Quick and dirty: Crash course instructor using the Gerber Edge desperately needed!

[SignShopGal]

Hello signs101! I am very new here! My wonderful employer hired me to run his sign shop (mostly solo). We currently have 2 plotters and one gerber edge thermal..heat....printer? I'm using Composer 3.0 (that's what he has, that's all I get).

First: I'm having a hard time making basic things like a colored circle. I can make single line graphics from imports from jpgs...etc. I am highly skilled in the Adobe region but this program , even with its manual, is stumping me.

Second: I cannot for the life of me, figure out how to run our Gerber Edge machine via using Composer. ie Paint bucket greyed out...I just don't understand it, it is new to me. I neglected to enhance my education on the printing side, however, I was an art major, I do hand printmaking.

I used a plotter a while ago. I understand vinyl just fine. I'm a fast learner...that said, I just need some knowledge that I can't seem to find anywhere online until I came here. I read a great forum about Why the Gerber Edge etc, and that's why I decided I needed to come here to "get schooled"!

Okay, to sum it up:

I run a sign shop for a business that makes a lot of signage for roads, county, city, public and private (mph, you name it). They rent barricade and light and road work equipment. I was hired to run the print shop, to expand customer client base. We have 3 machines, Composer 3.0 (with no currently future of updating yet). We have 2 plotters, one Edge printer. I need to know how to use the Edge Printer. I need to know how to use what I have to make it work! My boss will be over the moon!

(I read the newbie forum welcome...btw. I will just say that I'm not here to prance and preen, I just need help! BUT, I'm still and artist!!)

 

[James Burke]

Honestly...it would be well worth the resources to have your employer send you to Gerber for training.


JB

 

[SignShopGal]

Hi Pat! Thank You!

Okay: Yes, Running the Full Version, second, No. Third, Yes. Devices run. I have no idea how to use the third but want to try! Could make me an asset you see... These are all hand-me-down machines and no one here no how to use them except our TCT and he only knows the plotters, but NO ONE knows how to use the EDGE. They've been plotting with their Gerber Tempo 600 and Gerber GS750Plus for years and years.

Now, I do understand the program in general, a little bit more everyday. The basic were easy. As for the other persons comment, lets please assume that that in no way will happen any time soon. It's up to me and my creative brain to figure this out.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU so so so much for your fast response time! It means miles to me!

 

[jfiscus]

I think there are a lot of videos on the youtube on running the Edge, but otherwise you will need a good mentor or to go to training.
A quick tip - if things aren't printing how they should, lie to the plotter and tell it that you're using a different type of media or foil.

Good luck!

 

[PRS Bryan]

Read the program manual from cover to cover is the best advice I can give. Yes, it will bore you to tears but it will cover the basics and give you a good idea of the programs capabilities.

 

[SignShopGal]

hehe, yes

Read the program manual from cover to cover is the best advice I can give. Yes, it will bore you to tears but it will cover the basics and give you a good idea of the programs capabilities.

Yes, I have. It still does't help me combine the two programs together. That's the reason I came here, to get an understanding, a spring board to help myself get better at this. Signs 101....Does this not include equipment also?

I just want to run something basic. I want to draw ...let say... a stupid purple Easter egg. With yellow stripes. And pink polka dots. I want to use Composer to design it, and print it on the edge.

Give me my adobe CC 2014 and whiz pop bang, Done in 60 seconds. Throw me on Composer and watch me FLAIL! I can draw basic shapes. I can type, I can move stuff around, I can do amazingly a lot of things for never having seen this program in my entire life until 3 weeks ago. (20 years adobe). Things I can't do and dont understand and am asking how to do and asking for help here: Color! COLOR!!!! PRINT! HOW? lol, not yelling, I'm super ecstatic that I get to babble about this and learn about this on company time...on my own.

.......The best thing I read in a different thread somewhere here was that these components and equipment are workhorses...but they definitely speak their own language!!

 

[Ditchmiester]

Yes, I have. It still does't help me combine the two programs together. That's the reason I came here, to get an understanding, a spring board to help myself get better at this. Signs 101....Does this not include equipment also? I just want to run something basic. I want to draw ...let say... a stupid purple Easter egg. With yellow stripes. And pink polka dots. I want to use Composer to design it, and print it on the edge. Give me my adobe CC 2014 and whiz pop bang, Done in 60 seconds. Throw me on Composer and watch me FLAIL! I can draw basic shapes. I can type, I can move stuff around, I can do amazingly a lot of things for never having seen this program in my entire life until 3 weeks ago. (20 years adobe). Things I can't do and dont understand and am asking how to do and asking for help here: Color! COLOR!!!! PRINT! HOW? lol, not yelling, I'm super ecstatic that I get to babble about this and learn about this on company time...on my own. .......The best thing I read in a different thread somewhere here was that these components and equipment are workhorses...but they definitely speak their own language!!

Why not design everything in the program you know. Because in my opinion composer is a joke. We are a Corel shop so we did all layout and design in that exported as .cmx and printed on our edge. I'm sure Illy has a color pallet for the edge so you can set all your colors in there and export as an eps I'm assuming and just open and send to printer.

 

[Rick]

I agree with Ditchmiester... design in the program you are used too.

When I worked on an Edge, I designed in Corel... I'm 99%
Illustrator now, so you will have to save it as a EPS 3.. (not EPS CS3!)

Occasionally, Composer didn't like too many compounds and masks.

 

[iSign]

I ran my Edge 2 every day for 10 years. I imported illustrator files 99% of the time & had no use for bothering to do layouts in composer.
I did get familiar with the tools for changing color fills, strokes, and nesting elements for efficient use of material... but all "design" work was outside of composer.

Your printmaking skills may come in handy because thinking of sequential steps with lighter colors first, setting trap, and overprinting darker colors will help you set up & run multicolor jobs.

If you have the 4 process foils for CMYK printing, this might be a good starting place to produce something you can't already do on the plotters.
Edge quality on process printing is very poor, especially in the last decade of photo quality inkjet printers... but from a starting point, it might get you some color output pretty quick & easy if there are no hardware issues.
When I did process printing on the edge, I just imported a raster image & let the software figure it out. Often the print looked just as good after CMY foils, so I'd skip running the black.

If you want to cut a custom shaped print, you will need the vector file for the cut which you can create in Illustrator & import to composer & then align with a raster image.
It's been a while, but I think simply assigning no fill & no stroke automatically defines a contour as CUT information. I also remember a pull down menu pretty far to the right that offered "turn on cuts" or "turn off cuts" which I recall using mostly to select a contour, & looking for "turn off" to make sure it was recognized as a cut.

Once you send the file (I forget actual button names for this) you will have a dialog box allowing you to change the order of foils, substitute foil color or print media, and a slew of other options for further down the learning curve. Once you've confirmed things here, send the file & the Edge should prompt you to confirm correct media, and correct foil.... and then it should print the first color.

I hope you are quickly able to send & print files, proving that hardware issues do not exist. Then it will be fun. (Fixing hardware? not so much)

 

[jfiscus]

Design in illustrator if that's where you're comfortable, and if you're having trouble with the translation process I have found it is easy for beginners to set up a separate layer in illustrator for each spot color/vinyl.
There is a link in a thread on here for the Gerber vinyl/foil color palettes for Illustrator, but I cannot find it right now...? Those help a lot with selecting the correct colors in Illustrator, and then when you open the EPS with Omega everything translates easily.
I have them but I cannot upload a ZIP or anything else with them in it; I think they are also on the Gerber CD.

 

[Malkin]

What version windows are you running?
What types of cables connect your EDGE to your PC?

Double check what Pat said above about the version. There are "full versions" that can only send to plotters, not assign print colors. There are also "layout stations" that can design, but not send to print or cut. We have 2 print&cut versions and 2 layout stations at our shop. While there are several of us here that can answer Gerber questions, it may be difficult to track down your issue without actually being there...

 

[MikePro]

GerberOmega also has a youtube channel highlighting software uses/features

ISA Expo in Las Vegas is just around the corner, as well, and Gerber is ALWAYS there showcasing their software & Edge printers. Seeing as how you're not too far-away, it might be worth getting a free pass (most sign suppliers have codes available for you to register) and road-tripping down for a day or two to pick their brains.

p.s. don't feel bad about having ONLY v3.0.... I'm still running 2.6

 

[SolitaryT]

If you're not busy tomorrow, and you're at the shop, you could give me a call and I can talk you through it. The reason it's hard to find resources is that the Edge is a dinosaur in many people's eyes. It has it's niche that it does really well, but in today's day and age, everyone at least has a large format printer if not a flatbed. Send me a message if you need some tech support, and I'd love to help you out. No charge, of course, for my homies on signs101.

 

[GMS Product Manager]

Training offerred

We offer training on Omega from beginner to advanced. We have been selling and teaching Gerber software for over 20 years. We can help you on-line.

Douglas Goodloe
Gerber Specialist
Graphic Marking Systems
800-232-8018

 

[SignShopGal]

I can't pm yet

If you're not busy tomorrow, and you're at the shop, you could give me a call and I can talk you through it. The reason it's hard to find resources is that the Edge is a dinosaur in many people's eyes. It has it's niche that it does really well, but in today's day and age, everyone at least has a large format printer if not a flatbed. Send me a message if you need some tech support, and I'd love to help you out. No charge, of course, for my homies on signs101.

Well, Since I can't pm, I could leave my number here for you to call me, but..does that mean I'm going to have a ton of people calling me? lol, either way:

I'm at my shop now and have time today. I'm in Utah, so, mountain time. It's currently 1:48 right now. My business phone number is (435) 674-7998. We used to have an 866 number but I think we are phasing it out. If you do call me during business hours, I'm generally here all day, from 8 am to 5 pm.

I'm off early today though, so, 4:00 pm.


Danae (pronounced Danny) Davis
Utah Barricade
St George UT
(435) 674-7998

 

[SolitaryT]

Hi Danae, My name is Russ. I don't know if I'll catch you today. I'm in Colorado, so same time zone, but I'm not done with work here until after 5 today. Still, I'd love to catch up. I put your number in my phone. We'll be in touch soon!

 

[SignShopGal]

Thank you Russ!

I can't even respond to your PM but, I just sent you a text message, so, you'll have my number!!!

I'm truly excited to work on this ! Thank you so so so much!!!

 

[SolitaryT]

I didn't get a text from you yet, but as soon as I do, I'll be in touch. ;-)