VersaWorks & Summacut

[FSS]

We currently have a VP-540 and use VW 3.0 and we are wanting to add a dedicated cut machine to our setup. We laminate a lot with our Royal Sovereign so it will have the crop marks from VW. Now looking at Summacut's website their crop marks are different. Does any one have a Roland & Summacut setup that could help me with this and make sure it works? I know VersaWorks won't work directly with the Summacut but will the Summacut WinPlot software recognize the crop marks left by VW?

Thanks,
Marshall

 

[Jim Doggett]

Hi Marshall,

SummaCut (new ones with OPOS X) is the bomb. Reeeeeal accurate. And very automated when it comes to batch cutting or contour-cut + perf-cutting. Highly recommend it.

But I don't think VW supports OPOS, since Roland would essentially promote its competition if it did.

So your print will need some things done manually. But accuracy will more than make up for the added steps, which can be done blindfolded after a few times. Here's the trick:

Manually add square marks (3mm square) at the four outside corners of the design. Print that, without the cut line. Then plot the marks and cut line (or lines, if doing a contour+perf) with WinPlot. WinPlot gives you the choice of Cut or OPOS Cut. When you choose OPOS cut, it automatically recognizes the squares as being the OPOS reg marks. It's real easy.

If contouring + perf cutting, WinPlot automatically assumes the inside vectors are contour-cut lines. Then it perf-cuts the outer vectors.

One caveat. The maximum X distance (the length) of the OPOS marks is 1.3 meters. So if contour-cutting a longer file, add intermediate marks. An additional set on the side for each 1.3 meters in length. This is real easy too. In CorelDRAW I make a copy in-place (+) and then use the Align-Distribute feature to space them evenly.

Also, more marks than needed are OK. OPOS will support it. But it slows production, since every mark will be scanned. And the darn cutter is so accurate, it doesn't need extra marks to be accurate. With other, less accurate cutters, more marks helps. Summas don't need them.

Best,

Jim

 

[Jim Doggett]

Addenduum:

With laminated prints, OPOS X is a must. (It uses a white light scanner)

The older OPOS and OPOS 2.0 uses red light scanners that don't read thorugh lamination for beans. They were originally designed for Thermal Transfer prints, which aren't laminated very often.

So, SummaCut-R or Summa S Class are the only Summas to consider for cutting inkjet output.

Graphtec cutters, with ARMS, are all good. They've used white light scanners from day one. In fact, Graphtec is a better cutter. But Summa's OPOS X is superior to ARMS. (These are my opinions, based on extensive use and understanding of both)

 

[FSS]

Wow thanks for all the great information. I really appreciate it. Do you have an OPOS X? We do laminate about 60% of the time so the OPOS X sounds like it would definitely be needed. We are just looking for any cutter to add to the mix. Would you suggest something else?

 

[Jim Doggett]

My pleasure. No OPOS X-buying in my past, I'm sorry to say. But much OPOS X-selling :^) I was VP of Summa for a dozen or so years. My experience with Graphtec, aside from competing with them for nearly all of those years, came when I was VP Marketing at SignWarehouse .. #1 Graphtec dealer on the planet.

I had to eat some crow once I got really familair with Graphtec. As a pure cutter, I think they're the best. But, Summa invented contour cutting alignment and got about a 10-year head start on everyone. It is absolutely sublime, especially in combination with Summa's legendary tracking ... later Legendary cutting accuracy :^)

But they more than live up to that marketing claim. I come from the school of under-promise/over-deliver. And when it comes to tracking and contour-cutting, Summa over-delivers to the extreme. Truly unsurpassed.

Best Regards,

Jim

 

[Jim Doggett]

Oops, missed the last question, in re: other suggestions.

I really don't think so. SummaCut-R is in a price-range with most name-brand cutters. And it comes in all the popular widths (previously only 24 and 48).

Plus the accuracy and automation is more than icing on the cake. It's mission critical. You print, wait a day, laminate and then walk over to the machine and pray it won't botch the job. I'd put more emphasis on the cutter than the printer. Roland, Mutoh, Mimaki ... all pretty dang sweet. The differences between them are minimal.

Contour-cutting, not so. Graphtec, excellent. Summa, a cut above that. Others, pretty marginal, in comparion. And in contour-cutting, accuracy really matters. Slight errors send labels to the reject bin. Heck, nearly any cutter can cut vinyl. If your 12" type is 11.95", noone will know or care. But contour cutting, even tiny inaccuracies scream "Error!" You get some white on one side but not the other. Or some of the image taken away. Or ... etc., etc.

So the non-OPOS X users add choke or bleed, but it still looks cheesy because the image is off-center. Accuracy is king, and reliability will save you a ton on the cost of bullets. Screw up a job that's due today, wasted dollars not withstanding, and you'll want to empty a couple clips into the cutter that just trashed your high-value and nearly finished print.

Whew! Verbosity, it seems, is not lost on me :^)

Best,

Jim

 

[Pacific Coast Sign]

Currently, Summa does NOT sell 24" cutters to their US dealers due to the dollar exchange.

 

[Jim Doggett]

Do they make a 24"? I thought the went 30" on the smallest model. Or do they still sell the older SummaCut desktop?

 

[cgsigns_jamie]

Probably not the best solution for you but...

Flexi allows you to select the type or crop marks that are printed. For example I can use Flexi to RIP and print a job on my Roland with crop marks for a Graphtec. I assume you would also be able to use Summa crop marks.

 

[Jim Doggett]

Probably not the best solution for you but...

Flexi allows you to select the type or crop marks that are printed. For example I can use Flexi to RIP and print a job on my Roland with crop marks for a Graphtec. I assume you would also be able to use Summa crop marks.

Yep; no good. The software needs to be equipment-independant. The cutter is software-dependent. OPOS needs OPOS marks; ARMS needs Graphtec marks, etc. The only difference would be when doing the manual X-Y axis alignment, which is a pain and should be only used on smaller projects (only position and rotation compensation ... no compensation for scale variations, which is critical on much beyond a couple feet).