Successful contour cuts on printed reflective?

[SignosaurusRex]

Is anyone consistently successful at contour cutting of printed reflective media? If so, which plotter are you using and are there any special tips or tricks. We are printing on a ValueJet 1204 and cutting the contours with a Graphtec FC7000. So far it seems that the A.R.M.S. is reading the registration marks but not cutting where it is supposed to. We're are only having problems when contour cutting reflective.

 

[Case]

You either should put vinyl around the targets,or put application tape over the targets, or put application tape over the targets and use a ruler and sharpie to trace the targets. Some people have trouble with high gloss laminate as well and should try some of the same techniques... You can also try buffing the gloss down some of the laminate.
I've done the same thing on Graphtec, Mimaki, Summa, etc.... The reflective will work sometimes on its own, but most of the time there is problems and you have use one of the techniques above... I don't know any one that is guaranteeing print to cut to work on reflective on a friction plotter. If someone is, let me know.

Case

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Thanks for the response Case. We've been working on it little by little in between the Hurricane of projects. I'm confident that before long with techs and real life users input we'll figure out whats going on and/or some tweaks and tricks.

 

[rcboats1]

Rex, if you would like to, you can come to our shop and try one of your files on our setup and see if it works better for you with our new Summa plotter. PM me if interested.

Kelly.

 

[Flame]

Don't use the ARMS, use manual alignment w/ your little laser.

 

[Goatboy]

Might want to check your firmware...with the 7000 series I know with firmware 1.7 came a new menu option to adjust the arms sensitivey. I use it every once in a blue moon and works fairly well...as with all other graphtec conditions you can save them as presets.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Might want to check your firmware...with the 7000 series I know with firmware 1.7 came a new menu option to adjust the arms sensitivey. I use it every once in a blue moon and works fairly well...as with all other graphtec conditions you can save them as presets.

Thanks. I've got 1.9 firmware to install yet. We're getting it all calibrated etc. little by little. All is looking up!

 

[Mike Paul]

How's the overhead lighting above the plotter? Maybe it's causing too much reflection and making the A.R.M.S. system misread.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

How's the overhead lighting above the plotter? Maybe it's causing too much reflection and making the A.R.M.S. system misread.

Thought of that, and made some adjustments to the lighting as well as sensor level adjustments to that particular media thickness/conditions. If the lighting had any effect before it was extremely minimal, however every bit helps. We're getting decent results now, not perfect but I'm confident we'll get everything fine tuned. Thanks for the thought and response!

 

[The Sign Dude]

I have contour cut reflective before with no problems. I have a ce 3000 mk2 with ARMS.I have cut high gloss white and had problems with it not cutting dead on it seemed to read the mark fine but it cut a little high.

 

[Case]

Yep, it can work cutting on reflective, but it can also be a serious fight...

case