Optical or Manual

[Vinyldog]

For doing print and contour-cut, are the Optical eyes for automated contour cutting worth the extra money or is manual set-up just fine?

 

[DirtyD]

I think manual is just fine - just takes a little longer - and just because it's automatic, doesn't mean it's always accurate.....

 

[Solventinkjet]

When you have done the all of the alignments, auto is just as accurate as manual. Manual takes more time to dial in at first. Some machines use multiple crop marks to allow for better accuracy on longer runs (not just 4 but more along the sides to check for skewing etc.). Overall auto is easier and faster to use in my opinion. Most machines come with it standard these days anyway at no extra cost.

 

[Bill Modzel]

I print bunches of smaller decals, usually set up to run on 30 or 36" roll stock. I set them up as 36 to 40" sheets so I can do a final chop on my large paper cutter.
I have a graphtec FC7000-100 plotter so I use the Cutting Master plug in for illustrator. I can set the auto registration up with the sheet spacing and can usually run a half dozen sheets or more with auto registration with just aligning the first mark. I can't imagine having to manually register most of my jobs.

 

[Vinyldog]

I don't do that many labels so manual set-up might be fine for me. US Cutter has some good pricing LaserPoint II cutters. I think I'll see if I can find a tutorial for manual alignment on YouTube.

 

[Hype Visual]

I print bunches of smaller decals, usually set up to run on 30 or 36" roll stock. I set them up as 36 to 40" sheets so I can do a final chop on my large paper cutter.
I have a graphtec FC7000-100 plotter so I use the Cutting Master plug in for illustrator. I can set the auto registration up with the sheet spacing and can usually run a half dozen sheets or more with auto registration with just aligning the first mark. I can't imagine having to manually register most of my jobs.

I’m about to try print and cut on mine using cutting master also.. I have tried straight out of onyx and it does go looking for registration marks but nowhere near where the actual printed marks are so fails on the first reg mark and doesn’t go any further. Could also be how I’m liking the media up in the graphtec too but I’m struggling to find info on exactly what it needs and what it wants to get it all working

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

Automatic by far. We run roll after roll, multiple projects one after the other. Cutter automatically scans the bar code to pull the appropriate cut file, cuts job, etc, etc, etc.

 

[Hype Visual]

Automatic by far. We run roll after roll, multiple projects one after the other. Cutter automatically scans the bar code to pull the appropriate cut file, cuts job, etc, etc, etc.

I don’t think my FC7000 will scan barcodes but it should see reg marks, have you got a bit of an instruction you might be able to write in terms of the workflow? And how you load/line up the media in the Graphtec so that it actually reads the first crop mark

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

I'm sure in the 8 years since the original post, they've figured out what to do.

 

[Hype Visual]

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I'm sure they have too.. just trying to see if anyone can actually help get mine working now

 

[JBurton]

I don’t think my FC7000 will scan barcodes but it should see reg marks, have you got a bit of an instruction you might be able to write in terms of the workflow? And how you load/line up the media in the Graphtec so that it actually reads the first crop mark

Barcodes will require your RIP software to support it, I never had any luck getting onyx to talk to my fc8600.
I don't do a lot of print/cut, so it doesn't bother me to go the extra few steps to get cutting master to make the marks, include them with my print, then go back into cutting master to read the marks and cut. Just make sure you make one file for marks, one file for print, and convert your marks from strokes to outlines, and you're all set.