Contour Cut using Mimaki FineCut 6 plugin for Adobe Illustrator

[signguytom]

Hello,

I have a problem that is driving me crazy and I can't find any info. I am having registration problems using Mimaki FineCut 6. I print using a JV3-160sp and cut with a Mimaki CG130-fx. The plotter finds the registration marks just fine (or so it would seem) but when I actually do the cut, the cut is off by 1/8 inch or so on a 1' x 2' print. The bigger the print, the bigger the difference.

it seems there is a unit or calibration discrepency between the plotter and printer but I am having trouble finding any info on printer/plotter calibration. I have also heard that FineCut will search automatically for additional registration marks on repeated graphics, but I can't find any info on that either.

LOL

Please help and thank you in advance. This is something I really need to get figured out. Thanks again!

Tom

 

[eforer]

I have pretty much the same setup as you for my print cut operation.

If you go to function-setup-mark sensor you can calibrate the registration mark detector. It cuts an X and you then line up the laser dot with the center of the X and hit enter. There is also a means to do an offset adjustment via the setup menu for registration mark contour cutting. I printed some rectangles and did die cuts over them and until I got it perfect. It is pretty flawless at this point and hasn't required much fiddling.

As for the automatic crop mark detection in fine cut, that took some screwing with to get sorted. Firstly, it only works for multiple copies of the same design (that sort of goes without saying, but hey can't hurt to mention). You need to space your copies so that the distance between the registration marks on each copy is greater than the width of the registration mark itself. Typically, I never stack them closer than a half inch. This next part is super important: DO NOT SET THE # OF COPIES ON THE MACHINE ITS SELF. Instead, use fine cut. Detect your lower right most graphic's registration marks and then put the machine into remote mode. Select the paths you wish to plot and the registration marks and fire up fine cut. Go to the register mark section. It should locate the marks and then remove them from the preview plot. There is little button that shows multiple crop marks. Click that. Then enter the number of rows and columns printed on your sheet. Select the registration mark detection mode for the initial plot, and then select the detect mode for the subsequent plots. Typically, I use 4 mark detection for the first and 3 for the subsequent copies.

This is confusing and it might be easier to explain if you call my shop. I'm a little sleep starved right now!

Ed Forer
Blue Sky Signs
401 404 5460