Graphtec FC8000 not receiving data from Onyx Go (v. 22.5.1)

[Moth817Print]

Hello everyone!

We're still in the process of setting up our shop from the ground up and, while I've worked in the industry for 3ish years (largely self-taught and nearly no professional training), I've never set up communications between machines before. I'm having some issues sending cut files to the plotter. I have only tried to do simple star shapes (cut only, no print) as a test but so far nothing is actually cutting.

My progress so far:
1. Graphtec is plugged in via USB and my computer does recognize the plotter.
2. In my Onyx quick sets I have one called Graphtec Plotter set up with all the default Cutter Path prefixes selected. The only one I'm interested in actually using for now is Cut.
3. In Illustrator, I have a Spot Color saved called Cut, with which I have created the star outlines. The file is saved as .PDF and as .SVG since Cut server doesn't do .PDFs I guess.
4. In Cut Server, I have added my plotter but the configuration is all default stuff because I'm not sure what needs to be changed.
5. The file is open in Cut Server and I see my cut lines, but when I hit Cut Now nothing happens. Cut Server briefly shows a blip of a message that says "Sending Cut Data" but the plotter doesn't do anything at all.

Please help me figure out what I'm doing wrong. Thanks!

P.S. I have a few additional questions:
1. Do I even need to have a plotter quick set if I can use my other quick sets and then just add the plotter to each individual print job that needs cut?
2. Do I need to open a cut-only file in Onyx Go for any reason or just open it directly into Cut Server?
3. In all the Onyx/Graphtec videos I found they set up a Cutter Path prefix called CutContour. What is the point of doing this vs. using the Cut prefix that already exists?

 

[balstestrat]

Here is what you need to do.

Fix your connection to the cutter in the cutserver settings.
You only open one file in the queye and select your cutter. That will automatically pick up and forward the cutlines to cutserver.
You can use any cut line prefix you want. It makes no difference at all.

 

[netsol]

Buy a new decent quality usb cable
plug a flash drive into the usb pirt you want to use. See if it reads properly.
if yes, the port is good.
verify yiu are logged innas a user with administrator rights
settings/accounts/your user (standard user or administrator?)
search for UAC drag slider to bottom, never notify
unplug all usb except mouse and keyboard.
download usb oblivion
run the program and clear all usb history

plug brand bew usb cable into the port you tested
plug in printer
YOU SHOULD see hardware detection and printer port creation

you should now see a usb printer port that is fully functional

 

[Moth817Print]

Fix your connection to the cutter in the cutserver settings.

My cutserver recognizes my plotter, it shows up in green on the Port Config popup. What do I need to fix for the connection?

You only open one file in the queye and select your cutter

In the general Onyx Go queue or in the cutserver queue? If I open a cut only file in Go it will try to print the file on my Epson and I don't need print. I'm just trying to cut basic stars from a scrap of red vinyl

 

[Moth817Print]

Here is my Cutserver view

Cutter config

Plotter appears as a USB device so I assume there is some line of communication between plotter and computer

lmk if any other screenshots can help

 

[balstestrat]

Don't use cutserver for cut only, it's just not good for it.

Install whatever Graphtec offers and use that. It has way more options to play with... Copies, position, size etc.

 

[Moth817Print]

Don't use cutserver for cut only, it's just not good for it.

Install whatever Graphtec offers and use that. It has way more options to play with... Copies, position, size etc.

I downloaded Graphtec's program and it doesn't even work with my FC8000

Called Onyx and their suggestion was to go into the Interface menu and change the plotter's command language from HPGL to GPGL. That did work, and I can send files to the plotter now, but I still have no idea how to use this thing. Cut Server won't let me position my cut file within the media I have loaded on the plotter so when I do send the file to cut it doesn't do it where I want it to. My boss said they used to use flexi with this plotter so I'll ask them to go that route again.

Thanks for helping

 

[unclebun]

If you are trying to cut vinyl that you have printed, you configure Onyx to create the cutfile when it rips the file to print. The cut contour color usually needs to be named CutContour. The cut contours need to be part of the file you export from your design software and import to Onyx. You make sure the cutter you will use is selected in Thrive when it does the ripping so that it puts the appropriate marks on the corners of the print for the plotter to read.

Then when you put the vinyl in the Graphtec you need to follow Graphtec's instructions for reading the marks on the vinyl. Only after that can you plot from the Cutserver and expect it to cut the contours of your print.

As mentioned above, Cutserver from Onyx doesn't really work for garden variety plotting of colored vinyl. It's for contour cutting prints that are printed with it.

If you have Flexi, it is made for directly plotting cut vinyl from your layouts.

For the FC8000, if you have Illustrator or Corel Draw, Graphtec's Cutting Master 5 plug-in will run it. If you want a standalone cutting software, their Graphic Studio 2 will run it. They are free with registration. Just as you found with CutServer, running a plotter requires getting all the settings of the software and the plotter exactly matching before it will work. PLotters are NOT plug and play in that respect.

 

[Moth817Print]

If you are trying to cut vinyl that you have printed, you configure Onyx to create the cutfile when it rips the file to print. The cut contour color usually needs to be named CutContour. The cut contours need to be part of the file you export from your design software and import to Onyx. You make sure the cutter you will use is selected in Thrive when it does the ripping so that it puts the appropriate marks on the corners of the print for the plotter to read.

Then when you put the vinyl in the Graphtec you need to follow Graphtec's instructions for reading the marks on the vinyl. Only after that can you plot from the Cutserver and expect it to cut the contours of your print.

Wouldn't it be so nice if the plotters were plug and play lol, would have saved me literal days of trying to figure this thing out. Ultimately I ended up using the Cutting Master v4 (5 doesn't work with my FC8000) plugin with illustrator to achieve a basic cut vinyl. Thanks for recommending that program. I had tried v5 before but saw that it didn't work with my cutter so I had given up hope on it, but then I saw v4 on their site after deciding to try it again.

Besides changing the command language (which btw was not mentioned in ANY of the youtube videos or Onyx/Graphtec references I saw), I did have the plotter and Onyx configured correctly as far as doing a print/cut job. I did the contour with my spot color just called "Cut" which Cut Server recognized and was able to send to the plotter. Getting the plotter to read the registration marks was (and still might require) some trial and error as my machine's laser eye is broken, so I just need to fine-tune my tool placement when I go to detect the marks.

For some reason Onyx cut server shows the leading edge of the media at the top of the screen (which I interpret as "facing away" from me) and when I load the media I always have the leading edge "facing toward" me, so my first printed cut came out upside down. Gotta remember to rotate the image 180 before cutting through Onyx. Always learning and always improving!