Help, please - Mimaki CG-130 FX - How to read a print file for Cutting from RasterLink6 to FineCut8

[Aaron Gibson]

Hello,

I would appreciate any help with trying to figure out how to print and cut using the step and repeat function wth registrations marks. We are printing with a Mimaki JV33-130 and plotting with a Mimaki CG-130 FX.

For software we are using:

RasterLink6Plus Ver. 1.8 for Printing
FineCut 8 in Illustrator for Plotting

For example, we would like to print 50 small decals of the same design.
I have tried using the step and repeat function in RasterLink and it prints just fine, but I'm not able to have the plotter understand that we used the step and repeat function for cutting, and not able to have it cut the printed items.

The only way so far we have found to print 50 decals of the same design is to set up the 50 decals in a single Illustrator file. Creating all of the cut lines on a separate layer and use ONE SET of Registration marks in Illustrator for the whole page. Prints well, cuts well. Works great, just very time consuming.

I haven't been able to figure out how to do this any other way.

I have read all of the manuals for the Printer, Plotter and FineCut.

Does anyone know of a more efficient way of printing and cutting several decals using a step and repeat function, or do we have to set up each job in Illustrator before hand, because of the printer and plotter used in this case?

Thank you!

 

[unclebun]

Have you seen this video? There isn't much you have to do. Although he is working with a print-cut machine, at the end of the video he explains how to do print and cut separately. The key, I believe, may be that you need to use Rasterlink for the cutting, because it makes a linked cutfile from the print file. This would ensure that any multiples you print have matching cutfiles.

 

[Aaron Gibson]

Have you seen this video? There isn't much you have to do. Although he is working with a print-cut machine, at the end of the video he explains how to do print and cut separately. The key, I believe, may be that you need to use Rasterlink for the cutting, because it makes a linked cutfile from the print file. This would ensure that any multiples you print have matching cutfiles.

Thanks, unclebun! I have watched this video, I have it bookmarked...as well as many others that I could find that could be related to any of the software and equipment. For sure, this was a helpful! I hadn't thought about having RasterLink paired with the cutter, because the person I purchased the printer & plotter from said that they used FineCut for the cutting. I would ask them, however, I discovered that we are on our own...so this has been a huge learning curve alone.

I really appreciate your help, thank you!

 

[unclebun]

If you cannot get it to work, your alternatives are to continue to make your duplicates in Illustrator, or to get a full featured RIP software like Onyx.

 

[Aaron Gibson]

If you cannot get it to work, your alternatives are to continue to make your duplicates in Illustrator, or to get a full featured RIP software like Onyx.

Thank you! Much appreciated.