Summa Dc5sx issues, Frustrated with myself

[Gray91]

Good afternoon everyone. I am new to the world of vinyl printing so forgive me for possibly sounding dumb. I bought a used Dc5sx from a local graphics company about 9 months ago and this machine is far above my pay grade. So heres the deal, through some expiramentation I got the printer to print my logo on vinyl, the problem is I cannot make it make contour cuts, and through screwing around I have lost everything I gained and now I get a 'fatal drum error' which is when I quit and walked away about 3 months ago. I walked past the machine today and tought to myself, I should do something with this $2,200 paperweight ive never used.

That being said heres my biggest issues
I am getting conflicting info weather or not Airmark offers any factory support for these machines anymore as well as how long ribbons and replacement parts will be available.
I am being told the machine will only run off an almost obsolete/ hard to find version of AI
Ive gotten the machine to print a couple times, the colors were not as displayed but I was happy it worked at all but ive never had it cut contours
finally, from what I understand the fatal drum error could be something as easy as the machine needs a good cleaning

Can someone shed some light on my issues, I hate to sell the machine as non working but im afraid thats whats coming

Garett

 

[FrankW]

In the manual of the printer, downloadable at www.summa.eu , you will find a description how to make contour cut (chapter 3.1). The plugin is supported up to Illustrator 2020, but you can also import for example EPS-Files directly into Summa Color Control.

Drum error: could it be that something blocks the grit rollers (the golden feed rollers)?

 

[Gray91]

In the manual of the printer, downloadable at www.summa.eu , you will find a description how to make contour cut (chapter 3.1). The plugin is supported up to Illustrator 2020, but you can also import for example EPS-Files directly into Summa Color Control.

Drum error: could it be that something blocks the grit rollers (the golden feed rollers)?

See that may be my issue, I had a trusted source remote into my computer and he had a hard time installing the certain "colors" I believe he called them for the Summa to recognize that it was supposed to be a contour. But I didn't know that a more modern AI was able to be used I was trying to use like AI 2016 and that was obviously easier said than done since I was already using a newer version and tried to switch back to an older version I'm sure I can figure the colors out but getting the swatches to import in was the part that wasn't fully functional

 

[SlikGRFX]

Sorry I can’t help with your printer, but in Illustrator you can save in legacy formats all the way back to Ai 3.

 

[Gray91]

Sorry I can’t help with your printer, but in Illustrator you can save in legacy formats all the way back to Ai 3.

Thats good to know, thanks!

 

[Gray91]

Alright guys, I found one or maybe two issues wrapped into one. Is there any summa experts here ? I think my fatal drum error is from possibly not having a limit switch. One image shows a bolt with a sleeve on that the print head was slamming into around the home position. Next image looke like an area where a limit switch should be mounted. Does this make sense or can someone tag a summa guru?