Mimaki CJV150 contour cutting is way off

[chrism2022]

I have a CJV150-75...I'll print an image with registration marks, laminate it, then put back into the printer for contour cuts and its consistently inconsistent. I am using Flexi for everything. Seems like the first foot is great, then accuracy falls off. I thought it was me loading the media in wrong, but that doesnt seem to be it. Using a separate plotter to cut the media isnt an option. I'm not cutting any super crazy, and I cannot figure this out. Seems like I clear one hurdle, then run into another. I tried the Scale adjust, doesnt seem to do anything other than print 2 registration marks. The tension on the media is there. I have no idea where I'd even start to adjust the X & Y axis.
Here are some pics on a decal that is roughly 38" tall and about 5.5" tall. I printed 4, and all 4 were cut completely all over the place.

 

[DL Signs]

Looks like you're doing multiples of the same file, are you doing them all as a single file together? If so, try doing them as single files (print copies with reg marks around each one individually instead of marks around a bunch of them), that way you're just cutting each as a 5.5x38 file. It'll take longer to cut because it'll have to read the marks for each file, but will probably get you through these till you can figure out the issue. Add some black bleed and it'll get rid of the white showing (I add bleed to all print-cut files), and make sure the heat is off when you cut too. Print-cut devices can be a pain to get running consistent, try lower speeds to prevent slipping, you don't want any tension on the media itself, it needs to move freely, make sure it reads all reg marks, not just a couple...

 

[chrism2022]

Looks like you're doing multiples of the same file, are you doing them all as a single file together? If so, try doing them as single files (print copies with reg marks around each one individually instead of marks around a bunch of them), that way you're just cutting each as a 5.5x38 file. It'll take longer to cut because it'll have to read the marks for each file, but will probably get you through these till you can figure out the issue. Add some black bleed and it'll get rid of the white showing (I add bleed to all print-cut files), and make sure the heat is off when you cut too. Print-cut devices can be a pain to get running consistent, try lower speeds to prevent slipping, you don't want any tension on the media itself, it needs to move freely, make sure it reads all reg marks, not just a couple...

Thank you for the recommendations. On the example above it was a single file, created a copy, then in the print cut menu for flexi I added a 2nd copy, which added the second set of registration marks. I will try adding reg marks on all cut files. I dont care if it takes longer, tired of wasting expensive media on unreliable cuts.

What you're describing in your answer may work for some smaller cuts where I only need a foot or 2 cut. I have a couple specific files where they are 35" long and another that is about 48.5" long. I have no idea how I'll get those to cut. I actually add bleed to every file I cut now, because of this. It still doesn't seem to matter, once the contour cut is so far off, its outside the bleed.

 

[DL Signs]

Thank you for the recommendations. On the example above it was a single file, created a copy, then in the print cut menu for flexi I added a 2nd copy, which added the second set of registration marks. I will try adding reg marks on all cut files. I dont care if it takes longer, tired of wasting expensive media on unreliable cuts.

What you're describing in your answer may work for some smaller cuts where I only need a foot or 2 cut. I have a couple specific files where they are 35" long and another that is about 48.5" long. I have no idea how I'll get those to cut. I actually add bleed to every file I cut now, because of this. It still doesn't seem to matter, once the contour cut is so far off, its outside the bleed.

I feel your pain, it's always tough getting them dialed in, especially when it only does it on longer files... A lot of waste generated working out the kinks, especially when its inconsistent, if it was always the same you could adjust for it. I run a CJV-300, and a pair of cutters too, only used the one on the printer for quick small print-cut files with no lam, and even then it doesn't always do the best. The rest always goes on a cutter. I've always looked at Print cut machines as a blessing and a curse, they can do both, but usually do one function better than the other. Hopefully someone else here can point you to a remedy, good luck.

 

[Ronny Axelsson]

I suppose you print and read registration marks in all four corners?

Is it equally bad on left, middle, right part of the material?
Is it better near the registration marks or same for the whole design?

 

[alevit53]

Flexi does not play nice with the Mimaki CJV. Use Rasterlink and you'll solve your problem. We tried for a year and gave up with print/lam/cut using Flexi.

 

[chrism2022]

I suppose you print and read registration marks in all four corners?

Is it equally bad on left, middle, right part of the material?
Is it better near the registration marks or same for the whole design?

Its equally bad in all spots, no rhyme or reason.

Flexi does not play nice with the Mimaki CJV. Use Rasterlink and you'll solve your problem. We tried for a year and gave up with print/lam/cut using Flexi.

This isnt what i want to hear. I spent a lot of time and money learning how to use Flexi. Is it possible to take designs created in Flexi (including contour cuts, etc) and print/cut them in Rasterlink? I've never used Rasterlink, I came from graphtec pro studio which was created by SAI.

 

[alevit53]

Yes, You can export as a full size PDF, bring into AI and use Rasterlink from there. You can download profiles from Mimaki when doing print/cut that are "close" but we usually have to tweak them.

 

[chrism2022]

Using AI isnt an option. Looks like im screwed.

 

[Adam Vreeke]

Using AI isnt an option. Looks like im screwed.

Rasterlink, can read PDF and EPS files. If you can export those in flexi, I am unsure why you would need to use AI.

 

[chrism2022]

Rasterlink, can read PDF and EPS files. If you can export those in flexi, I am unsure why you would need to use AI.

Flexi does support exporting to EPS and PDF.

In Rasterlink, I'd need to open that exported file, do i still need to create the contour cuts in rasterlink? Then print, lam, and perform contour cut?

 

[Ronny Axelsson]

I may not be the person to give the best advice since I neither have Flexi nor the CJV150, but...

(writing as i think)

...I once had a Mimaki JV33-130 and a Mimaki CG-FXII plotter (still do) and my workflow was to create everything in CorelDRAW including the "FineCut_TomboGroup" cut marks, then export as a PDF.
Bring the PDF into RasterLink and print. Laminate if needed and then cut on the CG-FXII from CorelDRAW with Mimaki's plugin FineCut.
I no longer have the JV33 (may it rest in peace) but use the same workflow for the HP Latex 365, except that I use Onyx Postershop instead of RasterLink, and it works great.

I believe that as long as the cut/registration marks are printed in correct position, it shouldn't matter if you use Flexi or RasterLink.
Check to make sure the marks are correctly positioned on all copies (and why shouldn't they be?).
If they are, then the cut line should also be correct on all copies.
Or maybe there is something wrong with Flexi - Mimaki as "alevit53" said?

Do you have access to FineCut (Mimaki's plugin for CorelDRAW or Illustrator)?
If you do, it will read the marks and you can use any vector path(s) as cut line directly from DRAW/Illustrator, and the accuracy is very good.

FWIW

 

[chrism2022]

I may not be the person to give the best advice since I neither have Flexi nor the CJV150, but...

(writing as i think)

...I once had a Mimaki JV33-130 and a Mimaki CG-FXII plotter (still do) and my workflow was to create everything in CorelDRAW including the "FineCut_TomboGroup" cut marks, then export as a PDF.
Bring the PDF into RasterLink and print. Laminate if needed and then cut on the CG-FXII from CorelDRAW with Mimaki's plugin FineCut.
I no longer have the JV33 (may it rest in peace) but use the same workflow for the HP Latex 365, except that I use Onyx Postershop instead of RasterLink, and it works great.

I believe that as long as the cut/registration marks are printed in correct position, it shouldn't matter if you use Flexi or RasterLink.
Check to make sure the marks are correctly positioned on all copies (and why shouldn't they be?).
If they are, then the cut line should also be correct on all copies.
Or maybe there is something wrong with Flexi - Mimaki as "alevit53" said?

Do you have access to FineCut (Mimaki's plugin for CorelDRAW or Illustrator)?
If you do, it will read the marks and you can use any vector path(s) as cut line directly from DRAW/Illustrator, and the accuracy is very good.

FWIW

I'd really like to keep everything in Flexi seeing as how much I paid for everything. If i have to use Rasterlink, I guess i'll spend another chunk of time learning that. I am going to try adding more (6-8) registration marks to my single file that is 35" long and see how that tracks through the cut. If that doesn't work, its back to the drawing board.

For what its worth, the thickness of what I'm cutting is only 4.75 mil with vinyl and laminate. I cant imagine any rollers slipping due to blade pressure etc. I wonder if i need to speed up the cutting

 

[Rodan68]

I noticed my print and cut jobs on my Mimaki JV100-160 would print at different lengths even when I send the same job twice. One cut job would be on register and then the next way off. Now I print a measurable bar on the print job so I can see if it's printing short or long and adjust my plotter accordingly. I use only the two registration marks in flexi. The four point registration has never worked for me for some reason.

 

[signstation]

We had the same issue, turnes out the Mimaki's measurement is not correct. We have four Mimaki printers, the 2 oldest ones were fine, but the new ones print 1/4"-3/8" short on a 96" print.
This will play havoc with the contour cut.
Under the setup tab there is "output size compensation" specifically to calibrate actual print size to said Flexi item.
Simply print a sample as big as poss using thin lines, pull it off the machine, measure it, then type in the figures into the boxes and bingo!
This worked on the 2 printers that were out of whack.

 

[Ronny Axelsson]

The fact that actual cut length differs from expected length is something we have to live with on all roll cutters, and it may even differ slightly depending on what material we cut.
And just as "Rodan68" and "signstation" said, it can (and should) be adjusted to be as accurate as possible, either in the machine settings or in some cases in the software.

There are other factors that can affect the material too, like lamination and differences in temperature (a latex printer for example, can make the material shrink or bend slightly) and humidity.
We also have to make sure the material is correctly reloaded after lamination, without any drifting whatsoever, before cutting.

All these factors make me use four point registration, always.

 

[chrism2022]

We had the same issue, turnes out the Mimaki's measurement is not correct. We have four Mimaki printers, the 2 oldest ones were fine, but the new ones print 1/4"-3/8" short on a 96" print.
This will play havoc with the contour cut.
Under the setup tab there is "output size compensation" specifically to calibrate actual print size to said Flexi item.
Simply print a sample as big as poss using thin lines, pull it off the machine, measure it, then type in the figures into the boxes and bingo!
This worked on the 2 printers that were out of whack.

Can you elaborate on the setup tab? Is this in flexi or on the printer itself?

 

[yannb]

If you print, remove the the vinyl from the printer, and then put it in without laminating, is cutting any better? Sometimes the gloss level of a laminate can cause issues. If this is the case, try to put some matte tape over the registration marks.

 

[Kemik]

I'd really like to keep everything in Flexi seeing as how much I paid for everything. If i have to use Rasterlink, I guess i'll spend another chunk of time learning that. I am going to try adding more (6-8) registration marks to my single file that is 35" long and see how that tracks through the cut. If that doesn't work, its back to the drawing board.

For what its worth, the thickness of what I'm cutting is only 4.75 mil with vinyl and laminate. I cant imagine any rollers slipping due to blade pressure etc. I wonder if i need to speed up the cutting

You can use Rasterlinks to add several crop marks to a single cut.
Rasterlinks will also recognize a number of different cut lines, I use the roland ContourCut as I had a roland previously and was happy that I would not need to update all my old files.

Check out PDS Equipment on Youtube, they have a lot of useful RasterLink videos.

https://www.youtube.com/@pdsbrian

 

[chrism2022]

If you print, remove the the vinyl from the printer, and then put it in without laminating, is cutting any better? Sometimes the gloss level of a laminate can cause issues. If this is the case, try to put some matte tape over the registration marks.

I'll have to try that and see if that works.