Need Help Mimaki cjv150-160 half cut

[jardine.jason]

Hi i just wondering how to use the Mimaki half cut feature. Can just use the original blade and cutting strip that comes with the machine when new or do you have to buy a different blade and cutting strip?

 

[Solventinkjet]

You can use any blade but the 60 degree one should work the best. You can also use the standard cut strip but it will wear out quickly so they offer a sponge strip for that purpose. It's hard to describe how to do it but if you YouTube it there should be some videos and also the user manual goes through it although it is hard to understand. At the end of the day I don't know of a lot of people who use that feature at all and I am a tech who installed them for a living. It's not a very polished feature.

 

[ewded]

You need to set up half cutting on the printer. On the computer you just proceed as you'd do with normal cutting. After 50-100 decals I just bought an old roland cx24 to make half cuts not that the cjv wouldn't do it but I don't want to put too much stress on the mechanic parts.

 

[Judi]

You also need to specify the cut condition when outputting to your RIP. I have CUT1 set up on the printer for contour cutting the vinyl layer and CUT3 with HALF-CUT turned on and higher cut pressure for the perf cut through the backing layer.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

You also need to specify the cut condition when outputting to your RIP. I have CUT1 set up on the printer for contour cutting the vinyl layer and CUT3 with HALF-CUT turned on and higher cut pressure for the perf cut through the backing layer.

View attachment 135765

I forget off the top of my head how many cut conditions are available, what is it like five or six? Having each cut condition set for each material we run was originally what I intended to do, and did for some time. But lately, it's gotten to the point where we are now running more material/laminate combinations than we can have programmed into the machine so I just use the first cut condition (CUT1) all the time and change the settings manually before cutting each job. I keep a sheet to record the cut settings for each job/material I run and it works out better, at least for me. This also allows me to make adjustments when the need arises, fine tune the cut settings that I use for each type of material, and have a record of it. This has been especially useful for fine tuning half cut settings, which can be daunting, to say the least. But now that I've got my settings down through much trial and error, my half cuts look like perfect die cuts every time.

You can use any blade but the 60 degree one should work the best. You can also use the standard cut strip but it will wear out quickly so they offer a sponge strip for that purpose. It's hard to describe how to do it but if you YouTube it there should be some videos and also the user manual goes through it although it is hard to understand. At the end of the day I don't know of a lot of people who use that feature at all and I am a tech who installed them for a living. It's not a very polished feature.

It isn't very polished, for sure, but it's a great feature and can be quite useful, nonetheless. We do a quite a bit of cheap unlaminated stickers and product labels. Using transfer tape isn't always the best option and isn't as cost-effective, so having a thick, cheap calendered media that you can half cut makes for a nice looking finished product and gives customers the convenient "peel and stick" or "die cut" option they'd often like.

Thanks for the 60 degree tip. I haven't tried that, but I will now that you mentioned it. I've always run a 45 for everything and have thus far always managed to make it work for about anything, but if a 60 works better for half cuts, I'm all for trying it.

 

[Judi]

I forget off the top of my head how many cut conditions are available, what is it like five or six?

There are seven plus the one for the pen, which I assume could be used as an eighth.

Having each cut condition set for each material we run was originally what I intended to do, and did for some time. But lately, it's gotten to the point where we are now running more material/laminate combinations than we can have programmed into the machine so I just use the first cut condition (CUT1) all the time and change the settings manually before cutting each job.

Point taken about too many material combinations, but that begs the question of how you're going about both contour cutting your design AND perf-cutting the perimeter???

I keep a sheet to record the cut settings for each job/material I run and it works out better, at least for me. This also allows me to make adjustments when the need arises, fine tune the cut settings that I use for each type of material, and have a record of it. This has been especially useful for fine tuning half cut settings, which can be daunting, to say the least. But now that I've got my settings down through much trial and error, my half cuts look like perfect die cuts every time.

100% with you on this. I record everything, always!

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Point taken about too many material combinations, but that begs the question of how you're going about both contour cutting your design AND perf-cutting the perimeter???

I'm not sure I understand your question, as when dealing with half cut or perf cut decals, the contour cut and the perf cut are one and the same. Am I missing something?

 

[ewded]

I'm not sure I understand your question, as when dealing with half cut or perf cut decals, the contour cut and the perf cut are one and the same. Am I missing something?

Not always, when my design is not simply an oval shape or rectangular/ circle I use to make a contour cut and then a little larger perf cut as the perf cut leaves a messy finish in tight corners.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

Not always, when my design is not simply an oval shape or rectangular/ circle I use to make a contour cut and then a little larger perf cut as the perf cut leaves a messy finish in tight corners.

Okay, I guess I've just never really encountered that situation. I usually try to limit myself to pretty basic shapes and I set up rectangles and squares with radius corners.

 

[Judi]

Not always, when my design is not simply an oval shape or rectangular/ circle I use to make a contour cut and then a little larger perf cut as the perf cut leaves a messy finish in tight corners.

Yes, exactly what ewded said.

Okay, I guess I've just never really encountered that situation. I usually try to limit myself to pretty basic shapes and I set up rectangles and squares with radius corners.

Ahhh, sorry I assumed you were doing both.

 

[myront]

As suggested above, on short runs of decals that won't require any pre-mask we make two cuts. Do the die cut first then cut an outer 1/8" or so "Punch Cut/ Half Cut". Then just weed out that 1/8". Decals come out much cleaner i.e. no torn corners and such. MAkes for an easy peel and stick for the customer too.

Our Mimaki plotter has two strips. The "hard one" for straight cut vinyls and the "soft one" for Half Cuts. Just physically move the blade from one strip position to the other as needed.