Laminated Decal Plotting

[serviceSigns]

I have a large decal order for a very important customer and I'm having a problem .

The decals are printed on 3 mil PrismJET 203 as a sheet of around 4.5' & laminated with 3 mil PrismJET 100. I'm cutting the decals with a Vinyl Express Q54 and the problem is that the contour cut isn't matching up. Sometimes it will start out great but gets off
by a few millimeters or more towards the middle of the sheet. Sometimes it off right away. I have the rollers set on the middle setting because the material is so thick.

Is there something I can do to make this work better or is it something that can't be perfect? Normally if the contour is off by a few millimeters it doesn't matter because my decals usually have a white background or a solid bleed. These have a black stroke around the decal that bleeds off the edge so you can definitely tell that one edge has a thicker stroke than the other.

I think I am getting them close enough to make the customer happy but I'm curious if it could be better. I want them perfect

 

[TammieH]

Small decals? Maybe print smaller quantities (sets)?

 

[player]

Yes just print 1 row. Also you can offset the cut line to compensate for the bad cut.

 

[serviceSigns]

Thanks for the replys.

The decals are 5x8" and there is 1000 of them. They also have to have sequential numbering (auto serialization.)

I started out trying to do 8' sheets but dropped it down to 5' because of the problem with the cut being off. I also slowed the plotter way down and that helped.

Printing laminating and cutting one row at a time would take forever. I can only fit 7 in a row. Sorry, I should have mentioned the size and quantity in the original post.

 

[rcook99]

What software are you using to put the contour cut line around the decals?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forum Runner

 

[serviceSigns]

What software are you using to put the contour cut line around the decals?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forum Runner

I'm using Flexi Cloud to add the contour and Production manager for the RIP & Print

 

[serviceSigns]

Run in smaller batches, and re-calibrate your plotter for that material combination.

I'm running them in the smallest batches I can. If I go any smaller it will take forever and won't be cost effective.

Not sure how to calibrate I will look into it when I have some extra time. Maybe when this job is done.

 

[serviceSigns]

Thanks

Thank you everyone for the replies & suggestions.

 

[rcook99]

I have had a similar problem in Signlab when I add a contour to certain files for some reason. My fix was to recreate a clean vector outline on the existing shape and then contour that. It has fixed it every time. Hope this helps.

 

[stusatwork]

Plotter Blade

Have you tried a 60 degree plotter blade vs the standard 45 degree? Tends to cut thicker material more cleanly.

 

[Ponto]

I'm using Flexi Cloud to add the contour and Production manager for the RIP & Print

This is the same set up that I use and plot to a Suma unit using the OPOS marks......and needless to say, encounter the same problem. I touched base with Suma support and they pointed a finger at Flexi and I tend to agree because the internal test functions yield flawless results on the Suma. Printing in smaller batches has helped and I recommend doing as much calibration as possible with your hardware. I feel your pain......JP

 

[serviceSigns]

This is the same set up that I use and plot to a Suma unit using the OPOS marks......and needless to say, encounter the same problem. I touched base with Suma support and they pointed a finger at Flexi and I tend to agree because the internal test functions yield flawless results on the Suma. Printing in smaller batches has helped and I recommend doing as much calibration as possible with your hardware. I feel your pain......JP

Thanks Ponto, good to know I'm not alone.

 

[cajun312]

Can you set up your prints so that you have contour marks for three rows, then another set of marks for the next three rows, or however many rows cut correctly? That way you can print a 10' sheet, but each set of contours will only be a couple of feet long/

 

[TammieH]

I used to work at Metalphoto in Cincy, I ran their flat bed plotter and would die-cut the silk screened parts, we had some jobs as large as 2000, and depending on the part size I would die-cut as little as 6 up at a time on 24" x 28" sheets...yeah, it takes time

 

[TDFcustomSL]

You might try increasing the force on your pinch rollers. I was having a similar issue but as soon as I increased the pinch roller force it was cutting back on track.

 

[Bigcat_hunter]

I run two Vinyl Express cutters. With one of them I had the same problem and figured out that the little hole marks that are used to line up your vinyl are off by a little bit from the factory. I have to line the vinyl up to the back mark and move it about a 16th of an inch over on the front mark. You can tell if it's off if you line up the vinyl and close the rollers. Watch the sheet run back and forth and look at the marks. If the sheet of vinyl runs over the hole mark they are off. Does that make any sense? It's kind of hard to explain.

 

[synergy_jim]

this thread makes me say thank God for Roland and their optical registration system.

 

[Bigcat_hunter]

Forgot to add, when you laminate take a squeegee and rub the registration marks before you cut. Those Graphtec VE cutters have a hard time seeing through the laminate.That should resolve any issues if your cutter is aligned ok.