Hey guys I am somewhat new to the vinyl world. I have a grapthec fc-8600 plotter and a HP l25500 printer. I use SignLab 10 at the moment for the plotter but it is not compatible with the printer. I was using Flexi to print but I kept having the problem where my plotter would not cut properly. I have tried so many different things to try and fix it. Every once in awhile i could get one to cut right. Rarely. So i stopped paying for flexi monthly because it was a waste at the moment so im looking for a new program or a solution as to why i cant get my plotter to cut right. I liked using flexi and will go back to paying monthly if i can find a solution, but am also open to a new program too. Thanks in advanced.
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- Thread starter kyler1
- Start date
Solventinkjet
DIY Printer Fixing Guide
The software you use has nothing to do with cut quality (in some very rare cases it does but for most it doesn't matter). Every cutter program just sends the cut file to the cutter. If you are having cut quality issues you need to focus on the cutter itself. Is the blade worn down or does it have a broken tip? Is the cut strip gouged out down the center? Are the Speed, Force and Offset settings set properly? Has the print/cut alignment been done? Is there physical damage to any of the driving parts? These are all questions I would try to answer before suspecting software as the culprit.
timgo
Graphics Designer
SignLab 10 Print and Cut Support your cutter and printer:
;HPD10000=HP Designjet 10000s
;HP4500=HP DesignJet 4500
;HP5000F=HP DesignJet 5000 - Full
;HP5500F=HP DesignJet 5500 - Full
;HPDJ8000=HP DesignJet 8000s
;HPDJ9000=HP DesignJet 9000s
;HPL25500=HP Designjet L25500
;HPL26500=HP Designjet L26500
;HPDJ6100=HP DesignJet Z6100
;HPLAT110=HP Latex 110
;HPLAT110_1=HP Latex 110-1
;LATEX110=HP Latex 110 - v2
;HPLAT310=HP Latex 310
;LATEX310=HP Latex 310 - v2
;LATEX315=HP Latex 315 - v2
;HPLAT330=HP Latex 330
;LATEX330=HP Latex 330 - v2
;LATEX335=HP Latex 335 - v2
;HPLAT360=HP Latex 360
;LATEX360=HP Latex 360 - v2
;HPLAT365=HP Latex 365
;LATEX365=HP Latex 365 - v2
;HPLAT370=HP Latex 370
;LATEX370=HP Latex 370 - v2
;HPLAT560=HP Latex 560
;LATEX560=HP Latex 560 - v2
;HPLAT570=HP Latex 570
;LATEX570=HP Latex 570 - v2
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So my printer is compatible with signlab??
Solventinkjet
DIY Printer Fixing Guide
The offset I am talking about is the blade offset. It should be on the box the blade came in. You just set that setting to whatever the box says. Usually for a 45 degree blade it is 0.30mm.
But I think you are talking about the offset of the cut to the print. That will be fixed by doing the print/cut alignments. I am not very well versed on that cutter as far as this goes but pretty much every cutter has at least 2 print/cut alignments. 1 usually does the main alignment so the cut is exactly where you want it and the other is usually a scale alignment which makes it so the longer you go, it still stays accurate. I would look into the manual and see if it makes any sense. Sometimes they are translated and hard to understand. Also, there are a ton of Graphtec videos on YouTube that show you how to do certain things and I think that will be an awesome resource for somebody just starting out with the machine.
Okay sorry for being so new! and i will look at some videos on alignment.
Solventinkjet
DIY Printer Fixing Guide
I remember the first time my boss asked me to figure out how to print and cut on a Mimaki cutter 10 years ago and it took me multiple days to figure it out. We all start somewhere!
Are you having issues with print and cut or when your just cutting? What material are you using most of the time? Is this with and/or without laminate? Why kinds of blades are you using? How many pinch rollers are you using, are they evenly spaced apart, are they clean? What type of registration marks are you using?
I use Flexi and rarely have issues I think that it's probably a plotter issue and it not being properly set up. Plotters can be finicky don't give up, you can figure it out. Is it possible to have a rep stop by and help out?
timgo
Graphics Designer
Yes, SignLab 10 Print and Cut supported your cutter and printer.
The next version of SignLab 10 only supported you Cutter:
SignLab 10 Cut Pro,
SignLab 10 Vinyl Pro
I have vinyl pro
should have stated that sorry!Cant remember what blade it was using all (3) pinch rollers. Without laminate. And type 2 or 1 registrations same issue. and i havent contacted them yet but its an option. Only when i print and then cut. using 3m
timgo
Graphics Designer
I have vinyl pro
I've send you a pm.
So your reply is vague and you didn't really answer any of the questions so lets see what we can work with....
First get more pinch rollers. This will help.
If you are printing and cutting use the Segmented Try 2 marks on anything over 48" and sapce them 18"-20" apart.
You say 3m, you will have to be more specific and 3m make many many different type of material.
What about your blade, do you know what if it's a 45 degree, 60 degree, etc...
FYI the best way to get help on here is to be specific. You asking people to diagnose something they they can't see, or access and have no idea how you have your equipment set up, history, capabilities, etc....
I am using 3m Control track graphic marking system vinyl. I always get "Mark Scan Error" almost everytime on my plotter. Blades are 45 degrees. Printing graphics that are about 8-10 inches. I will look into more pinch rollers as well.
So 3M IJ180? Your're printing and cutting this with no lam? The mark scan error can happen for several reasons. You could not have enough space on the sides. I usually have at least 1"-1.5" inset form the sides. How big and what margin are you giving yourself for the registration marks? It could also be a issue of not having to enough light or too much and it creating a glare that the sensor can't read. Try adjusting the sensitivity in the graphtec on-board menu's. It could also be that your not loading the material in square to the print but rather square to the material causing it to not find the mark where it thinks it's supposed to be.
The HP l25500 printer is pretty good about making sure that your media is loaded squared, isn't it?
I know in the past, when I had a bad drift while printing, it made it almost impossible for the plotter to find all of the marks...
even though i would square the vinyl on the plotter to the marks, not the edge.
I know in the past, when I had a bad drift while printing, it made it almost impossible for the plotter to find all of the marks...
even though i would square the vinyl on the plotter to the marks, not the edge.