inside corners. It's not really noticeable, and when you weed, you can just barely feel the snag. That's probably a function of what you just described.
The T-Cutting thing is really slow, compared to some of the speeds that I've seen on a Graphtec. I do notice from time to time that cuts don't quite complete on inside corners. It's not really noticeable, and when you weed, you can just barely feel the snag. That's probably a function of what you just described.
Jim Doggett
New Member
The better software and cutting (bridge) programs sort the vectors. Without vector sorting, the objects are ordered in the same order as they were created, so the cutting-head/drive drum will do a lot more moving around than is needed. But that's not a huge issue on cutters that tracks as well as Summa, Graphtec and I think a nod should go to GCC. But it's a throughput reducer. Vector sorting speeds production and reduces wear on the machine, over time.
johnny_loves_amy
New Member
dmt,
I had a bridge cutter plotter and they are AWFUL.. I went out and bought an older Roland PNC 1210 (probably 10-12 yrs old) and it makes that Bridge Cutter Pro look like chicken poop.. It is faster, more accurate, quieter, more dependable and has way better tracking. Please dont go buy the Bridge Cutter Pro. You will be wasting money. If it's worth doing right, do it right the first time. I wished someone would have hipped me before I shelled out $600.00 for my Bridge Cutter Pro. Take care and God Bless!!!
I had a bridge cutter plotter and they are AWFUL.. I went out and bought an older Roland PNC 1210 (probably 10-12 yrs old) and it makes that Bridge Cutter Pro look like chicken poop.. It is faster, more accurate, quieter, more dependable and has way better tracking. Please dont go buy the Bridge Cutter Pro. You will be wasting money. If it's worth doing right, do it right the first time. I wished someone would have hipped me before I shelled out $600.00 for my Bridge Cutter Pro. Take care and God Bless!!!