SUMMA T160 print/ cut jobs cutting paths twice

[Clem]

Hi all, first time post, long time fan.

So I'm currently using a Summa T160, regular cut jobs are done through Winplot and print/cut jobs are through Cutter Control (using the barcode feature). The printing is done through a HP L26500 with Ergosoft PosterPrint RIP software.
I use adobe software for file production on a windows 7 PC.

The issue is that when i send a printed file to cut the cut path is cut twice.
One path is slightly outside the other, resulting in a thin line i have to weed from around each job which is usually not an issue.. Though i did just finish a decal job with around 400 units that nearly resulted in a sudden population drop of my local area..

I've checked (double, triple, quadruple) my production files and there's definitely only one path.
Summa have said it's to do with an export setting regarding the flattening of transparencies (see attached)

;
mainly the outline stroke option. I've tried the same file with this option on & off with the same dual cutting result.

I tried making the stroke a smaller weight as they said that too heavy a stroke can result in this (my default used to be 1pt), but i've made it .01pt (translating to .003mm!) with the same result, though now when it cuts twice it looks to be cutting on exactly the same path, rather than offset slightly; which says to me that perhaps the weight does come into it?

I even sent them the file to try on their machine, they use a different RIP software (i cant remember which) and they ended up with the same results, paths cutting twice, which obviously suggest something in the file but no one's been able to get any further than that.
This issue is sporadic, it won't happen on every print/ cut job and it happens in files of varying content as well eg, some all vector, some all bitmap, some a mix and all can be varying complexity.

It's going on around a month now and while i can still get jobs out if another decal job comes in it really drags the production time out (by the power of two, funnily enough) as it cuts each path twice.....

anyway, i'm really hoping someones come across this before and can let me know if there was light at the end of the tunnel?
Thanks in advance y'all, any help greatly appreciated.

 

[AF]

Outlining a stroke creates 2 parallel lines. Thus your problem.

It sounds like you have a bit to learn with Illustrator. In a nutshell, if you convert your contour vector to an outline you will need to release the compound path and delete the unwanted second line. Not sure why you would expand your cut contour stroke to begin with...

 

[J Hill Designs]

or your cutcontour shape is both filled and stroked. one of the two ^^

 

[Clem]

Outlining a stroke creates 2 parallel lines. Thus your problem.

It sounds like you have a bit to learn with Illustrator. In a nutshell, if you convert your contour vector to an outline you will need to release the compound path and delete the unwanted second line. Not sure why you would expand your cut contour stroke to begin with...

i may not have explained it well, I'm good with illustrator so of course i would never outline a stroke to be used as a cut path, i was just explaining what Summa had asked me to do; of course the first thing i said was that if a stroke is outlined that it creates two paths but this step they had asked me to do didn't involve actually flattening anything, just changing the setting. and yeah, i asked what that achieves, and they didn't give a reason really, just asked me to try it anyway.
They've since said flat out they don't know what's going on.

Also, the files are saved as .eps, not pre-flattened.
I was worried that maybe the rip software had something to do with it as in PosterPrint you actually have to save the print file with the cutline visible, then the program removes it prior to printing.. hope that helps shed a little light

 

[P Wagner]

Two things:

1. Disable 'Convert all strokes to outlines as previously mentioned
2. Make sure that the stroke is Aligned to center, and not inside or outside (see cap)

 

[Clem]

Two things:

1. Disable 'Convert all strokes to outlines as previously mentioned
2. Make sure that the stroke is Aligned to center, and not inside or outside (see cap)

Thanks, but both of what you mention are my default for cut paths

 

[Bly]

Give your cut objects a fill and no outlne.

 

[Clem]

Give your cut objects a fill and no outlne.

I just tried this on the file that was giving us the issue and it worked! touch wood it'll keep working.
i owe you a beer mate, many thanks

 

[Bly]

No worries.
Had the same issue myself.
You up the central coast?

 

[Clem]

No worries.
Had the same issue myself.
You up the central coast?

We're up in newcastle, let me know if we can help you out with anything up this way.

 

[Cooper E]

Adding to the thread because I found another reason for the double cut on my Summa D140.

I ran into art that the designer had applied a transparency in AI on one of the cut elements that wasn't apparent only 2%. When we tried cutting it was double cutting all the contour cuts. When I tried the fill color no outline a work around suggested by Bly, I found the element showing as transparent over another element because of the fills. When I switched the Transparent item back to Normal 100% it stopped double cutting.