Desert_Signs
New Member
Well, that sucks for the OP.
-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Roland giving some money back ?
- Thread starter autoexebat
- Start date
Well, that sucks for the OP.
Jack Knight1979
New Member
I agree with Bly.
autoexebat
New Member
I might have to do that , but I just can't really afford it right now . Also my Roland GX-300 that I just sold only had 2 pinch rollers .. I need something with 4.
Jack Knight1979
New Member
Track down a used GX unit. My GX 500 has three pinch rollers, but I've wanted to add additional rollers because I run 150' rolls through it. You can add pinch rollers to these units.
You may want to look into Summa as well.
You may want to look into Summa as well.
Our summa has 4 pinch rollers but we only use the 2 outer ones with perfect results. The inner rollers are used if a particular material won't stay down and gets knife marks from the carriage moving around, which is rare. I would agree that the OP should look at Summa for the tracking it offers.
Here's a Summa 30" D750 on eBay for $1500 or best offer. Includes some material.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Summa-Sign-...498?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c405dbd9a
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Summa-Sign-...498?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c405dbd9a
autoexebat
New Member
Thanks ! Will check into that
I don't know anything about Summa cutters, so be sure to do your research on that model. I could not see the # of chart wheels. I also did not see a USB port so if it does not have one it must be older. But if it checks out to be able to handle your material and will run on your Windows or Mac software it could be a good solution for you. The older LPT type printer ports are available as add-on cards. But do your homework first!
Good luck.
Good luck.
Last edited:
jfiscus
Rap Master
I don't know much about your exact Roland printer/plotter, but a few years ago I ran a shop that had an old SP540v as the main workhorse.
It was a workhorse, and it had darn good registration still at ~6 years old at that time.
As far as the sensors being confused on thicker material, that sounds like a load of BS; if it sees the marks, it should cut based on the marks.
If you put the same mis-cut material in, re-align it, and tell it to cut the same file again doe sit mis-cut the same again? or does it cut in a different location?
I remember once I had a graphtec plotter that did weird cuts, and it had a language/communication problem causing it to cut "off" but it was WAY off almost every time till we got it figured out.
I would try a file like the one attached to see what is going on. Print it at 4x8 and measure if your print is exactly 4x8 (and that it is straight!). then try to cut it and see where the cuts fall.
Call your local supplier and see if they have any outdated materials or closeouts on print vinyl to do your tests on, they might have some material that is too old to sell regularly you can grab to do this testing with.
It was a workhorse, and it had darn good registration still at ~6 years old at that time.
As far as the sensors being confused on thicker material, that sounds like a load of BS; if it sees the marks, it should cut based on the marks.
If you put the same mis-cut material in, re-align it, and tell it to cut the same file again doe sit mis-cut the same again? or does it cut in a different location?
I remember once I had a graphtec plotter that did weird cuts, and it had a language/communication problem causing it to cut "off" but it was WAY off almost every time till we got it figured out.
I would try a file like the one attached to see what is going on. Print it at 4x8 and measure if your print is exactly 4x8 (and that it is straight!). then try to cut it and see where the cuts fall.
Call your local supplier and see if they have any outdated materials or closeouts on print vinyl to do your tests on, they might have some material that is too old to sell regularly you can grab to do this testing with.
Signed Out
New Member
^This.
If your machine is indeed working properly as roland says, then this method should work fine.
Print the decal with reg marks as you normally would. Cover the reg marks with app tape, then lam with your 12 mil lam. Carefully cut the lam (try not to cut through the vinyl or backer) and peel the lam and app tape you covered the reg marks with. Now you have your print laminated with 12 mil lam, but the reg marks are not covered with lam. You said yourself that the machine will cut the 12 mil lam, so now load it back in and cut it using the force settings required to cut the 12 mil lam.
If that doesn't work then your machine is not working correctly. If it works sometimes and not others, than your machine is not working properly. We do this a lot when cutting out reverse stick decals. We reverse print on clear, cover reg marks with tape, laminate white vinyl onto the clear, cut out a window so the plotter can see the reg marks, and cut. No reason it shouldn't work for your situation.
MagnificentBastid
New Member
I think it's already been determined that what he's been trying to cut is too thick for his machine.
Signed Out
New Member
I don't think so, at least not according to the OP's post #30.
"I never really had a reason to use 3 passes , 1 pass cuts it perfect just in the wrong spot .. so 3 passes would be 3 in the wrong spot. I make one in monday that was ... ( let me look at file ) .. 62 inches and all cuts were dead on . Tuesday I ran a file that was 48 inches and threw it in the trash , not once but twice .. cuts perfect fine , but again ! just in the wrong spot .
So why would the longer one cut fine and the shorter one screw up ? I have no idea."
I think the OP is very confused (rightly so) about whether his machine is working properly or not becasue of all the different opinions thrown out there and his dealer/tech/roland relationship isn't helping matters.
To me it is pretty clear. Either his machine is defective or it isn't. If it can physically cut the 12 mil lam, then it will accurately cut it with the method I described above. If the machine doesn't cut it accurately with that method than the machine is defective. If that was the case though, then the machine would cut all media inaccurately. So I think that the op either has not tried the above method, or has the most fuged up printer out there.
johnnysigns
New Member
Why can't you use the 8mil stuff?
autoexebat
New Member
I did and I shipped 8 kits out with this 8mil . I now have 4 cases against me on eBay stating item not as described ( Thin Material )
All of these kids want super think A$$ material .
MagnificentBastid
New Member
The reason why it's cutting the in the wrong spot is because what the OP is trying to cut is too thick for his printer. Please go read post #93, #95 and then finally #102. If I were the OP, I would try to convince clients to accept a thinner laminate, or buy an industrial cutter. The roland printer/cutter machines aren't too bad, but they are not nearly as good at cutting.
Signed Out
New Member
Autoexe,
Have you tried this method? If not, you should. It will tell you if your machine is or isn't defective. Don't let Roland tell you it's the lam, if you know your machine can physically cut the material (just not accurately)
Have you tried this method? If not, you should. It will tell you if your machine is or isn't defective. Don't let Roland tell you it's the lam, if you know your machine can physically cut the material (just not accurately)
Signed Out
New Member
Wrong. Those posts you referenced say that Roland told him after the fact that the material is too thick... (covering their butt) Even though the machine will cut the material(OP claims). Just that it cuts in the wrong spot. The reason that would happen is that the thick laminate distorts the reg mark and the sensor can't read it accurately. So by cutting the lam off the reg marks, the machine will read the reg marks properly and cut properly. At least that's what would happen if the machine is working properly.
It is unclear if the OP has tried that method.
If he has and it still doesn't work then there is one other possible reason that I don't think has been mentioned:
When you print a print/cut job, the printer is told how thick your material is (profile, proper feed calibration) This affects the feed calibration, meaning different thickness material have to feed at different rates. Ever try a print/cut on reflective using the wrong profile, the cuts are usually off, but in an obvious way that you can see it has to do with the feed calibration. Will be spot on in the front, but too long or short in the back, horizontally it will be fine. Perhaps the added thickness of the lam is throwing off the feed?
Autoexe, when you say it just cuts in the wrong spot, what do you mean? Is it way off or just a little bit. Is the inaccuracy consistent? If you've tried cutting out the lam covering the reg marks, and that still doesn't work, I'd try messing with the profile/feed calibration.
It would be a lot easier for Roland to brush you off and tell you that the laminate you are using is the problem, if you let them.
Signed Out
New Member
Sorry missed this one before I posted.
Is the whole cut off by the same amount? Or does the gap between where it cuts and should cut grow as more material is fed through?
Is the whole cut off by the same amount? Or does the gap between where it cuts and should cut grow as more material is fed through?
-=UPDATE=-
I just ran another test , I printed a full kit that was 50 inches long. I laminated it and this time I left the registration marks unlaminated so it's not coving them at all. It's still in the printer but I did look and was not happy at all ... It look as if I'm about 1/4 inch off ... I sure hope Roland can reimburse me somehow ! I am almost at the end of my roll of lamination .
I will keep this kit for proof and post pictures here in a few min when it gets done cutting .... VERY ANGRY
Sorry was mistaken , I am close to 1/2 off this time. This is probably the worst one yet.
Picture posted , will post more when my camera battery charges.
