Running a plotter full speed?

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We have a graphtec 8000...since we got it working good I can cut even small letters at full speed with no trouble weeding whatsoever..not even the tiniest "I" dot gets past us.

Why not run full speed all the time? Other than to let the production guys take a break...

So is there a horrible catch? Like if you run your plotter full speed it will wear out quicker, with all the abrupt starts stops turns and whatnot?

I haven't had the luxury of a plotter this good up until now in my career and I don't want to break it.

 

[TyrantDesigner]

Not sure about the model of graphtec and if there are the same issues I have with this roland ... If I run the plotter at full speed it will rip a roll right off the rollers if I get towards the end of the roll. Also I noticed that some of your more ... rigid or tempormental materials -cough- chrome -chrome- ... will tend to "chitter" or skip on the material less if you go slower. The chittering issue I have encounted on all the plotters I ever used. really ... as long as your plotter doesn't rip rolls off the rollers or chitter on the surface of the vinyl, i don't see any reason to mach speed cut stuff as long as you optimize the cutting order and properly align the material (basic stuff).

 

[Pat Whatley]

I've got a Summa that runs most of the day, always at full speed for going on seven years...runs like a top. The only time the speed has ever been adjusted was for reflective and sandblast mask.

Run it wide open, it won't mind.

On a side note, I know of a member on this site who asked me about my Summa plotter speed once because he was looking to upgrade from his Roland and wanted a faster plotter. Turned out that his Roland's speed was set at about 25% of it's capacity. He'd been running it that slow for years without knowing it was even adjustable.