rasterlink 6 Double cutting

[Krissy Louderback]

Im having an issue with my printer double cutting graphics. I design in Illustator and add the contour/cut path. I send an EPS file to Rasterlink 6 to print and cut on a Mimaki CJV 150-130. More often than not, the machine will double cut everything. I have gone back in to the files and made sure there are not 2 cut paths. I have also rasterized the graphics and left only the cut path as a vector. None of these things seem to make a difference. Every once in a while, there will magically be a job that doesn't double cut, but I never know why that is. I always do the same thing for every job. I know it's user error, I just don't know where I'm F***ing up. Can anyone help?

 

[Solventinkjet]

Do you open the EPS in Rasterlink directly or use the FineCut plug-in? Are you 100% it's double cutting and not just cutting too deep?

 

[Krissy Louderback]

Directly into Rasterlink (don't have the plug-in) and yes, I am positive

 

[Solventinkjet]

I can't think of any setting in the RIP or the printer that would tell it to double cut so I am leaning more towards something in the file perhaps. I assume you are using the CutContour spot color to designate the cut path. Is it possible that somewhere in your design process you convert/expand the outline into a shape rather than a line? In illustrator strokes will have a guide line straight down the middle of the stroke but if it gets converted to a shape, when selected, the stroke won't have the center line and instead the perimeter of the stroke will be highlighted. You may know that already but that's just the first thing off the top of my head.

 

[myront]

And let's not forget that a fill with a stroke/outline will equal 2 cuts. 1 for the fill & 1 for the outline.

 

[Krissy Louderback]

I've been reading alot. It seems like it may have to do with the Transparency Flattener presets in Illustrator. I have created a "custom" one, but when I save the file it still shows the default one on the output screen, but it is faded out with no way to change it before saving. I did test print/cut a file I knew there was an issue with and it only cut once this time, so I am hoping it wasn't a fluke (i didnt use crop marks, laminate it and then put in back in to cut like I usually would - I just did a print and immediate cut)
Thanks for your input, much appreciated. I've been battling this issue for years, even when I had a Roland, so I knew it was something I was doing wrong. I just haven't had a lot of time to play around, until now.

 

[iPrintStuff]

Care to share a file that you know is double cutting?

best bet is to select the line then zoom in as far as you can, if the path is on either side of the line, you’ll get a double cut. Needs to be down the centre.

And yes, make sure at no point you convert strokes to outlines

 

[Krissy Louderback]

absolutely, I'd love any help I can get.
Here it is
This forum doesnt support EPS upload (which is how I print files) so I saved it as a PDF

 

[iPrintStuff]

Have you tried printing that PDF and seen if it does a double cut or not? That’ll tell you right away if it’s an output issue

(file looked ok to me, though I usually do a 0.1mm stroke as a minimum)

 

[myront]

...Here it is. This forum doesn't support EPS upload (which is how I print files) so I saved it as a PDF

Hard to tell with a pdf. Something could be happening on eps output. Check your settings in illy. Also very rarely do we print eps files. We use a mimaki plotter only for plotting. We print with an HP. We then open the file in Corel then use the FineCut plugin to plot. The same can be done with illy.

 

[yannb]

absolutely, I'd love any help I can get.
Here it is
This forum doesnt support EPS upload (which is how I print files) so I saved it as a PDF

Hi, in Illustrator, go to Document Setup, click on the button to adjust the setting for transparency and overprinting. Deselect 'convert all strokes to outline'. This is the reason your cutcontours double cut. If you save the file, double check this in the advanced->options for transparency and overprinting again.

 

[rvolkers]

Im having an issue with my printer double cutting graphics. I design in Illustator and add the contour/cut path. I send an EPS file to Rasterlink 6 to print and cut on a Mimaki CJV 150-130. More often than not, the machine will double cut everything. I have gone back in to the files and made sure there are not 2 cut paths. I have also rasterized the graphics and left only the cut path as a vector. None of these things seem to make a difference. Every once in a while, there will magically be a job that doesn't double cut, but I never know why that is. I always do the same thing for every job. I know it's user error, I just don't know where I'm F***ing up. Can anyone help?

make sure your cut layer reads Cutcontour make sure your cut line is green 100c -100y and is a spot color and labled Cutcontour and best have the stroke .25 -- MAKE SURE you save the document as eps and that strokes are set to outlines and that high res is selected in the options! -- i find it best to also if a straight print cut to set the crops up in raster link (i am using 6)