material buckles as it goes through plotter

[gabagoo]

I have a 53" Graphtec cutter (4 years old) it's a workhorse and I love it except for this issue. I don't know what causes it and it doesn't always happen but when it does it's very frustrating. When running 48" material, if the plotter has to go back and forth several times for borders or decorative stripes the material seems to buckle up as it is going forward with sometimes a peak forming in the vinyl creating a crease. When it starts going backwards the same thing can happen on the other side and I don't know if I should just sit there and cross my fingers or assist the machine which can result in catastrophic results and a jam up. In the summer when it's humid I figure the ends of the vinyl may pull down on each side creating the buckle but in winter when it is drier in the shop I can't figure this out. I can't be the only one with this problem, any others out there get this and if so have you found a remedy for it?

 

[jayg76]

i have had that problem with allot of plotters. Usually it's either worn out pinch rollers, pinch rollers installed wrong or the knurled roller on the bottom is dirty. Give it a good cleaning and see if it goes away, I would bet it does.

 

[Sign-Man Signs]

Think I'd check the cutter try. It happens sometimes on our plotters. As the vinyl passes each time. it tend top roll the end forcing it into the cutter tray causing a jam. Also, clean the edge of the feeder try. Glue will build up there and grab the vinyl. We use rapid remover to clean ours about once a week.

 

[ndemond]

On a long run, I can check sequence plot. The plotter will move in order.
X to O instead of its normal random movements. Also i will slow down the acceleration to 50% so when it puts the weed boarder on, the material does not crinkle as it comes off the roller and hits the floor or basket. Works for me.

 

[511graphix]

This has only happen twice on me but one thing is I have a 24" Panther I left the middle pinch roller down, after I had ran some scrap vinyl through. the only time I need all 3 rollers down, is when I use paper I think??? LOL.. I know that your plotter and mine are diffrent. but its a thought right? hope you find your problem

 

[woolly]

i think we are talking the same problem on large cuts over 2mts.
its the way that the vinyl settles on the floor.
found it happens less if you slow it down about 300mm /sec,
or as the vinyl is on the long cuts gently tap the vinyl with you finger about 6 ins below the bed around the center point.
as the vinyl is coming out tap the ft as going back tap the back.
its only on the long fast runs though not normally cutting letters.

type of vinyl humidity etc all play a part.

funny only seems to happen on the graphtecs

a media basket may help and i don't think there is actually any thing wrong with the machine.

woolly

 

[gabagoo]

Yup Wooley, you know the problem. Sorry I did not really explain it correctly. It is really not the machines fault but more the 48" material and the way it settles on the bottom of the basket. I will also get this problem with digital prints on our Summa as well at times. I sometimes stand there and hold both arms out and force the material to go down as it comes out of the plotter and it sits down nice, unfortuanately I can't sit there all the time to monitor it. I was thinking that if I devised lets say about a 24" bendable stick and stuck two of them on the top of the plotter and hung these bendable rods over the top and down in front and then attached lets say something like a tennis ball to the ends so they would push the vinyl down and not allow it to push forward and then put two more facing the back it could solve the problem. The problem came today while cutting mac tac 48" frosted vinyl. I think they are also using a much heavier backing paper and it pulls down on the sides as it comes out of the plotter. That material damages extremly easily. Why didn't I listen to my mother and become a Dr. sheesh!!!! lol

 

[woolly]

the main improvement i have done is to look carfully at the pinch rollers and see if there is any side to side movement, of the rollers in there holder.
i fitted 2 off .3 mm shim to remove the movement, wouldent say its a cure but not as much of a problem.
trouble is we proberbly cut 4 ft by 10ft twice a month only so i just tap the vinyl

chris