Help w vinyl cutting

[twocents]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and brand new to the business. I recently picked up pretty much an entire Vinyl cutting and t shirt business. The guy ran a kiosk in one of the malls and passed away and I bought all the stuff from his wife. Unfortunately she could not teach me about any of the stuff as she was clueless. It came with a heat press, a graphtec ce3000mk vinyl cutter, approx 60 various rolls of vinyl and all the accessories you could think of. I am having problems figuring out how to use the graphtec. I am almost positive I have it all hooked up correctly, I can test cut which came out good, but I can not send anything from the computer to the plotter to cut. I am using the software that came on the graphtec disc program OPS647 (this program seems identical to robo master from what I saw ) I have the plotter driver installed but I just can not get it to even cut simple block letters. I also have corel draw x5 but I am open to using any other programs if necessary. I have spent almost 10 days now pulling my hair out trying to make sense of how to use this thing.

When I check my output settings on the cutting program it shows my printer and the plotter so that is not the problem. When I do some simple text with the program and send it to the plotter I get Mark error cancel message. The plotter seems to be searching the vinyl roll for something, not sure If it is the registration marks? I tried printing the text on paper with 3 registration marks and taped that to the vinyl roll but it still will not cut. Just searches and says mark error cancel. Am I suipposed to be printing the design and taping it to the vinyl roll? Or do I just send it from the computer straight to the plotter?

If anyone can help me out here and get this thing working It would be greatly appreciated, I would even send some $$ by paypal to make it worth your while and time. Thanks in advance.

 

[letterman7]

Start simple - is your plotter and computer 'talking' via the same port? Most plotters require a specific port or IP address to work with the host computer - make sure you have those settings correct. Search whatever paperwork you have to see if there were any notations to that effect. I don't have a GraphTec, so I can't say for sure what it's requiring.

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

you do NOT need to tape your design to the vinyl. you either have a communication or setup problem. that would be much easier to figure out if i was in front of the equipment.

you can send direct from corel.

make sure your text is converted to curves, this is a common error for new people. the image you are trying to cut must be a vector image (lines..like a coloring book). plotters are very simple pieces of equipment that follow basic geometry..x/y axis stuff...

i would make sure that the plotter is connected using the correct cable. that the plotter is recognized and setup correctly.

make sure that your artwork is vectorized. make sure that it is oriented correctly and that you have selected the image to be cut/sent to the plotter.

my money is on a communication error, setup error, operator error or combination of those.

let us know what happens after you research the above suggestions.

 

[twocents]

The settings all seem to be correct, when I check output settings the plotter is there. When I try and send something to the plotter it starts moving all around the vinyl with the red light seems to be searching for something. Than mark error cancel. Everytime.

 

[twocents]

And I have it connected with the usb cable, it all seems hooked up correctly, because the plotter does start moving around when I send something to cut, it just does not cut anything. The test cuts are working fine.

 

[twocents]

And I think it is def operator error going on

 

[Just Another Sign Guy]

i am not sure about your model. but test cuts are an internal function on many plotters. my $ is still on a communication or setup error / operator error.

in corel create a small square or circle>>convert to curves>>print preview>>select your plotter and IF everything is setup correctly and recognized your test square/circle should cut.

however, my gut tells me something is not setup correctly or being recognized properly.

 

[twocents]

OK I tried just a simple circle, converted it to curves now I am getting HP GL error

 

[Stephenedwardgraphic]

Can you take a screen snapshot of what what menu/panel you are cutting from in Corel and post it?

There are usually two different ways people create vinyl graphics. The first is just by cutting directly on the vinyl roll from the software.

The second way is that you print onto a roll of vinyl, then load that vinyl into the plotter. The plotter looks for special registration marks that were printed on the vinyl that then shows the plotter where the artwork is and it cuts out the design.

To me it sounds like you are trying to plot as method #2 when you really want to plot as #1. Sounds like your plotter is searching for these marks that really don't exist. I don't cut out of Corel, but I'm wondering if there will be something in your software about these marks that you need to turn off. That's why a screen snapshot would help.

 

[twocents]

heres a screen shot it def seems to be recognizing the plotter and shows no issues

 

[Stephenedwardgraphic]

There has to be other settings what do you see in those other tabs of the print window?

 

[twocents]

here is a screen shot of the ce3000mk

 

[twocents]

There has to be other settings what do you see in those other tabs of the print window?

Here is a shot of the options

 

[twocents]

To me it sounds like you are trying to plot as method #2 when you really want to plot as #1. Sounds like your plotter is searching for these marks that really don't exist. I don't cut out of Corel, but I'm wondering if there will be something in your software about these marks that you need to turn off. That's why a screen snapshot would help.

Yes it def seems to be searching for something, I do have reg marks turned off though.

 

[Stephenedwardgraphic]

What about if you try this:
Registration marks is unchecked, but I can see that search for marks is checked even it is grayed out. Maybe it's a bug. Try clicking on registration marks, unchecking the search for marks and then unchecking registration marks again.

Something is making it search, you just need to figure out what it is.

 

[twocents]

I am also trying to cut using the software OPS647 that came with the graphtec which seems identical to robo master pro software. Cant get it to work with either program

 

[twocents]

When I click reg marks I can than unclick the search marks.

 

[twocents]

even with search marks off same thing ughhhhh

 

[twocents]

HP-GL error

 

[twocents]

Here is a screen shot from the OPS647 cutting software when I try and send the circle to the plotter to cut. Seems to be showing registration marks on the example they show me