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Just how accurate should print/cut be?

Stagecraft

Stagecraft

New Member
I've recently bought a used SP540V.
When I do a print and cut decal the cut accuracy is acceptable...but just.
Yesterday I did a batch of reverse print decals as "print only", I removed the job, laminated it and ran it through as "cut only" and the results were less than great.
These decals are only 2.5" in diameter with a contour cut that is outside the graphic by 1/16".
The cut that the printer made was consistantly off to one side and low.
Am I asking too much of this machine?
Thanks if you can help! - Boyd
This question was also posted on the Roland Users Forum
 
TheSnowman

TheSnowman

New Member
I'm not real sure what the correct answer to this would be, I would think in this day and age, we should be able to cut dead on...but I have the same problem sometimes that you do. It can be the simplest thing ever...and it won't cut straight.
 
O

ova

New Member
Welcome to Signs 101

Sounds like the cut is off on both the scan and feed. Could just be the rollers slipping on the lam material. Make sure they're clean of debris and any oily substance.

There are many posts about the problem you're having. With that said, some things to look for:

Worn pinch rollers.

I'm sure you've done all the norm like enviro match, checked the cut on the graph, etc.

Check to see if the encoder strip is dirty or has scratches. Most times this seems to be the problem.
It's the clear strip that the head travels across located behind the traverse cable.

Last thing to check is the factory default. Go to menu, scroll to the factory default setting and press enter. It only take a second for the printer to register this. After doing this, do some test print/cuts. You might have to reset some of the settings on the feed/scan you had before doing this.

Hope I didn't confuse you too much. It's been a long day.

Dave
 
Stagecraft

Stagecraft

New Member
Thanks fellas'.
Yes the environmental match was already done, I don't know that roller slippage would be the cause as this was only a 20" run.
I haven't checked the encoder strip but I certainly will. - Boyd
 
W

WinGraphics

Premium Subscriber
Decals

I have mimaki cutter and I use Finecut in Corel Draw. Whenever I do stickers I have to nudge the cut line over to the left .08 inches after I print and just before I cut. Once I started doing that everything lines up great....go figure!
 
N

noregrets

New Member
Calibrate it...

It has been a while since I did it, so I cannot remember the exact steps, sorry....

However, I had the same issue as you and somewhere in service mode in the menus you are able to perform a calibration - solved it for me.

Check the service manual it should be in there somewhere
 
Robert M

Robert M

New Member
Cut line

There are several adjustments you can make, shoot me your email and I will send you the tech manual
 
messmedia

messmedia

New Member
I cut on Graphtec. Most of the time it is precise.

If You have SAME OFFSET all the time, U must have an option to adjust it on cuter.

As for how accurate it must be here's the answer:
It should b accurate up to 0.001mm on graphtec, BUT!!!!! thing is, when U use registration marks, that line have some thickness (at Graphtec, it is 0.3 mm). So, that is biggest possible offset of well adjusted graphtec cutter. That offset is hard to notice, EXCEPT if U have, for example, outline in UR print that is close to 1-2 mm in thickness. If it is 1 mm, that means possible cuter mistake of 0.3 mm is 1/3rd of UR outline, and it must be seen.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
May not be the problem but... I usually let my prints dry overnight and
then lam and cut and if the outer rollers are not set up exactly the same
as when printed the cuts are often off. I made alignment triangles for
all of the widths I use (30, 48, 54) for both rollers so that they always
are reset to the same width and have had little to no problems since.
Do NOT poll size before you cut.
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
stargategfx said:
...
These decals are only 2.5" in diameter with a contour cut that is outside the graphic by 1/16".
The cut that the printer made was consistantly off to one side and low.
Am I asking too much of this machine?...
Click to expand...

If the cut is consistantly off the same amount then you need to adjust the logical offset between the mark sensor and the blade. I don't know how to do this on your gear but somewhere there's an adjustment for this.
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
messmedia said:
I cut on Graphtec. Most of the time it is precise.

If You have SAME OFFSET all the time, U must have an option to adjust it on cuter.

As for how accurate it must be here's the answer:
It should b accurate up to 0.001mm on graphtec, BUT!!!!! thing is, when U use registration marks, that line have some thickness (at Graphtec, it is 0.3 mm). So, that is biggest possible offset of well adjusted graphtec cutter. That offset is hard to notice, EXCEPT if U have, for example, outline in UR print that is close to 1-2 mm in thickness. If it is 1 mm, that means possible cuter mistake of 0.3 mm is 1/3rd of UR outline, and it must be seen.
Click to expand...

That would be the case if and only if the sensor was following the mark center feeding back from edge to edge. If the beings that designed the mechanism had an IQ larger than their shoe size, they would have made the sensor follow an edge. That being the case it shouldn't matter what the thickness of the mark might be.
 
T

Trimline20

New Member
On the Roland machines, Print-Cut jobs should never be set to center on the media. They should always commence printing from the right (head parked) side of the media.

If the job is set to center on the media width, the cut will not be in alignment no matter how the print-cut calibration is set. The after lamination alignment is worse than when cutting directly after printing.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
Trimline20 said:
On the Roland machines, Print-Cut jobs should never be set to center on the media. They should always commence printing from the right (head parked) side of the media.

If the job is set to center on the media width, the cut will not be in alignment no matter how the print-cut calibration is set. The after lamination alignment is worse than when cutting directly after printing.
Click to expand...

I have always centered on media and get good cuts. Who is your
authority? Not being catty, just wonderin'.
 
Malkin

Malkin

New Member
I don't set mine (Roland) to center on media, but I will set the base point inboard some, about ½ to 1" usually, even more on really long runs if I can.
 
T

Trimline20

New Member
My `authority`.

1) Experience
2) My Servicing Dealer
3) User forum discussions such as these ones:
http://forums.rolanddga.com/topics.aspx?ID=1818
http://forums.rolanddga.com/topics.aspx?ID=1808

Tabone is a current member of the Roland User forum who previously, was a Roland Service Tech.

If you`re setting your RIP to Print-Lam-Cut in the center of the media and it`s working properly for you, then great, carry on. This however may be an exception but not necessarily the rule.

If you want some `wiggle room` to allow for skewing on long runs, if you have excess media width, you can always set your pinch rollers in from the edge of the media.

Edited to add: The OP is experiencing identical issues as I did when I centered my prints. My servicing Dealer stressed that print-cut jobs should NEVER be centered for the reasons given. My Dealer (All Graphic Supplies - Mississuaga, Canada) confirmed my experience. Participation on the Roland forum has also further confirmed my experience.

I`m not sure why some of you have not had the same experience. Perhaps the issue is related to my RIP (Flexi) but reports from others (On Roland`s forum) who do not use Flexi seems to confirm the same issues and resolution.
 
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