Need Help Perforation Cutting

[Breezy85]

So I've done this before at another shop I worked at but it's been so long I need a memory refresh. I've got a large quantity of photo card prints that I want to contour cut with a perforation so that we don't need to cut them by hand. I've set up registration marks and everything, that much I remember it was similar to regular contour cutting. However I don't remember the rest of the steps to perforate it so we can pop them out. I want to do a straight line perforation instead of a dotted line perforation.

Any help would be great! Need these done by tomorrow.

 

[TimToad]

In Versaworks, you create a cutline just like you do for a CutContour but call it PerfCut. It can be any color, but it needs to be saved as a Spot Color. Once in Versaworks you'll need to go into the advanced features and set the cut pressure, number of passes and spacing between the tabs depending on the material, size of graphic, etc.

 

[Breezy85]

I'm actually using Illustrator.

 

[IconSigns]

What machine(s) are you using to print and cut? No one can really help you without that information.

 

[Breezy85]

Oh sorry, I forgot to put that.

I'm using an Epson S60600 for printing and a Graphtec F8600 plotter.

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

What RIP are you using to print/cut?

 

[Breezy85]

Onyx

 

[SignMeUpGraphics]

Same setup as us then... as above where TimToad mentions VersaWorks, it really should have said Illustrator:
- Create a new Spot colour, whatever reference colour you like. Call it "PerfCutContour" then draw your perforated lines.
Use this guide by Onyx to get everything setup correctly if you haven't already:
https://www.onyxgfx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ONYX-11-Contour-Cutting.pdf
You'll need to use Condition 3 on the FC8600 so perf cuts are done over the channel rather than on the cutting strip

It's a bit of a mission to set up the first time, but this should get you started.

 

[Breezy85]

Same setup as us then... as above where TimToad mentions VersaWorks, it really should have said Illustrator:
- Create a new Spot colour, whatever reference colour you like. Call it "PerfCutContour" then draw your perforated lines.
Use this guide by Onyx to get everything setup correctly if you haven't already:
https://www.onyxgfx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ONYX-11-Contour-Cutting.pdf
You'll need to use Condition 3 on the FC8600 so perf cuts are done over the channel rather than on the cutting strip

It's a bit of a mission to set up the first time, but this should get you started.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[TimToad]

Same setup as us then... as above where TimToad mentions VersaWorks, it really should have said Illustrator:
- Create a new Spot colour, whatever reference colour you like. Call it "PerfCutContour" then draw your perforated lines.
Use this guide by Onyx to get everything setup correctly if you haven't already:
https://www.onyxgfx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ONYX-11-Contour-Cutting.pdf
You'll need to use Condition 3 on the FC8600 so perf cuts are done over the channel rather than on the cutting strip

It's a bit of a mission to set up the first time, but this should get you started.

Thanks, its hard to give full advice without knowing those other details.

 

[Breezy85]

Just want to revive this briefly cause I had another question.
I still need to set up the registration marks like I'm doing a regular print with contour cut, right?

 

[papabud]

yes it handles it like any print cut, just doing a perf instead of a straight cut

 

[Breezy85]

Thanks! I think I have everything set up right, now. We have 64 photo prints and 42 bottle labels due for tomorrow that I'm sure neither of us here want to hand cut. Haha!

 

[Breezy85]

Okay, this isn't happening.
It's working but it's not working. I'm doing tests from the plotter and it's cutting through but it's getting all messed up as it goes. Picture attached. What am I doing wrong?

Can someone show me what settings they use?? Graphtec FC8600.

 

[bannertime]

You'll need to go into the Conditions settings and adjust pressure. You'll also need to adjust blade depth.

For Blade Depth.
Take a piece of material and fold it in half twice. The blade needs to be at a depth that will penetrate two layers but only scratch the third layer. Try cutting a line by dragging the blade across it and make sure it'll still cut through two layers. There are videos about this on youtube somewhere.

For the condition settings.
You'll just have to play with those. We go anywhere between 28 and 33 on the pressure. and try to stay below 45 for speed. Condition 3 is setup as a perf cut on Graphtec, but you can also go in and adjust the pounce pattern in those settings as well. Best just to leave them though.

I found it's easier to test the perf by sending a 1x3 rectangle and then using the plotters copy feature to resend the file while standing at the machine. Makes it easier than going back and forth and you get longer cuts than the test cut.

Hope that'll help.

 

[Breezy85]

You'll need to go into the Conditions settings and adjust pressure. You'll also need to adjust blade depth.

For Blade Depth.
Take a piece of material and fold it in half twice. The blade needs to be at a depth that will penetrate two layers but only scratch the third layer. Try cutting a line by dragging the blade across it and make sure it'll still cut through two layers. There are videos about this on youtube somewhere.

For the condition settings.
You'll just have to play with those. We go anywhere between 28 and 33 on the pressure. and try to stay below 45 for speed. Condition 3 is setup as a perf cut on Graphtec, but you can also go in and adjust the pounce pattern in those settings as well. Best just to leave them though.

I found it's easier to test the perf by sending a 1x3 rectangle and then using the plotters copy feature to resend the file while standing at the machine. Makes it easier than going back and forth and you get longer cuts than the test cut.

Hope that'll help.

Yeah I've been playing with the settings and I also retracted the blade a little bit which seems to have helped a little. This job I'm trying to do this for is one set of vinyl and the other set of photo prints. The plotters tiny squares aren't helping much either haha

 

[papabud]

did you move your blade holder to the front holder location?

 

[Breezy85]

did you move your blade holder to the front holder location?

Yes I did, that much I remembered to do. I couldn't remember the other settings like cut force, speed, etc.

 

[bannertime]

I looked at the picture and your blade is still way too deep. It should leave little tabs of backing paper and not be a perfectly smooth cut.

 

[Breezy85]

I looked at the picture and your blade is still way too deep. It should leave little tabs of backing paper and not be a perfectly smooth cut.

Yeah I made some adjustments, found a couple more videos. And it's a lot better now.