Difference between revisions of "Graphtec Vinyl Cutter"

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after importing a bitmap image into inkscape, the option "Path -> Trace Bitmap..." will allow for you to generate an SVG file from the image, that can then be turned from an object with stroke into a path, per the above instructions.
 
after importing a bitmap image into inkscape, the option "Path -> Trace Bitmap..." will allow for you to generate an SVG file from the image, that can then be turned from an object with stroke into a path, per the above instructions.
  
If you image is taller than it is wide, leave it as-is, however if your image is wider than it is tall, rotate it 90 degrees before cutting it to save vinyl.
+
If your image is taller than it is wide, leave it as-is, however if your image is wider than it is tall, rotate it 90 degrees before cutting it to save vinyl.
  
 
=Printing in Windows=
 
=Printing in Windows=

Revision as of 13:46, 15 April 2016

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Lvl1 qr header.png
Graphtec_Vinyl_Cutter&.png

General

LVL1 has three Ender 3 printers available for general use.

  • Owner/Loaner: LVL1
  • Serial Number: MISC
  • Make/Model: Standard/Pro
  • Arrival Date: 1/12/24
  • Usability: Yes
  • Contact: Matt, Kevin, Paul
  • Where: 3D Printing
Ender 3 Printers


Firmware

Matt has compiled a firmware for our Ender 3s:

One drive link to .bin files

Basic Info

  • Located in main room next to bunker doorway
  • has computer workstation already hooked up to cutter.
    • Bring files to this workstation on a jump drive.

Configuration

  • The knife should not cut through the paper backing! A little scratching is OK, but if it's leaving holes in the paper you've got the pressure set too high.
  • 15 is a good pressure for the vinyl we have now.

Using the Plotter

Load Vinyl

  • Place roll on back rack
  • Put lever in down position to unlock
  • feed vinyl in from the back
    • it will get stuck on lips as you push it through. I suggest using a small tool to help lift it up.

Leverdown.jpg

Position Rollers

  • With the lever unlocked, slide the rollers into the appropriate spots
  • Rollers can only be placed underneath the blue lines
    • If you look closely in the picture, you can see the knurling on the bar beneath the rollers. This is how the machine moves the vinyl, if the rollers are not in these spots the plotter will refuse to run.
    • The roller on the right side of the plotter must be inside the rightmost blue area, the plotter will refuse to run if it is in any other region.
  • The plotter will only cut in between the rollers, make sure they are placed bigger than your cut.
  • Ideally the rollers should be as close as possible to make it less likely for the vinyl to fold up.

Positionroller.jpg

Lock Vinyl

  • Flip the lever in the back up (locked)
  • The plotter should prompt you "ROLL 1 PRESS ENTER"
    • Roll 1 will automatically calibrate itself to the very front edge of the vinyl
    • Roll 2 will not look for the edge, but will accept the place you have locked it in as the origin
  • If the plotter screen does not read "ROLL 1 PRESS ENTER", use the arrows on the plotter to cycle through the options until it displays the correct message.
  • Press enter
  • The head will move around, check roller locations, and then go to home.
    • (NOTE: If you do not select the correct message, the plotter may spit out the vinyl in the tray, if this happens, hard-reset the plotter by using the power switch on the left side of the device. Aim for it to not perform this action next time, so as to prevent excessive power-cycling.)
  • Once locked and homed do not manually move things! From here on, use the keypad for movement.

Leverup.jpg

Position Head

  • Move head with keypad to desired origin
    • Your desired origin will be at the bottom right corner of the vinyl you will cut out.
  • Press Origin
  • This will set the home to wherever on the vinyl you've moved the head to.
    • This is handy for avoiding other peoples cuts

Cut

  • You're ready to cut!
  • In your print settings make sure you cut a box around the print (aka weeding)
    • NOTE: This option is the default option in the Inkscape software.
  • Print!

After your design is printed, use the letter opener to remove it from the end of the roll. Please do not use a knife or open blade to do this as that can damage the machine.

Vinyl remove 640.jpg

Remove Weeding

  • Always remove your print from the machine before weeding.
    • Please do not do the weeding on the machine like this:
    • Removeweeding.jpg
    • Note that unused pieces of vinyl can be used only if they are wider than 14 inches. Plan your projects so that several smaller designs can be cut at the same time to avoid wasting material.
  • With an Exacto knife (or other small, sharp tool) carefully pull out the weeding.
  • Even with a properly adjusted plotter, a few things will stick. Don't expect the weeding to pull out perfectly without any finesse and mash the plotter knife down to compensate. Just go slow, and use your knife to either hold down pieces or cut stuck edges.

Pick up design with transfer tape

  • Get some transfer tape and place it over the design

Transfertape.jpg Transfertaped.jpg

  • Gently pick up design with the transfer tape
  • If you're picking up a design that's still attached to the roll, please pay attention to what you're doing to the good vinyl. It's easy to focus on the design and stretch out and ruin otherwise good areas of vinyl.

Ontransfertape.jpg

Clean Target Surface

  • Remove old, inadequate labels made by people without awesome vinyl cutters
  • Clean surface

Removeold.jpg

Spray Transfer Solution

  • Put a light misting of transfer solution on either the target object or your design
    • Lighter will stick faster
    • More will give you more time to place your design, but it can be hard to keep the design in place once you want it to stay
    • I prefer to hold the design at a distance and give it a light misting

Transfersolution.jpg

Place Design

  • Place your design on the target surface.
  • With the solution it should be able to slide around easily
  • When in its final location, use a squeegee to work out some of the transfer solution. Be sure to work from the inside out.
    • On small things like this text, it's not going to do a lot
    • On big things it's easy to leave pockets of transfer solution under the vinyl. Be more diligent with larger designs.

Placedesign.jpg

Let Dry Some

  • Ugh. I hate this part.
  • You don't have to let it dry all the way.
  • The vinyl needs to sit for a bit to adhere to the target surface. If you're impatient like me, you can spray a little transfer solution onto the transfer tape to wetten it and weaken its hold on the vinyl.

Peel off Transfer Tape

  • Test a corner, then carefully peel off the transfer tape.
  • Depending on how early you peel off the transfer tape you might be able to move things around a bit. Fix any small things like punctuation, the dots above i's, etc.

Finished!

  • Admire your work and don't touch it for awhile so it can dry completely.

Finisheddesign.jpg

Setting up Linux

  • Hook up to USB
  • Install printer in CUPS
  • Choose Raw Queue as driver
  • Maker sure plotter is in HG-GL mode
    • Hit pause
    • Page Next until you see command
    • Enter
    • Arrow over to HG-GL
  • The best way to plot in Linux is with the Inkscape plugin, InkCut
  • Install inkscape
  • Download InkCut here:

http://inkcut.sourceforge.net/

mv InkCut-1.0.tar.gz ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/
cd ~/.config/inkscape/extensions/
tar -xf InkCut-1.0.tar.gz
  • Configure InkCut
    • Extensions -> Cutter / Plotter -> InkCut v1.0
    • Properties
    • Interface: Printer
    • Name: Graphtec_CE5000
    • Test Connection
    • You should hear the fans spin up and the vinyl cutter will cut a small box.
    • Save

Using InkCut and Inkscape

Basics

  • start Inkscape
  • draw or import a vector image to print (Instructions below for dealing with bitmaps.)
  • remove Fill, add Stroke
    • These options are found under Object -> Fill and Stroke
  • change to Path
    • This option is found under Path -> Stroke to Path
  • select the region you intend to plot/cut
  • send the image to the plotter
    • This option is under Extensions -> Cutting/Plotting -> InkCut
    • Click through the options presented to you; the default options are the recommended ones to cut with.
    • NOTE: do not navigate through all of the dialog boxes presented to you under Extensions -> Cutting/Plotting -> InkCut unless you have already performed the above prep on the plotter so it is ready to cut; the cutting process will begin immediately after you click send.

Text

  • Create text
    • fatter characters will be easier to work with
  • Rotate text 90 degrees if needed (default will cut deep, not along the front edge of the vinyl. The laser example used above was rotated 90 degrees)
  • Select text
    • Use Object --> Fill and Stroke
      • Set Fill to No Paint
      • Choose any Stroke Paint color and Stroke Style Width
    • Use Path --> Object to Path
    • Use Object --> Ungroup
    • Use Path --> Union
  • Use Extensions -> Cutting/Plotting -> InkCut (NOTE: You can NOT be in a guest session)
  • Print!

Images

after importing a bitmap image into inkscape, the option "Path -> Trace Bitmap..." will allow for you to generate an SVG file from the image, that can then be turned from an object with stroke into a path, per the above instructions.

If your image is taller than it is wide, leave it as-is, however if your image is wider than it is tall, rotate it 90 degrees before cutting it to save vinyl.

Printing in Windows

Use Corel Draw on the Windows laptop next to the cutter. Corel draw has a plugin for cutting master. Once you have drawn your graphic, you need to click the icon under the word TEXT on the menu. There you will see the plot/cut plugin. Here is a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsYc68NQhlU Go to 4:58 to see what I am talking about.

More info on Windows printing soon.


Troubleshooting

  • If your cuts do not go deep enough, then it is possible the cutter thinks it is in PEN mode. Press the Cond. key on the cutter and then choose the 09U cutter by using the arrow keys and enter.
  • If the cutter feeds a seemingly endless amount of vinyl before finally beginning to cut, it may have ended up in "Center Origin" mode.
    • In order to work properly, the cutter must be in "L.L" or Lower Left cutting mode.
    • To fix this, press, "Pause", then press "Next" until "Command" is selected. Hit "Enter," and select "HP-GL". Hit enter, and select "L.L" mode.
  • When all else fails - RTFM - http://www.graphtecamerica.com/docs/User_Manuals/CutPlot_UM/CE5000-UM-152-01.pdf