Can I put vinyl I already printed through the Graphtec and cut it out?

[dubs07]

I have just printed two signs on vinyl and now I want to cut out the image from the blank vinyl. Can I load the vinyl into the Graphtec and it will do it? If so how does one do it? How does the cutter know where to cut?

Any help would be great!

Thanks.

 

[Bigdawg]

Hi dubs... and welcome...

If the Graphtec has Optical Recognition you will need crop marks to line them up... which should have printed on the original so you can then contour cut it.

What type of Graphtec do you have?

 

[dubs07]

fc 7000, I don't even know how to put it through Wasatch to get it into the Graphtec. I assume I have to use it in someway to make this work.

 

[dubs07]

I was told I should be able to make some sort of cut path in illustrator but I don't see how to.

 

[Border]

Use the search function on this site and you will find most anything you need to know.

search "Illustrator cut path" for example.

You'll need a cutting program or add-on to cut from Illustrator too.

 

[Bigdawg]

dubs... you need Cutting Master 2.. it is available for download from Graphtecs site if you don't have it. This will allow you to use the optical registration feature.

 

[dubs07]

I have cutting master here too i just cant get the file into that program to work with, does it need to be saved in a specific format?

 

[jiarby]

RTFM... graphtec has all this stuff documented in their user guides.

you cut directly from illustrator using the cut path that you drew in the file. you followed the instructions for your RIP so it does not print the cutcontour line. you also printed registration marks.

BUT...
I'm gonna guess you didnt do any of this so far.

I was told I should be able to make some sort of cut path in illustrator but I don't see how to.

How have you tried so far?

 

[dubs07]

how do you create a cut path in illustrator, i don't see and icon to do so? Do I just retrace the image with the pen tool and outline the text?

 

[jiarby]

Omg...
How long have you been using illy?
what does your RIP tell you to do about cut contours... because you don't want them printing, right?

 

[dubs07]

Not very long... at least not the newest, I graduated college a long time ago and haven't been doing this for years so I'm pretty much back to square one. And I'm left here to figure it out on my own. Sorry. The whole RIP process I am trying to figure out too.

 

[jiarby]

Lets start over...

Can I put vinyl I already printed through the Graphtec and cut it out?

Yes.. that is what it is for. You print vinyl, then contour cut it.

As long as you:
1. Have created a cut path in the design for the blade to follow.
2. Created registration marks for the cutter to read.
3. Have a cutter with an optical sensor (you do)

 

[jiarby]

start here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/4511560/Graphtec-Contour-Cut