Need Help Cannot read OPOS marks on glitter vinyl.

[Goatshaver]

Sorry for all the threads. I don't have anywhere else to ask for real-world knowledge.

I'm printing on RTape metallic vinyl and have OPOS marks for cutting. I did the media calibration since this is very difficult to read. I was able to cut one sheet a couple of days ago, but I'm trying and it reads 2 of the marks and fails on one.

Is there a way to be able to cut these without reading the marks? I've got about 10 sheets of this I need to cut and it's driving me mad.

 

[unclebun]

Put a piece of application tape over the registration marks, then use a fine point Sharpie to redraw the marks on the tape.

 

[wildside]

I have also had luck by turning the lights off. Sounds weird but the reflection from the light in the glitter causes unpredictable results. Shutting the lights off is not fool proof, but 8 out of 10 works.

 

[Raum Divarco]

Sorry for all the threads. I don't have anywhere else to ask for real-world knowledge.

I'm printing on RTape metallic vinyl and have OPOS marks for cutting. I did the media calibration since this is very difficult to read. I was able to cut one sheet a couple of days ago, but I'm trying and it reads 2 of the marks and fails on one.

Is there a way to be able to cut these without reading the marks? I've got about 10 sheets of this I need to cut and it's driving me mad.

The room lighting and contrast settings can be useful. You may even consider placing some soft lighting above the machine. You can also try to knock down the reflection around the dot with ink. you could have a larger circle with a lower % of yellow for instance to washout the reflection and read as you usually would. Using edge detection and incremental offsets is also an option but can be troublesome.

 

[Goatshaver]

I have also had luck by turning the lights off. Sounds weird but the reflection from the light in the glitter causes unpredictable results. Shutting the lights off is not fool proof, but 8 out of 10 works.

It's already in a pretty dimly lit corner. I managed to get one sheet to read but another wouldn't. Guess I gotta run the gauntlet in trying everything I can. Thanks

 

[Goatshaver]

The room lighting and contrast settings can be useful. You may even consider placing some soft lighting above the machine. You can also try to knock down the reflection around the dot with ink. you could have a larger circle with a lower % of yellow for instance to washout the reflection and read as you usually would. Using edge detection and incremental offsets is also an option but can be troublesome.

Good idea since I'm setting these up in Illustrator anyways. Thanks!

 

[gabagoo]

what do the registration marks look like? Mine makes 3mm squares which I can cut in matte black and place over the exisiting and sometimes that works... I also have used a pencil eraser to dull the marks which seems to help the reader

 

[MikePro]

same issue with many vinyls, colored/reflective/exotic finishes.... i just place a frame of tape around the perimeter and redraw the registration marks by-hand with a fine tip sharpie or a black ballpoint pen.

 

[Tizz]

I have taped around the printed squares using white vinyl, just small strips. The light still bounces off around the printed squares. This is enough to trick the camera.

 

[Goatshaver]

what do the registration marks look like? Mine makes 3mm squares which I can cut in matte black and place over the exisiting and sometimes that works... I also have used a pencil eraser to dull the marks which seems to help the reader

Same marks. I just used some transfer tape and redrew them in worked like a charm.

 

[DrunknMonk]

have you tried the trick with yellow translucent vinyl ? I tried it, it was better, but still a pain

 

[gabagoo]

Same marks. I just used some transfer tape and redrew them in worked like a charm.

What sort of marker do you use to redraw them?

 

[RICHARD SIMMONS]

Sorry for all the threads. I don't have anywhere else to ask for real-world knowledge.

I'm printing on RTape metallic vinyl and have OPOS marks for cutting. I did the media calibration since this is very difficult to read. I was able to cut one sheet a couple of days ago, but I'm trying and it reads 2 of the marks and fails on one.

Is there a way to be able to cut these without reading the marks? I've got about 10 sheets of this I need to cut and it's driving me mad.

What I do is cutting little squares in black flat vinil, the same size of the printed, place them over the printed ones, and there you go !!

 

[pkeshtgani]

I have tried all those suggestions above but none of them ever work for me. what I did instead was to make 1" squares with white vinyl with the middle cut out the size of the black squares, than place it over the existing squares. That way there is a big block of white around all the marks.

 

[jerry369]

I read and appreciated the various attempts to be able to overcome what are the limits of the optical sensor on particular materials, for examples reflective, (also if no one has yet mentioned the use of hairspray to dull the material) but there is one, and only one, solution if you often work on these materials and it is to use an S Class 2 TC version, the one equipped with OPOS Cam.
Time and material saved over time will pay off the investment made to buy it

 

[Goatshaver]

I read and appreciated the various attempts to be able to overcome what are the limits of the optical sensor on particular materials, for examples reflective, (also if no one has yet mentioned the use of hairspray to dull the material) but there is one, and only one, solution if you often work on these materials and it is to use an S Class 2 TC version, the one equipped with OPOS Cam.
Time and material saved over time will pay off the investment made to buy it

I did some red metal flake and it couldn't even calibrate that media because it's dark and the marks are hard to see. I've gotten good results by placing some application tape over the mark and cutting the square out and then reading it. It's kind of a pain but it works.

 

[Signed Out]

I wish there was a setting (maybe there is?) to print a flood of white before laying down registration marks. A nice block of white underneath would surely solve this problem. I've run into it from time to time on reflective. Of course you need white ink capabilities for this to work. Anybody know if this is possible with an epson s80 running on onyx thrive 19?