Need Help Mutoh ValueJet 1204 48"

[Jking352]

Can't get a hold of Signwarehouse Tech as per usual! I was wondering if anyone new about register mark setting on this machine. (Mutoh ValueJet 1204 48") They tell you your supposed to leave 3" on both sides & beginning of vinyl to the mark itself. I just saw a friends machine and he can go damn near up to the edge of the vinyl with the register mark.

It seems to me I'm wasting a lot of material when you think about 6" off every print. I usually use 30" material just so I can get a 24" Print.

Any Info would be Great!

 

[letterman7]

Isn't that more a software setting? Through Corel and CoCut, the registration marks are pre-set, but I can put the image anywhere on the vinyl through my 1204, even up to the edge if I want (but don't since I want the grip space for the plotter).

 

[chrisphilipps]

The width of the job really depends on the cutter you are using not the printer. The ValueJet 1204 only needs 5mm (about .2") on the left and right side. Depending on the cutter I would recommend leaving at least .5" to 1" left to right depending on the length of the job. On the front I usually leave about an inch and I usually leave about 2.5" to 3" on the back side.

 

[SeMi57]

Chris is right with his comments, that is a good recommendation, unless your printer is also printing the spit lines on each edge of the print (which can be switched off in the printer menu itself) if it is printing them on the edges of the print, take some of the waste vinyl from other jobs and cover up the first 10" or so of this line on each side and each end of the print, my ARMS sensor was picking up this line and would not register because of too many lines.

For me it seems like the 2" requirement was within Flexi 10.5, I had the same problem 3" on the bottom and 2" each side and 5" up the top (which is more for the material length sensor on the cutter) was required for outside the marks doing the print and cut in Flexi 10.5 once I was forced to switch to Flexi 12 those requirements for outside the registration went away. Repeated the same job when using the Flexi 12 and as Chris said, the .5" to 1" each side works and at least 3" at the top for material sensor on the cutter, and did get more within the same space as with Flexi 10.5. Flexi still seems to use a little extra space inside the marks, but not wasting as much material any more.

 

[Jking352]

I appreciate your feed back, Yes, I can put the register mark where I want, It's the q-series cutter that shows error (Exceeds cutting area) so I kept messing with it and can stay about 2.25" and the sensor picks it up, but if the material shifts at all with a long run that's where you run into problems. Needless to say I'll stay at the 3" on long runs & keep pushing my luck on short runs to see how close I can go!

Thanks Again!

 

[Ryse Inc]

I think I can help you here, as I have the exact same set up. On your print side you can print to a max of 27.9", that leaves room for crops in the 4 corners. You will want to change some things in flexi to do that as well. When you click print in Flexi, go to the contour tab in production manager and make sure you have the crop marks set to Graphtec Type 1 automatic. Then click on the options button right next to that and make the changes I show in the picture attached. This will darken the marks so you get less failures on your crop mark scans and make them smaller to get more printable space. Then on the first tab set the position to 0.9" each direction. No need for inches of wasted material. Then when you cut it off you can get away with just 2" on the back side, but only if you make some changes to your cutter.
On the cutter, put tape over the rear sensor to make it think there is always material there. Then you do not need that huge chunk of vinyl they recommend on the back side. Then when you set up the roll you need to trick the machine to think you have a larger roll. I load up some vinyl and push the right wheel over about 1/4" to the right and the left wheel over a whole roller position to the left, that's about 6". Let it cycle and set the size, then move the rollers back into the proper position and instead of choosing "new media", choose "continue", then it will keep the previous settings and think you have 36" media in there. Load up the print like normal and you should not get any errors on the scans. I hope that helps, PM me if you need any more tips. I have had this same printer and cutter for over 12 years, except my Q series crapped out on me, so I got the newer graphtec, but they are the same as the Q series.