Contour cutting magnetics

[queencreeksigncompan]

Hi,

I have an old Gerber sprint. I know this machine is great for cutting sand blasting material.

Will it contour cut magnetics?

 

[grafxxx]

i have tried cutting with my summa but i didn't go all the way threw i think it went off track i was just cutting circles but it scored it enough that i just went over with an xacto and cut it apart

 

[PressPrintGraphics]

I cut them on my graphtec, trial and error and finally got a scenario that works - maybe someone else can chime in.

I cut in about 18" sections, transfer tape on the back so it doesn't stick to the machine. Cut force all the way up, blade slowed way down. It will cut the top layer so you can punch out the cuts.

Anything longer I find it runs off track, material just seems to get too heavyand also doesn't lay flat so when moving back and forth it can cause it to move off track.

Maybe someone can chime in more, but thats my method. PITA, but it works.

 

[queencreeksigncompan]

Blade type

What blade type did you use in your graphtec to cut the magnetic?

 

[Checkers]

If I remember correctly, the sprint is mostly metal and the magnet will want to stick to the case. So, you'll need to make some sort of slip-sheet to keep the mag from sticking. Coroplast or posterboard should work.
The other issue is the sprint is a sprocket fed machine and you'll either need to get punched magnetic sheeting, available through Gerber, or somehow mount the magnet to something that can be fed through the machine. You can try mounting the magnet to some clear liner from the sandblast material, but it will be tricky.
A few words of caution...
magnets and older electronics may not play well together;
be sure to slow down the cutting speed; and
don't attempt to cut through the material. Just score it enough to get through the vinyl coating and the magnet should "snap" clean after the cut.

Checkers

 

[SignsOfMaine]

Dunno if this applies your particular machine, but on our graphtec, what I did was just overlap a bunch of circles in the design software and have it keep cutting into the same groove like 10 times. It cut consistently on that line each time. You can get it to the point where you can sort of peel the magnet apart along the cut line... though a complex shape might need help from the exacto. In our case it was a ton of circles, and due to either the weight of the magnet or the fact that it's on metal rollers... the shapes got distorted (shortened) by maybe 5-10%.

 

[synergy_jim]

I think we are going to use the CNC router with a drag knife to cut all of our magnets from now on....

I can't wait to try it...

 

[petepaz]

not sure but i thought with most of the plotters you can only kiss cut
or the parts fall out
i have tried a few times with our gerber plotter and material got jammed up
but even with the magnetic if you score it deep enough you can just pop the parts out

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

with a gerber plotter...the key is SLOWING THE MACHINE DOWN....and it has to be set for sequential plot.....i've been cutting mag on gerber plotters pretty much since i started in this industry (2001), and haven't had ANY issues....well, other than the punch pattern from gerber being off...

 

[queencreeksigncompan]

Thank You all for your replies. I ended up using my graphtec machine with max presure. Scored it deep enough that they popped out pretty easy

Thanks

 

[onesmf]

I own an Allen Datagraph specifically designed to cut magnet and am looking for a buyer, if your interested.

 

[jiarby]

we have cut a few mags with our laser... what a mess!! not recommended.