Summa S2 automatic sheet off or prevent next cut job autostart?

[dubhcaora]

Hi all,

Hope you can help me with this one. We got in a S2T160 and love it so far. Was just wondering if this is possible.

I am using the flex cut to cut out some posters (roughly 2x3 on a 54 inch roll 4 up) however I need to run in batches of about 20 total. The flex cut is setup perfect, however I was wondering if it is possible to:

1. do an automatic sheet off after each barcode job.

2.force the cutter to not read the next barcode job. and do a manual sheet off.

I would hate to have to turn this into a individual sheet workflow as just popping the roll on the cutter would save tons of time for my finishers. If I let it go as it a few of the posters will end up getting a crease in them.

 

[astraios]

I really hope you will find (and share) solution for this but I don't think this is possible as whole point of bar-code server is that you cut roll without intervention of the user.

The flex cut is setup perfect

I've never tried to flex cut paper posters on Summa (our rep even advised against it). Would you mind sharing your setup parameters for this?

 

[dubhcaora]

I really hope you will find (and share) solution for this but I don't think this is possible as whole point of bar-code server is that you cut roll without intervention of the user.



I've never tried to flex cut paper posters on Summa (our rep even advised against it). Would you mind sharing your setup parameters for this?

Since your rep advised against it take this with a grain of salt. Nobody has advised me on anything yet (I sent in a request a few days ago and nobody has gotten back to me)

This is how I have done it using Fuji Poster paper.

First I loaded the roll onto the cutter and did some force test cuts starting at the super low end as to not damage the cutting strip. I found just barely enough force to cut thru the poster paper without damaging the cutting strip, for my particular paper it is 215 gr.

Next with this value in hand I set up a user in Summa Cutter Control that I called "Poster Flex-Cut" and then set my Full pressure to 215 and my flex pressure at 200. I left all other values at default.
For my rip I have been using ColorGate PS8 so the settings you use here may be different for your rip. I created a device parameter set that I named "Poster Flex-Cut " and just changed tool number to 6 (FlexCut Accurate mode).

For posters without bleeds I just went ahead and used the "Create cut path from job frame" and set my parameter set to the "Poster Flex-Cut " that I created earlier. for posters with bleeds I had to just setup a cut contour line as usual in Indesign or Illustrator (Corel if that is your thing) and just change the extract cut paths from spot color to said cut line and set it to "Poster Flex-Cut " in the parameters.

From there just remember to change your user on the cutter to "Poster Flex-Cut " before you send the job.

So far I would say that max I would allow per barcode is 4-2x3's.

Doing this I have seen no wear on the cutting strip at all.

 

[AF]

Your set the cut-off in your rip. Not all rips will have this option. You can add the command to your .plt file manually or possibly with a script. Colorgate rip just recently added the cutoff option, if you use that rip.

 

[dubhcaora]

Oh yes to add on this I also found that putting a .5" gutter on the prints was a good idea for getting them to come off without the gutter ripping.

 

[dubhcaora]

Your set the cut-off in your rip. Not all rips will have this option. You can add the command to your .plt file manually or possibly with a script. Colorgate rip just recently added the cutoff option, if you use that rip.

Thanks! any chance you know what the exact line need is? I have no problem adding this to the files.

 

[astraios]

Thanks dubhcaora for detailed info ... really appreciate it. Can't wait to test this today in studio.

 

[Hotspur]

Blade wear

Since your rep advised against it take this with a grain of salt. Nobody has advised me on anything yet (I sent in a request a few days ago and nobody has gotten back to me)

Hi

The Rep was giving good advice.

Paper is easy to cut but the problem is blade wear. Paper is one of the most aggressive substrates on blades - much more so than plastic and you can easily blunt a new blade in a day if you are very busy.

I had a customer who wanted to cut posters on a Summa flatbed (same blades / application etc) and was soon finding that the blades were only lasting a day or two and thus it became too expensive in terms of consumables.

If you are only doing this on rare occasions then it will be OK but it only takes a small amount of paper cutting to dull a new blade.

Dedicated paper cutting is done with machines using self-sharpening rotating circular blades like a Fotoba - fixed blades as you find in a Summa are designed for self adhesive film.

But as an occasional job it will be OK

 

[dubhcaora]

Hi

The Rep was giving good advice.

Paper is easy to cut but the problem is blade wear. Paper is one of the most aggressive substrates on blades - much more so than plastic and you can easily blunt a new blade in a day if you are very busy.

I had a customer who wanted to cut posters on a Summa flatbed (same blades / application etc) and was soon finding that the blades were only lasting a day or two and thus it became too expensive in terms of consumables.

If you are only doing this on rare occasions then it will be OK but it only takes a small amount of paper cutting to dull a new blade.

Dedicated paper cutting is done with machines using self-sharpening rotating circular blades like a Fotoba - fixed blades as you find in a Summa are designed for self adhesive film.

But as an occasional job it will be OK

Thanks for the tip! It is really not a common occurrence to have a large enough batch to do it all the time, usually our poster are one offs. This particular job was a 50+ order so a bit out of the ordinary for us. I will look into ordering a cheapo blade from fellers for jobs like this in the future.

Will flexcutting be ok for backers on blockout types of materials? I was hoping that I could run labels and have them perf out to 8.5x11 sheets or individuals. Right now we have to hand cut those down. On large orders it gets a bit tedious. If it helps the materials would be Mojavi and Arlon.

Thanks in advance!