Edge FX Prints OK but GS15Plus cuts wrong place!

[stitchup]

Hi guys

I created 3500 labels just 7mm high x 20mm long each label contained an incrementing number. Printed just fine on the Edge FX.

I then feed the vinyl for cutting and line up the target, click 'Cut/Pounce' and the blade holder travels along the shaft all the way to the end (the keypad side of the GS15 and then travels toward the other end but stops & starts cutting about 2/3rds the way along instead of going further along to start cutting at the far end!

If I leave the cutting process to continue, the blade attemps to go beyond the cutting area (nearest the keypad side)! It's as if the whole cutting area has shifted about 1/3rd off the scale!

Anyone suggest a remedy for this? I'd be very grateful

I had a similar problem last week but for some reason, after afew attempts and pressing the reset button on the GS15Plus a couple of times, it started cutting correctly - on this occasion it didn't

_________________
John Cooper

 

[Fred Weiss]

Never had that but have had similar things.

The first place to start is to delete the PRM file created from the first run and resend the job from Composer with the same settings used for gaps etc. in GSPPlot. somewhere along the way your file may simply have gotten corrupted.

 

[stitchup]

Thanks for the reply red.

I've deleted the prm file and will try again.

What does the prm file contain? It's just 3k in size.

John

 

[J Hill Designs]

.parameters

 

[Fred Weiss]

Your print and plot settings from GSPPlot. That's what get's read when you run a repeat.

 

[stitchup]

Thanks for the replies, just thought I'd give an update.

Fred, I deleted the .prm file as sugested and once more sent the cut to the GS15. It worked a dream and I was scared to touch the PC until the cutting had finished - hence the delay in replying

BUT, it screwed up on the last 3 colums of labels, 30 in each so 90 lost in total. No problem I thought, I'll just create the 90 labels, print & cut. Printed just fine but no way would they cut - same problem the cutter starting at the wrong position! not a couple of mm out but more like 6".

I followed the same procedure as before, deleted the .prm file, no joy, even created the labels again in Omega but still the same problem.

I'm wondering whether the serial cable connecting the PC to the plotter is too long! I've had to add an extension making the cable about 20' long. However, I've not had this problem before.

Thanks chaps, will have to pay my membership now as cutting 3,410 labels has been worth it

John

 

[Fred Weiss]

Glad you got most of the job out.

Here's a couple of other suggestions that go to basics which you may want to review:

1. Always do your vertical repeats in Composer and your horizontal repeats in GSPPlot.
2. Set your material in GSPPlot to "Center on Vinyl".
3. Set your target position in GSPPlot to either center-left or bottom-left. On paneled jobs, I have better luck with bottom-left. The rest of the time, I prefer center-left.
4. If you have copied and pasted any objects around in Composer, turn on "Sequence Plot" in GSPPlot to prevent skipping around in the cutting of the job.
5. Avoid any image heights large enough to force paneling whenever possible.
6. Try cutting down your run lengths with problem jobs to two meters or less.

It's certainly possible for cable length to be a factor. My understanding though is that keeping the printer cable length shorter is more important than the plotter.

 

[stitchup]

Thanks for the tips Fred, I'll certainly keep a copy for future use.

Length of cable connecting the FX to the computer isn't an issue (I believe) as it's via CAT5 network.

Cheers

John

 

[stitchup]

Just thought I'd update this post with the solution.

When somethings goes wrong the first question I ask a customer is - have you added new hardware to the PC? Perhaps I should have asked the same question of myself!

I had added some new hardware, a bluetooth dongle so my mobile phone could update with the PC data. This dongle had created quite a lot of 'virtual' COM ports. I removed the bluetooth dongle and then all the vritual COM ports and success! The cutter is working perfectly once more

 

[Fred Weiss]

Thanks for the update. I suppose there's a lesson in there. Probably something like have a second computer and keep your production system as pure and simple as possible.

Glad you got it figured out.