Graphtec fc7000 Question

[Brandon708]

I was thinking about getting a FC7000 but the one I was looking at the guy says it doesn't have the laser bomb site for contour cutting. My question is does anyone know if this can be added to the plotter with out any problems?


Thanks,
Brandon

 

[bob]

I was thinking about getting a FC7000 but the one I was looking at the guy says it doesn't have the laser bomb site for contour cutting. My question is does anyone know if this can be added to the plotter with out any problems?

What do you mean by 'laser bomb site'? If you mean an actual optical blade/pen replacement through which you peer as you position the tool carriage, no. It's not necessary.

The FC7000 has, or is supposed to have, both a built-in light pen for manually locating registration marks and automatic mark sensing tackle they call 'ARMS'. The ARMS works both under software control and locally on the plotter, depending on just what you're doing.

Using the gear provided you can use program controlled manual or automatic registration as well as wrangle your own registration marks independent of whatever software you might be using.

 

[d fleming]

My fc7000 has arms, hits on the money every time going auto as long as I do my job right.

 

[Brandon708]

I mean the red dot that shows you where to line up the registration marks. At least that is how its on the 5100.

 

[TresL]

Don't think you can have a FC7000 without ARMS feature.???
It was an option on the 3000.

 

[bob]

I mean the red dot that shows you where to line up the registration marks. At least that is how its on the 5100.

It's built in on the 7000. If you use manual mark detection in your software it should automatically invoke it. Or you can select "Light Pen' for blade type on the plotter's console.

 

[phototec]

I have a Graphtec FC7000-75 and it came with the ARMS feature for auto registration, and according to the attached Graphtec FC7000 Series Data Sheet, all the different FC7000 Series models came with the ARMS feature. Maybe the seller just doesn't know it's built in or how to use it? Make sure it is a CF7000 series cutter.

Here is a link to the Graphtec FC7000 Owner's Manual:

http://www.graphtecamerica.com/support/index.html

 

[miltondavis]

cutting shapes accurately??

Im fairly pleased with the machine- its a definite work horse but...
I have a problem cutting shapes accurately (especially prints with thin printed border close to cut edge)- Let me know if anyone has suggestions or experience with the same issue?

Example:
3" x 3" printed Circle Sticker (ij 35c with & without overlam) needs to be cut
say there is a black inset border about an 1/8" inside away from cut edge
when its sent to cut it makes a perfect circle
but not perfectly around the border- its usually off by about 1/16" of an inch.
the annoying part is if you print and plan to cut a few hundred some will be right on and some will be way off.
does this make sense.

I have tried many painful hours testing different combos-
less quantity, differing target marks, differing speeds, cut depths etc. all produce the same results, I even spent time on tech support and they told me thickness can make difference especially with laminates- ive trade many different media (3m, oracal, arlon, avery, etc) with and without lam to get the same results- other than that had no other suggestions to improve this. Ive seen other print/cutters produce flawless results- what are my issues here. please help! (if this has been discussed please show link to discussion!)

Machines being used other than graphtec-7000
Seiko color painter + flexi 7 + production manager

Thanks!

 

[os101king]

It's 90% awesome for me.. had a few problems that were easily fixed with a phone call and a screwdriver so far. However mine has become rather finicky about registration marks. NOTHING wrong with them, nothing weird about the file but it will just decide NOT to like a mark and give me a mark scan error. No real reason I can find. It's MADDENING when you're running lots of little contour cut jobs. For that reason alone unless there's something I'm missing here I would NOT buy this brand again. It's caused unending frustration and many lost hours and materials in re-prints.

 

[Brandon708]

Ok thanks for all the advice on this machine.

The guy that is selling it said he is selling it because he just bought the fc8000 so he can contour cut. He said the fc7000 that he had doesn't have the feature. Maybe he doesn't know what he is talking about.

BTW he is selling it for $1,500 for the FC7000-130
This is a great deal right?

 

[phototec]

Call Graphtec America

Maybe he doesn't know what he is talking about.

BTW he is selling it for $1,500 for the FC7000-130
This is a great deal right?

My FC7000-75 has a small silver label on the lower front of the cutting heard that says, "ARMS 3.0", see if the one he is selling has the label.

Another suggestion, get the serial number, call Graphtec America, and have them look up serial number to make sure.

The price sounds right!

(800) 854-8385

 

[bob]

Im fairly pleased with the machine- its a definite work horse but...
I have a problem cutting shapes accurately (especially prints with thin printed border close to cut edge)- Let me know if anyone has suggestions or experience with the same issue?

Example:
3" x 3" printed Circle Sticker (ij 35c with & without overlam) needs to be cut
say there is a black inset border about an 1/8" inside away from cut edge
when its sent to cut it makes a perfect circle
but not perfectly around the border- its usually off by about 1/16" of an inch.
the annoying part is if you print and plan to cut a few hundred some will be right on and some will be way off.
does this make sense....

You might want to try going through the 'Sensor Offset Adjustment' as detailed in sections 16.19 and 16.20 in the manual. This sets the logical distance between the mark sensor gear and the blade. If this is off then all of your contour cuts will be biased one way or the other on X and/or Y.

If you're experiencing cumulative errors, in other words, especially cutting multiple objects, if some are off more than others you have other problems. A dubious blade holder, belt tension, and pressure roller tension. Something is slipping. Slow it down, contour cutting is not the time to invoke flank speed.

It's never exactly right on but a 1/16" error is symptomatic of something wrong. Any error should be measured in thousandths of an inch if everything is working properly.

 

[miltondavis]

thx bob,
I appreciate your concise suggestions and will put them to use, fingers crossed I can get this thing cutting right.

Also, Ive experienced the same as os101king- Ive seen mark error scan too many times, just as he said:
its finicky about registration marks. NOTHING wrong with them, nothing weird about the file but it will just decide NOT to like a mark and give me a mark scan error.
I had numerous times where I would get mark error scan over and over again and then randomly have it work (sometimes just some clear matte finish scotch tape over the targets have worked, other times it was turning off the lights- gloss definitely can take a negative effective as I have seen)