Help with Roland Versa Camm 300

[Designs by Stacy]

Hi,
I need help with my new versa camm. I am using 3m control tac cast vinyl and also the 8519 laminate by 3m.
My problem is cutting.
I am doing smaller lettering (around 1/4" )and the cut is not good. I tried putting a contour outside around the lettering and still its not cutting good. When I try to weed it its not weeding good at all. Its like the knive is skipping and I have to use my knife to connect the cut lines so I can weed it.

I think I have my blade down to far and also the depth not right.
Can someone please tell me how far the blade needs to drop down and also what do set the force at.

I have my blade down about 1/16" of an inch from the bottom of the holder and also my force is at 140.
I think this is all out of wack.
Please help!! I feel for a brand new machine it should be able to cut better than it is.

(Someone told me that the blade needs to not hardly be sticking out is that true?)

Even when I'm cutting large letters like around 24" where the blade does a sharp turn I still need to take and cut it by hand with my knife to weed.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Stacy

 

[signage]

The blade should stick out only as far as the thickness of the material. One thing I have read was to take the blade holder and adjust the blade by dragging the blade (holder) by hand over the media without putting excessive down so it just cuts the material and not the backing, then place in plotter and do test cuts to get desired pressure to cut. Hope this helps.

 

[Mike Paul]

Laminated 1/4 in text will be tough.
Some shops use the 60 degree blade with laminates for more precise contours. Try a new blade and lower it a little. Slowing the cut speed down can also help.
Your offset could be the problem if it's happening on 24in. letters. It should be at .250mm

 

[Baz]

I agree that its going to be tough to get your 1/4" lettering done out of laminated 180c. I dont think this material is meant for small cut letters. If you can ... it would be best to cut your small letters out of 2 mil. cast vinyl.

On my SC-500 and my Camm1 24", the blade sticks out verry little from the holder ... just enough to see the point of the blade. Doing this also helps avoiding the blade cutting through the back paper if ever the material lifts while cutting.

If your having trouble getting clean cuts i would try different blades and play with the speed of cutting. Those might help.

 

[Gino]

At that size, I can hardly believe you need to cut printed graphics. What effects can be seen at that size ?? Why don’t you just cut the color vinyl from the factory and you won’t need a lam on it at all ?? We keep our force between 50 and 65. Speed is full out.

 

[Designs by Stacy]

I am doing it that small because its a address on the bottom of a design with a outline thats why I printed it. The customer wants to put on the the logo and address in one piece. They didn't want to put the two on seperately.
From what you are all saying I surely have the blade out way to much and also the force to hard.

I also wasn't able to cut lettering that was 1" tall very good either. So I it must be a blade thing.

Thanks for all your help.
Stacy

 

[ChiknNutz]

To be honest, I have the same problem with my 540V. As far as the blade protruding, too much is way better than not enough. Think about it...the down-force is what dictates how far it will cut thru. No matter how much of the blade is exposed, it will still on cut as far as the blade down-force allows. I always try to err on having it too far out. Too shallow, and you run the risk of the bottom of the blade holder dragging on the vinyl...which will really screw things up. Ive messed around with it, but can't seem to get it right either. It also seems like the blade doesn't turn nearly as freely as the blade in my Summa D60 does.

 

[giantsfan1951]

the problem of "not finishing" the cuts is probably due to the offset of the blade being wrong... while it is difficult to cut 1/4 in letters, i've done it sucessfully on my roland 300 machine. use a good blade with as little force as you can get away with and it should be doable.

 

[signage]

Another way to adjust blade protruding distance is to use a automotive fellers gage that is the or close to thickness of your vinyl and adjusting the blade to be even with it.

 

[geedub]

yea my soljet pro iii can't cut very small things either when laminated, you COULD try cutting after the print, weeding, laminating and then cutting the laminate in a box around the bottom text, it may work....

 

[sittinglow]

i have a roland 540v, and I have had the same problem.
I hate it but dont know what do to.
I HAVE DONE EVERTHING THERE IS TO DO ABOUT IT.
i even had a "roland tech" come out, and he just said that
it was because i was using "roland vinyl and laminate"
but he brought his own vinyl and could'nt get to cut right.
so now i just cut it and go over it with my exacto blades.
should of bought a summa?

 

[sittinglow]

sorry, (because i WAS NOT USING ROLAND MATERIALS)

 

[mark in tx]

Every machine is going to have some physical limits and I think 1/4 inch letters with a laminate is asking a bit too much from the machine.
If you have increased the cutting pressure, slowed down the cutting speed, and made sure the file is "clean", I think you have prepped for success as much as you can.

As far as how much the blade is sticking out, your eyes are not accurate enough to physically see in thousandths of an inch. Which is what the adjustments made by the machine are.

Open up your manual and follow step by step the needle replacement. Then using your RIP, do test cuts to figure out what pressure works best with the materials, and write down those settings for future reference.

Lastly, think about a redesign, I know you are trying to give the customer what they want, but you have to know the limits of what you can produce.
That knowledge comes from an experience like this.

 

[sittinglow]

I think the "Roland Rep Knows How To Cut From Our Printer"
Mark for Tex.