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New Panthers

WVB

New Member
Just wanted to let everyone know that the new Panthers are out (About one week now). As long as you buy a 30"+ plotter they will now come with OPOS - Optical Eye Sensor at no additional cost or price increase from last years models.
 

WVB

New Member
And I love my Panther, just as good if not better then my last one which was a Roland.
 

Techman

New Member
u can do the very same thing with the Pen tool point much faster and easier.
Pen tool is the ink pen that will fit into your cutter head.
Some say the bomb site is much more accurate. But,, when there's any amount of play in yer cut head then gettin a perfect right on spot will not matter.

You can be sure your cut head will have play in it especially if it has any use on it.
--techman
 

WVB

New Member
Techman - Can you explain these techniques? I couldn't image those being faster or easier then OPOS.
 

Steve C.

New Member
TVG, I agree, I had a Jaguar for a while and it is a good vinyl cutter, but it had some isues with contour cutting with print n cut using flexi, so I exchanged it for a Graphtec.

I'm really not sure about terminology on this. My graphtec has an Automatic Register Mark Sensor, I don't think its the same as the OPOS. The bomb drop method (setting each register mark manually) can use a laser pointer or you can us the pen tool just as well, as Techman said. I think that is what the OPOS is and the Jaguar has had that for a long time and for $140 extra you could get the laser pointer. I would be real surprised if the Jaguar has an Automatic Register Mark Sensor that scans your print for register marks and cuts accordingly as the Graphtec does.
 

Techman

New Member
If you have a cutter that is clear around the cutter blade area you will know how easy it is. Just drop in the pen and drop the point on the reg mark. Its so easy you can stand back and hit the marks.

There is no need to stand over a cutter lining up a registration mark thru a cross hair lens all the while trying to operate a mouse. And, at the same time hope to have enuf light to see the material. There is a reason why the more expensive name brand cutters are so popular. They do not have issues that make it harder to operate such as lack of clearance around the cutter blades.

I find it interesting as one reads posts,,, that operators of the cat and bird cutters let issues slip out when it comes to operating in more than basic cutting modes. Either tracking errors, or software errors, or setting errors, or inability to contour cut accuratly all come to light. They love their machines in one post but then complain about some problem in another post. I love it.. :)
 

Barry

New Member
Techman said:
If you have a cutter that is clear around the cutter blade area you will know how easy it is. Just drop in the pen and drop the point on the reg mark. Its so easy you can stand back and hit the marks.

There is no need to stand over a cutter lining up a registration mark thru a cross hair lens all the while trying to operate a mouse. And, at the same time hope to have enuf light to see the material. There is a reason why the more expensive name brand cutters are so popular. They do not have issues that make it harder to operate such as lack of clearance around the cutter blades.

I find it interesting as one reads posts,,, that operators of the cat and bird cutters let issues slip out when it comes to operating in more than basic cutting modes. Either tracking errors, or software errors, or setting errors, or inability to contour cut accuratly all come to light. They love their machines in one post but then complain about some problem in another post. I love it.. :)
My understanding with OPUS is that the machine automatically registers the marks with an optical sensor... Atleast this is how my Versacamm does it. It is VERY accurate and takes almost zero effort. I can probably register all 4 marks in the time it takes me to switch to the pen tool.
 

Steve C.

New Member
Barry said:
Does the panther not optically read the registration marks?

Thats what I have been trying to say, Not automatically. Berry, your Versacam is automatic, right? You just hit one button and the machine reads all reg. marks and then cuts. Thats what my Graphtec does and it is called Auto Registration Mark Sensors. I don't think the Jaguar does this. What ever OPOS stands for, Optical Positioning somthinorother. You must manually line up the registration marks one at a time and hit Enter after each mark using either the pen tool or a lasor point tool, or you can just leave the knife blade in and use it to line up marks.
 

simplesignman

New Member
Time passes, things change. As of right this moment, all of the new Panther machines 30" and larger feature automatic registration sensing and alignment.In much the same manner as Graphtec, Versacamm, and what have you. As in load the media, press the button, and cut.
 

Steve C.

New Member
That is a MAJOR plus for Vinyl Express and should improve their sales greatly!Maybe if mine had had this option I would not have been so quick to trade it. I don't see how they can add a device like that and not have a price increase.
 

WVB

New Member
Well according to SW as their rep told me, the manufacture of the Panther just started sending them with the OPOS to SW at no additional charge. In fact SW had no idea they had the OPOS until they received them.
 

skjeflo

New Member
OPOS = Optical Positioning System

http://www.summausa.com/news_detail.php?article_id=12&sess_id=92810304b1411eeee36276fcd69c1427

I have used this system on a Summa T-750 52" plotter. It works wonderfully and as automatic as one could hope for. Simply set the vinyl in the cutter relatively straight, set the optical sensor over the first reg mark printed on the vinyl and then hit go. Come back in a few minutes to a tight registration cut job.

I have no knowledge about how the Panther system may or may not work, but I will vouch for the Summa system. Word from a friend who has a Graphtec system is that they are just as easy and just as accurate.

FWIW,
Mark
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
Without first hand knowledge but having read several spec sheets, a properly designed OPOS system will not only find the four corners and align itself, it will also adjust your graphic to fit the parameters it finds. For example, if you remove a print and laminate it, it will normally stretch a small amount in the process. Other issues like temperature and humidity also will come into play.

Imagine an 8' print that has been laminated and now measures 96.25" in length. Without the corrective adjustment, your cut would miss the mark all over the place.
 
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