QR code - weed this?

[Jean Shimp]

So is there an easy way to make this QR code in cut vinyl without spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out what gets weeded out and what stays? The image on the right is what we need to cut and apply. I tried welding the overlapping lines but that doesn't work. Any suggestions on a quick way to do this other than digitally printing? Thanks.

 

[John_Smith]

Hi Jean. How big will it be? How many do you have to make? Inside or outside use?
I would have it printed and laminated. If that was not an option, I would pass on the headache.

 

[Snydo]

You could make some sort of "plucking" template out chipboard or styrene.

 

[Boudica]

No way would we sign up to weed a QR code. Unless maybe if we had this baby

 

[JBurton]

Could you print and plot, print only being used to indicate the areas that need to be weeded? Like this? At least you wouldn't have to reference anything.

 

[JBurton]

No way would we sign up to weed a QR code. Unless maybe if we had this baby

Oh wow, gotta wonder how many workers it would have to replace to be profitable. But really, this is my favorite thing to de-stress.

 

[Humble PM]

Only once have I accepted an order with cut QR codes. Printed out a laser print at exactly same scale (about 3x3"), and had it next to the vinyl whilst weeding, then checked it before masking, then checked it upon install.

Customer came back and asked if I could do some more - yes, sure, £200.00 per code. They asked is we could print it instead.

 

[damonCA21]

Unless those squares are at least 10mm across, then print it! Nobody makes QR codes in cut vinyl. You are looking at an hours work compared to a minute printing it

 

[Humble PM]

Unless those squares are at least 10mm across, then print it! Nobody makes QR codes in cut vinyl. You are looking at an hours work compared to a minute printing it

Who you calling nobody!!!
A very good client, who was collating orders from different departments into one order. Beyond my very calm behaviour during the install, she appologised when I sent the quote for further silly cut jobs.

 

[Bobby H]

Print the QR Code and then simply contour cut the white shape behind it. The QR code needs some kind of solid background color for it to work anyway. A cut & weeded QR code probably won't work properly if it is applied to a transparent background, such as window glass.

Regarding quality of results, I prefer the codes created by CorelDRAW. The resulting data spots are easier to weld together and combine into a compound object for doing things like applying gradient fills across the code. Adobe InDesign can create vector-based QR codes, but it does too much strange, overlapping garbage with the data spots. It would be a time vampire to edit the data spots where they can be combined into one compound shape. The same goes for QR codes generated by Adobe Express.

 

[Daniel OTW]

I cut/weed QR Codes on the regular for a high end client. It's a second surface storefront suite and they want it to look uniform with the verbiage. We negotiated a size of no smaller than 3x3, which leaves me with 2-3mm "pixels" its totally doable. I work from the outside in, and pick away with an every other pixel mentality. I do question the wear and tear of window washing on such tiny details, but that lies on the shoulders of the client. If your struggling with the weld function, just use a smart fill and create a fresh graphic without the pesky extra lines, I was back and forth with the designer on that detail and that was the only solution we could find, the wireframe version is absolutely unweedable

 

[netsol]

isn't there a practical problem, in that when weeding you can throw the positioning of an element off & render the whole barcode illegible?
THERE CERTAINLY IS with 1D barcodes.
i have quite a bit of experience with "scan ability " of legacy barcodes (1 pixel missing makes the code unreadable)

 

[Think713]

View attachment 182043 So is there an easy way to make this QR code in cut vinyl without spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out what gets weeded out and what stays? The image on the right is what we need to cut and apply. I tried welding the overlapping lines but that doesn't work. Any suggestions on a quick way to do this other than digitally printing? Thanks.

We've done this several times on just white material. The best technique that I have done is to start on the edges and work inward. Makesure the cuts are clean. What IS and ISNT supposed to be weeded becomes obvious if you do it slowly. It also helps if you do the squares first. They set a natural boundary.

 

[Think713]

isn't there a practical problem, in that when weeding you can throw the positioning of an element off & render the whole barcode illegible?
THERE CERTAINLY IS with 1D barcodes.
i have quite a bit of experience with "scan ability " of legacy barcodes (1 pixel missing makes the code unreadable)

Not really. We've installed printed barcodes over sliding door tracks and was missing an entire line on scan, and they still come up properly. The phones these day do a pretty good job, and I think the QR codes are so unique now that they pretty much can figure out what is being scanned.

 

[Think713]

Print the QR Code and then simply contour cut the white shape behind it. The QR code needs some kind of solid background color for it to work anyway. A cut & weeded QR code probably won't work properly if it is applied to a transparent background, such as window glass.

Regarding quality of results, I prefer the codes created by CorelDRAW. The resulting data spots are easier to weld together and combine into a compound object for doing things like applying gradient fills across the code. Adobe InDesign can create vector-based QR codes, but it does too much strange, overlapping garbage with the data spots. It would be a time vampire to edit the data spots where they can be combined into one compound shape. The same goes for QR codes generated by Adobe Express.

It only needs enough contrast. It doesn't need a solid background, just contrast.

 

[Think713]

I cut/weed QR Codes on the regular for a high end client. It's a second surface storefront suite and they want it to look uniform with the verbiage. We negotiated a size of no smaller than 3x3, which leaves me with 2-3mm "pixels" its totally doable. I work from the outside in, and pick away with an every other pixel mentality. I do question the wear and tear of window washing on such tiny details, but that lies on the shoulders of the client. If your struggling with the weld function, just use a smart fill and create a fresh graphic without the pesky extra lines, I was back and forth with the designer on that detail and that was the only solution we could find, the wireframe version is absolutely unweedable

Thats what we do, outside in. works great with patience.

 

[Think713]

View attachment 182043 So is there an easy way to make this QR code in cut vinyl without spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out what gets weeded out and what stays? The image on the right is what we need to cut and apply. I tried welding the overlapping lines but that doesn't work. Any suggestions on a quick way to do this other than digitally printing? Thanks.

When you are using the term welding, what program are you using? It sounds like you're in flexi. There should be no problem at all connecting those shapes together.

 

[Bobby H]

Barcodes are different from QR Codes regarding bits of data that can go missing. Lose one stripe of a bar code and it will be invalid. QR Codes can be generated with certain amounts of error correction built in; they can still work when missing some data spots or when a logo is covering up the middle of the code.

I still recommend printing/cutting QR Codes as a single vinyl object. Aside from time wasted on weeding such codes, the vinyl graphics may not survive very long. Window washing is one problem. General weather cycles are just as much a problem (especially here in Oklahoma where we get the extremes of heat, cold, wind-blown dust and severe weather). Little data squares aren't going to survive long in that.

On top of that, it can be an adventure to successfully apply a cut & weeded QR Code to something like a glass window. Some of those little dots can get pulled up when removing the release tape.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

i create vectors of these a couple times a week. Not sure how they are output but weeding wouldn't be too bad at larger sizes. Say 4 inches or above. No different than picking out the centers of a's, o's, d's, e's etc

 

[netsol]

Not really. We've installed printed barcodes over sliding door tracks and was missing an entire line on scan, and they still come up properly. The phones these day do a pretty good job, and I think the QR codes are so unique now that they pretty much can figure out what is being scanned.

i have A LOT more experience with 1D (conventional) barcodes.
printing with a zebra, 1 dead pixel changes the value of one of the "bars" and renders the whole thing unreadable.
we generally change the orientation of the barcode on a label template

honestly never had a problem with a 2D.