new machine is driving me crazy

[Buddy]

We've owned around 6 or 8 Graphtecs. Starting back before the 3100 series (what was that...the 2100 I think). We still have a couple of 3100's and a 4100 and a 5100.

The hardware integrity and firmware has progressively gotten worse since the 3100. In all the years, we have never had an older machine go down (2100, 3100). They are absolute work horses and should be enshrined. But we have a difficult time keeping the 4100 and 5100 out of the the shop for repairs. We've had our 4100 back to Graphtec 3 times in the first year and the 5100 has been in for repairs as well. And I might add Graphtec was a total pain to work with. It's a good thing we had several plotters to fall back on. It took around 2 months to get that plotter fixed. I'm just glad we didn't spend the extra money while there to install the ARM.

Instead of buying a 7000 series....we switched over to MUTOH because of the above reasons. Spent a truck load of $$ on the Mutoh, they list around $8,000.....but it's stil too early to tell how we like the Mutoh Ultima cutter. That cutter actually communicates back and forth bi-directional with the computer to create what they call extreme ease of use / contour cutting.

Heck.....at the last sign show we went to, I even had our sales rep who sells Graphtec (no names mentioned) tell us and demonstrate how Graphtec cutters were now pretty "cheezy".

Plus the new Graphtecs every since the 3100 series will not allow you to pause and roll forward to test your cutting and change the setting mid-stream and then continue with the changed settings. You have to finish the cut and see what you got when done.

Also aligning the media has always been a joke. Back with the 2100 series Graphtec sold alignment strips with alignment lines on them that you stuck (adhesive backed) to your machine so you could visually align your media straight. Simple and it worked. With the Mutoh on contour cutting you don't have to align the vinyl. Put it in straight or skewed doesn't matter....it finds the print and contour cuts no matter.

Graphtec demonstrates you to pull your media thru and wrap it around the bar and that sort of thing to first align and load your media. That takes too long and seems rinky dink to me.

Not meaning to offend by saying your kid is ugly or something like that....but just being honest and contributing to the poll here.

 

[gabagoo]

I have a Graphtec 53" cutter and the first thing I did when we set it up was put vinyl on the sensor. I usually have a handle on how much material I need and never worry about it running out. I do unroll enough to be able to walk away, although I have found that 48" vinyl has a tendancy to bunch up causing creases and the occasional jam up. Our machine is a workhorse and we have never had any problems with it. Watch out winter is coming and that can be a shocking experience...lol

I do have a complaint about the teflon strip required and just why they cost so much. But the real complaint is getting the old one off as it releases completely from the adhesive. The only way I have found to remove the adhesive completely is to rub my thumb along the leading edge all the way. It takes a good 20 minutes and usually makes for a tender thumb for a day or so.

 

[Buddy]

Try it if you want.....regarding vinyl bunching up like mentioned with 48'' material and even not as wide material. I pull one of the grit rollers in away from the outside edge.

For example: On 36 inch vinyl I set the grit rollers at around 24 or 30 inches apart. And on 24 inch vinyl I set the grit clamp rollers at around 18 inches or so. I have found the tracking is better, more reliable and the vinyl doesn't bunch up.

BUDDY

 

[Neil]

The hardware integrity and firmware has progressively gotten worse since the 3100..

It's funny, the reason I bought this machine was because I knew the old models were great cutters, so I thought the new models must have everything finely tuned by now.

Like our Sign software keeps evolving - getting bugs and quirks ironed out along the way - I expected this machine to incorporate good design in the interface. Instead I get the feeling the designer has never actually used a cutter.

Example: when you load a new roll if you hit the up or down arrow it will switch from rear roll loading to front roll loading!!??.
Something that you need to access once in your life is so easily activated you end up doing it accidently.

But God forbid if you want to cut off a sheet, you need to press a sequence of 5 different buttons?? Sheesh, which committee thought of that?

 

[Buddy]

Neil you are exactly right when you say...."I get the feeling the designer has never actually used the cutter." You hit the nail on the head.

Manufacturers need to spend a day or two or three in a production type sign shop where things are happening. Then they would KNOW what features are needed on their equipment and what features are worthless.

Most plotters are capable of doing incredible advanced functions. But when it comes to the simple tasks like you mentioned (quick cut off for example) you end having to stumble around with several steps to get it to do this simple task.

I've noticed that same thing with our sign software. As it develops and becomes capable of doing more things (as if you couldn't use CorelDRAW or Adobe anyway)....the latest greatest versions of the same sign software (at least the one we use) becomes a major pain in the butt to use. Whereas the first generation of software you can have employees up and running in no time. But the latest greatest versions it takes major training investments.

Intesting.

In the auto industry they call that feature fatigue. The latest BMW's came out with over 600 computerized functions capable and everyone hated it. Couldn't figure it out. The response by Mercedes was to omit some several hundred computerized features in order to be more user friendly to consumers.

Go figer......

 

[signrik]

Thanks guys for this thread I have a graphtec and the same problem now and then and it makes me mad I thought it was the way I tightened the vinyl down How do you lot do it, you need three hands, I put a little bit of masking tape on the right side and then with the pinch rollers up I tighten the vinyl by pulling it to the left and then with the other hand lower the rollers I am convinced that it helps but not cures this error because when not doing it I see a wave of vinyl moving with the cutter blade which i think gives more light to the sensor
But I am very new to this game and no one has shown me the ropes I have another little stupid problem and that is i set the speed lower and it looks god so I start the operation and the machine ignores my new conditions and jumps to original settings I made when I first installed the machine which is speed 50 I would love to know what is the best average speed in fact what are your average settings for speed quality etc and how to change it properly also what is the longest sign you could be expected to make without it messing up, my plotter is 2.5 ft wide and is a FC cheers rik

 

[iSign]

I never read most of this thread, but I do have a small Graphtec CE1000-60, so I can only think to mention that after I alter a setting such as speed, or force... if I hit "next page" I will leave the screen i hadmade the change in & I might not see that it didn't accept the change... but it won't have... I would need to hit "enter" after making the change, in order to hold that change until firther notice. I don't know, but that could be where you are missing a step.

I try not to cut more then 10 feet when I can help it... & I try not to encounter too many long (6' - 10') runs of the material back & forth if i can avoid it. Just plugging along letter by letter usually brings good results, but on something like cutting a batch of striping... I've seen the vinyl work itself out of alignment, or into a puckering up in the center situation due to slippage from under the grit wheel, resulting from excessive long trips back & forth.

On striping, I've learned to draw one long unbroken back & forth line that maps out a series of consistent width strips & cuts down on the alternative where my blade picked up & traveled 10 feet doing nothing just to get back to where it wanted to start working.

 

[dzign]

Regarding reply #42 above... I'm curious about the Teflon strip also. I've not had to replace mine yet, but I have taken it off and turned it upside down due to it getting marred from a bad plot. Then I re-pressed it down over the adhesive which remained on the platen. Do you have to remove that adhesive when replacement time comes? It's working fine like this.