Cutting Master 3 - Not a Big Fan

[Warmoth]

Is it just me, or is Cutting master 3 totally garbage? We've had a new Graphtec for about a year now, it's a decent machine, but the software to run it makes it look bad. I prefer to use my 15 year old Summa because it's so much faster to setup/read material and Winplot just crushes Cutting Master in every way.

//Rant ahead

CM3 is so slow, with it's pointless animated graphic interface. Even when you turn it up to "fast"

I hate "matrix copies", having to specify the number of rows and columns. If I use the number of "copies" it should figure that out automatically, but it doesn't.

It's a HUGE resource hog. My CPU skyrockets, just sitting there with it open idle.

The job "tabs" never work. When you send an additional job to CM3 it just replaces the existing tab....what's the point then?

I have to convert everything to curves, and ungroup before I send to CM3, otherwise half of the design comes in missing.

When I do send the selection over to CM3, Corel stutters repeatedly. I check the edit/undo history it shows "Toggle visibility" and "Toggle layer lock" several times. It can go on stuttering for quite a while if it's a complex file.

Not to mention, it took them about 8 months to actually release a version compatible with the latest CorelDraw.


Does anyone else agree? I just can't believe how bad CM3 is. Especially when directly comparing it to Summa Winplot. I kind of regret getting this Graphtec.
...Maybe I can change something to alleviate some of these issues? Please let me know!

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

I actually don't mind it, some of the things you mentioned are annoying but nothing that can't be worked around.

I personally like the ease of adjusting from 1 preset to another so easily, i guess that trumps the little annoyances for me.

 

[VTSigns]

Is it just me, or is Cutting master 3 totally garbage? We've had a new Graphtec for about a year now, it's a decent machine, but the software to run it makes it look bad. I prefer to use my 15 year old Summa because it's so much faster to setup/read material and Winplot just crushes Cutting Master in every way.

//Rant ahead

CM3 is so slow, with it's pointless animated graphic interface. Even when you turn it up to "fast"

I hate "matrix copies", having to specify the number of rows and columns. If I use the number of "copies" it should figure that out automatically, but it doesn't.

It's a HUGE resource hog. My CPU skyrockets, just sitting there with it open idle.

The job "tabs" never work. When you send an additional job to CM3 it just replaces the existing tab....what's the point then?

I have to convert everything to curves, and ungroup before I send to CM3, otherwise half of the design comes in missing.

When I do send the selection over to CM3, Corel stutters repeatedly. I check the edit/undo history it shows "Toggle visibility" and "Toggle layer lock" several times. It can go on stuttering for quite a while if it's a complex file.

Not to mention, it took them about 8 months to actually release a version compatible with the latest CorelDraw.


Does anyone else agree? I just can't believe how bad CM3 is. Especially when directly comparing it to Summa Winplot. I kind of regret getting this Graphtec.
...Maybe I can change something to alleviate some of these issues? Please let me know!

I totally agree with these observations. I hate CM3. I'm a Corel user and they just recently put out an update that makes it not compatible with X8 but like you said in your post, the program is garbage. What that being said, CM2 is fantastic. I really like the CM2 interface (maybe because i'm use to it). Anything that is selected is sent over without a glitch unlike CM3. I have found the same problem in CM3 with sending over designs have half of what I had selected doesn't show up. The biggest issue is CM2 is not compatible with X8 so I have now reverted back to X6. As for our Graphtec cutter, I like it as good as the Summa's I have had in the past if not slightly better. I was never overly impressed with my Summa's. Winpot was super always super annoying to use for me.

 

[OldPaint]

CUT DIRECT FROM COREL.........saves all the whinning)))

 

[Robert Gruner]

Gentlemen,

We're talking about FREE cutting software for a Design package that was created for Desktop Publishing, NOT Sign making.

If you want to make that $6,000.00 Graphtec hum, then invest in a design package like Cadlink or Flexisign.

 

[Techman]

Cocut is a very low cost cutting package that works as a plugin for several other vector programs such as illym corel draw autocad etc.

This will fix all your problems and cost very little

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Cocut is a very low cost cutting package that works as a plugin for several other vector programs such as illym corel draw autocad etc.

This will fix all your problems and cost very little

Especially if you use it with Inkscape.

I use Ink Cut with Inkscape on a spare computer. It works on a Roland, don't know how well it will work on other brands though. That's the hit or miss nature of open source at times.

 

[VTSigns]

CUT DIRECT FROM COREL.........saves all the whinning)))

Cutting Master 3 is a plug-in for Corel so technically yes, we are cutting direct from Corel.

 

[VTSigns]

Gentlemen,

We're talking about FREE cutting software for a Design package that was created for Desktop Publishing, NOT Sign making.

If you want to make that $6,000.00 Graphtec hum, then invest in a design package like Cadlink or Flexisign.

I understand what you are saying but I'm not willing to switch from what I'm comfortable designing in just because it doesn't offer a good cut solution. Money is not the issue here. I had Flexisign Pro for years and wasn't real happy designing in Flexi so I got rid of it.

 

[VTSigns]

Cocut is a very low cost cutting package that works as a plugin for several other vector programs such as illym corel draw autocad etc.

This will fix all your problems and cost very little

I have Cocut as well and think it is subpar. I see they came out with an upgrade here lately so I might need to look at the new version.

Keep in mind I was trained using Gerber Software for my first 5 years so I was accustomed to GSP Plot which to me is a perfect, simplistic cut program. It works every time without a glitch, it's easy to navigate and change settings and its repeat feature is straightforward.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Cutting Master 3 is a plug-in for Corel so technically yes, we are cutting direct from Corel.

If you have the drivers for the cutter, you technically don't need a plugin period. You just click print and instead of "printing" to a printer, you select the cutter.

You don't have a lot of sophisticated options, but it works.

 

[OldPaint]

NO YOU ARE NOT CUTTING DIRECT FROM COREL WITH A "PLUG IN." GRAPHTEC has a driver, just like my ROLAND does ......that you install and DESIGN IN COREL, & CUT FROM COREL...... nothing else needed. i been doing this since 1992.........COREL 3.0 VERSION to X 8...........

 

[Warmoth]

To be honest, I had never tried cutting directly from Corel. I was convinced you needed to use a plug-in of some sort. Whether it was the Plotter manufacturer's, or a 3rd party's.
I have tried it now, and I really don't like it, lol. But - I'm probably just not used to it. It seems there's no way to "read material width" automatically?

Either way, I'll just have to deal with these issues for now I suppose. I'll probably look into CoCut. But really, I had hoped there was a way to alter WinPlot to run my Graphtec! lol.

 

[Robert Gruner]

War,

Do you also digitally print? If so, what RIP do you use?

 

[Warmoth]

We run a Roland-Cut/Print with VersaWorks. Why do you ask?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I would say probably going to see if could cut from your RIP as well to the machine.

But I don't think so for this application here.

 

[Chris...]

I installed CM 2. I like it better than 3

 

[woolly]

I am with old paint on the driver i hate cutting master with a passion except if I have to cut something over 3mts in length