contour Cutting with Graphetec CE5000 cutter

Graphtec CE5000 SeriesSetting up your contour cuts for cutting on a Graphtec CE5000 Series plotter is done either in ROBO Master Pro, the stand-alone program for cutting with the Graphtec CE5000 Series plotters, Illustrator, or CorelDRAW.Illustrator or CorelDRAWWhen setting up your graphic in Illustrator or CorelDRAW, create your graphic, and then either a)user a part of your graphic as your cutting path, or b) create a new cutting path around (or even within) your graphic.Make sure your page is set up for the size of paper you will be printing.Place your graphic lower on the page (if using portrait) or more to the left of the page (if using landscape).In Illustrator, go to File -> Cutting Master 2 ->Registration Marks.In CorelDRAW, go to the Application Launcher and select Registration Marks.Adjust the settings as you'd like them, and hit OK. Your registration marks will now show up on your page.Keep in mind that you need to leave space, not only for your margins, but also at the top (portrait) or right (landscape) of your page so that you leave room for the difference in space between your pinch rollers and your blade on your plotter. This can take a few tries to get right, and can be incredibly frustrating until you get the hang of it. You are now ready to print and cut.For more complete instructions on how to Print & Cut with a Graphtec CE5000 Series plotter using either Illustrator or CorelDRAW, download this PDF:
http://www.cemagraphics.com/plottert...tingMaster.pdf
ROBO Master ProTo set up for contour cutting in ROBO Master Pro, create your graphic in whatever graphics program you have. If you're working with a vector program, you can create your cutting paths, too.Export your graphic (without cutting paths) as a raster file like a JPG or BMP. If you created cutting paths, export those as a DXF (without your graphic).If you created cutting paths in your graphics program, in ROBO Master Pro, go to File -> Load DXF. Then set up your page and registration mark settings. Then import your image by going to Insert -> File. You then need to line your cutting path and your image up manually, which is kind of a pain as there's no live preview of where you're moving your path or image.If you want ROBO Master Pro to create your cutting paths automatically, select and right-click on your graphic and select "Get Ouline". Adjust your settings or even edit your bitmap (in black and white), then press "Convert to Outline". The biggest difference between creating your cutting paths in ROBO Master Pro vs CutStudio is that you're given the option to create your paths as "Outer Frame Only", in which none of your inner elements (areas that show up as white in the bitmap editing window) are converted to paths...only the outline, whereas in CutStudio, it seems, you don't have that option. Press "Paste then Exit".Set up your page size and registration mark settings and move your graphic to within your regisrtation marks, making sure that your graphic doesn't extend beyond your reg marks and no part of your graphic that will print is within the little cross-hatched areas of your page (in your reg marks).You're now ready to print and cut.PrintingPrint as you normally would in any of these programs. If you're printing an inkjet transfer for light fabrics, what I would do in any of these programs is mirror your image in your design program, along with your cutting paths, then save.Remember not to print your cutting paths.
CUTTING withGraphtec CE5000 SeriesIllustrator or CorelDRAW:

Load your printed media into your plotter with the side that has the space to the TOP. If you're cutting most inkjet transfers, use a carrier sheet. You can place your pinch rollers either on your printed media or on your carrier, it doesn't matter.
In Illustrator, go to File -> Cutting Master 2 ->Cut/Plot.
In CorelDRAW, go to your Application Launcher and press Cut/Plot.
Make sure your cutting orientation is set up properly for your particular print (if portrait, make sure that you cut normally and for landscape, make sure your cuts are rotated.
Also, make sure your mirroring is set to normal, not mirrorred.Go to your Layers/Colors tab and either select your cutting paths layer and deselect all others, or select your cutting path's color and deselect all others (I like to use No Fill for my cutting paths.)
Now go to your last tab and make sure "Use Registration Marks" checked.Hit Send.
You will now have a little popup that tells you to align your blade to your first registration mark.
Do that using the arrow keys on your plotter.
Make sure your blade is positioned about mid-way on either line of your lower-right reg mark.
Go back to your computer and hit OKYour machine will now attempt to read each of your reg marks and then cut.Done.ROBO Master ProIn ROBO Master Pro, make sure your output setting are correct, then send to your cutter.
You will then need to go through the same proceedure as above with setting your blade above your first regisrtation mark, go back to your computer, and hit OK.
Again, it will attempt to find your registration marks, and then cut.Done.
Conclusions:
Some people may have different methods than described above. If you use another method, please post it here.
As far as setting up your graphic and cutting paths, I prefer to do things in CorelDRAW.
Personal preference, and everyone has their own.I really like the way I can work from CorelDRAW with our Graphtec, and I have a nice little system set up.
But...I REALLY hate the way I and so many other people get regirstation mark read errors so often.
This machine really takes finesse.
Another thing I like about contour cutting on the Graphtec is that you can maximize your printing area by using a carrier sheet and placing your pinch rollers on the carrier sheet.
What I really hate, tho, is the two-step process of sending your cuts to the plotter and then needing to position your blade over your first reg mark, and for this reason alone, I LOVE contour cutting with the Roland!I had ONE read error with the Roland, and it was my mistake.
I put the pinch rollers on the carrier sheet once, not realizing that they NEEDED to be on the printed sheet. Easy enough to fix.Another thing...with the Graphtec, especially in the beginning until you're used to the way it works, I suggest importing your graphics into ROBO Master Pro and doing your cutting from there.
You will know that your registration marks are where they need to be in order to not get read errors.
It's a pain to use ROBO Master Pro if you want to use your own cutting paths, but it will save many headaches as you're actually trying to cut.As far as software goes...I think it's a wash.
I like some of the features of ROBO Master Pro (especially the way you automatically create cutting paths and bitmaps importing at the proper size), but I prefer almost everything else in CutStudio.
Overall, I think the Roland wins, hands-down, because of ease of cutting.
Both of them take a little bit of work to get your graphics set up properly, and I do prefer the way I can use CorelDRAW, but having all of those reg mark read errors has really gotten to me.
If you plan on using a lot of contour cutting in your business, do yourself a favor and buy a GX-24. For Contour Cutting, this machine is a dream come true.

What is Contour Cutting

I've heard it asked many times what Contour Cutting is.Contour Cutting is the process of cutting a contour, either around the perimeter of a printed graphic, or in a specific shape, whether rectangular, circular, or an arbitrary shape around a printed graphic.
Here are two examples of Print & Cut stickers that we did for packaging for one client of ours:
And an Inkjet Transfer (JPSS):
The stickers were cut on a Roland GX-24, .As you can see, you can cut all types of items with a plotter that has an optical eye that will read registration marks.
Caution: Not all plotters with "Optical Eyes" will read registration marks.
Many of the less expesive models state that they have optical eyes, but they are solely for the purpose of reading the size of your media, and unless they specifically say that they will read "Registration Marks", they will NOT contour cut.
Example: I'm supposed to be comparing the US Cutter Copam 2500 with the Roland GX-24. While the Copam has an optical eye, it is for reading the size of your media ONLY, and is not capable of contour cutting, which is why it is not being included in this comparison.Setting Up Your Contour CutsRoland GX-24Setting up your contour Cuts for cutting is on a Roland GX-24 is done either in CutStudio, Illustrator, or CorelDRAW, but ultimately ends up in CutStudio.Illustrator or CorelDRAWWhen setting up your graphic in Illustrator or CorelDRAW, create your graphic, and then either a)user a part of your graphic as your cutting path, or b) create a new cutting path around (or even within) your graphic.Save your graphic (without your cutting path) as a JPG or BMP, then rasterize it (SAVE A BACKUP FIRST!!!).Then, using the export filter (sorry, I'm not sure how to access it in Illustrator. Maybe Josh or someone that uses Illustrator with their GX-24 can elaborate)(In CorelDRAW, you would run the CutStudio export macro.), export your graphic to CutStudio. If done properly, you will see your cutting path and a rectangle.
The rectangle is the container where your rasterized graphic was in relation to your cutting path. (Unfortunately, and I've talked to Dana from Roland about this, the export filter does NOT include any raster information when you go to CutStudio.)Now import your graphic (as a JPG or BMP that you saved earlier) into CutStudio. You will most likely need to resize it as it imports at a very low dpi and will look HUGE compared to your cutting path and page. Get the dimensions of your graphic from Illustrator or CorelDRAW.Then align your bitmap with the container rectangle that was imported from Illy or Corel. Select the container rectangle and delete it. Your cutting paths should now be lined up with your graphic where you want to cut.
Now go to File -> Print & CutSet up your printer for the size of your paper, then click the button that says "Fit into shared area for cutting and printing", which will move your registration marks to their outermost bounds. Hit OK.Select both your graphic and your cutting paths and move them so that they are completely within your registration marks.You're now ready to print and cut.

CutStudio

If you don't have Illustrator or CorelDRAW, you can import a JPG or BMP into CutStudio to contour cut it. Size it as necessary.If you want to cut along the borders of your graphic (like the outline of a person), right-click on your graphic and choose "Image Outline". Adjust your settings as necessary, and hit "OK.If you don't want any of the cutting paths that were created, select your cutting paths and go to Objet -> Brek Polyline. Select any paths that you don't want (be sure not so accidentally select any that you DO want), and delete them. This is especially important if you have white in your design as it will create a path around those areas of your graphic.If you want to create arbitrary cutting paths, use the design tools available to make whatever cutting paths you'd like.File -> Cut & Print, and follow the directions listed above to set up your page size and registration marks and move your graphic and cutting paths.

Redsail cutter can be used directly form coreldraw

Hi,
I got the problem about the redsail cutter from a new user ,iam giving the question and the answer which will be helpfull to many users alos.
Question
I have just bought a Redsail cutter/plotter and with it came the Software for Artcut 2009. I am use to working in CorelDraw and now I have to try and learn this new program (Artcut 2009). The problem is that many of my clients send their work in jpg to me and I have no idea how to convert the files from jpg in CorelDraw to work in Artcut 2009. I have contacted Redsail and they have said that I should buy the Cutmate software which then includes a dongle so that my Redsail cutter could work with CorelDraw, the problem is the Cutmate program cost R15 US dollars and the postage to South Africa is R70 US dollars... I think it is crazy!!!

Could you perhaps assist me with this problem?
Answer
I have gone through your problem,don't worry.
Here is a solution,
Redsail can be used directly from coreldraw and driver is also available on internet or u can ask it to me also.
so there is no need to buy any dongle and cutmate also.
You can convert the files from JPEG to EPS (which is better for cutter users)using IMPORT/EXPORT option in CorelDraw.It is very simple .
* Select the object.
* Go to File--Import--give filename--set the save to file format to EPS---click next--ok.
and you will get the file converted to EPS.
Please note that the EPS format should postscript and not adobe illust.for better results(quality and sharpness).Instade of converting the files from coreldraw you can directly send files from coreldraw to cutter.Try this and u will get the better results.you can contact me or reffer my blog for more help.
Regards,
umesh.

How to install and use the macros?

How to install and use the macros?

Macros for CorelDRAW are usually distributed as separate GMS files. In order to install these macros, just copy (unzip) the files listed on this page in Draw\GMS folder in your current installation. If this folder doesn't exists, create it first. For example, if you installed CorelDRAW in "C:\Program Files\Corel\Graphics10", then you need to copy the GMS file(s) into "C:\Program Files\Corel\Graphics10\Draw\GMS". Restart CorelDRAW and it should pick up the new module automatically.

In order to run a macro, just go to Tools>Visual Basic>Play... menu then pick up the GMS module in "Macros in" list and select the macro to play.

for more help :-mail to comcaresystem@rediffmail.com

convert image to a vector graphic format using Adobe Illustrator’s “Live Trace” function

Do you have a bitmap (pixel based) image you would like to convert to vector? Translation: Do you have a picture you want to cut out in vinyl? It’s easy to convert black and white images (and even some other images) to a vector graphic format using Adobe Illustrator’s “Live Trace” function. Follow these steps carefully, their order is important.

Pro Tip: For images not so fabulously suited for this purpose, don’t be afraid to use Photoshop to put it into grey scale. Also, use a Blur for smoother edges on images that you’ve enlarged. Pixelation is difficult for tracing.

1. Open a new Illustrator Document.

2. Paste our friend here into the middle of the document. You can leave his size alone.

3. While he is selected (You should see a blue box around him) go to the “Object” Menu.

Select “Ungroup”. Then, from the “Object” menu again, select “Clipping Mask” (near the bottom) and hit Release.

4. Deselect the object by clicking on white space outside the blue box.

5. You’re now ready to trace. Select the “Object” Menu once again, and go to “Live Trace” and then “Make”.

Pro Tip: If for some reason, make is not available, you’ve not followed the previous 5 steps correctly.

6. Most of the time, You’re done. Save in your favorite Vinyl friendly format, and get to cutting. However, sometimes, the trace looks like an impressionist painting of it’s former self. If this is the case, read on:

7. From the “Object” Menu, select “Live Trace” and go to “Tracing Options”

8. In the top left hand corner of the menu there is a drop down box labeled “Preset”. There is a TON of different options in here like “Line Drawing”, “Comic Art”, “Ink Drawing”, etc. Try them all. Just because it says “Comic Art” doesn’t mean it won’t work awesome for your picture. One of these presets will solve 99% of all tracing problems.

9. If it doesn’t work on ANY of the presets, find the one that works the closest. In the window there are lots of numbers and options. …. Start playing.

Foison vinyl cutter c24 communication settings

If you cannot get your cutter working, check that you've followed these steps carefully.

1) Turn your cutter off, and plug it into a free USB port on your computer. The new hardware wizard should appear, or if you've already done this, it should go "Bing Bong"

2) On the cutter, Keep hitting "Menu" until you see the setting for "Baud." The value should read 09600/38400. If it does not, use the arrow keys to make that so. Then, hit mode until you see normal screen FOISON.

3) Make a note of the Com port and set the flow control. To do this: Go to Start, and then Run. In the box enter:

devmgmt.msc

or right click "my computer"--properties--device manager---ports.Then, hit OK.

4) Hit the plus sign next to "Ports COM And LPT"

5) You should see "USB Serial Adapter", Right click on this and go to "Properties"

6) From there, select "Port Settings".Adjust the Boud Rate as per cutter setting. Set the flow control to "X-ON/X-OFF"

7) Hit "Advanced", Make a note of the Com Port, and if possible change it to something 1-4 if they're not in use.

8. Hit apply and OK to leave those menus. Close device manager.

9) Open Flexi, use the "T" on the left hand side to type a couple of letters.

10) Go to File, then hit "Cut/Plot"

11) This opens the Cut Plot screen. In the top left you should see CM-24 @ com x or CX-24 @ com x. The x needs to match up with the com port we noted earlier. If it does not:

12)Hit the properties button under theCM-24 @ com x drop down box. Select the right hand most tab. It has a picture of something that looks like a microphone.

13) At the top, change the com port to match yours. Hit OK

14) At the bottom, make sure "Flow Control" says "X-ON/X-OFF"

15) Hit "Send" on the cut plot screen. Your cutter should come to life.

For more information mail to : comcaresystem@rediffmail.com

Add Cropmark to your object in CorelDraw

How To Add Cropmark to your object in CorelDraw

· There's a free crop mark macro at macromonster.com

· You can set this option in Print dialoge box under Prepress options.

· Crop marks are normally needed post press processes & so can be put while printing the document and are not seen in the artwork (normal mode)

· For your specific need to have the cropmarks in the artwork, either you should draw/create the crop marks

· no version of Corel allows the marks to be edited. Although, you can download a crop mark generator from here...
CorelDRAW/Corel DESIGNER VBA macros

· and I'll send it to you with instructions. I use it all day every day, good macro!

· You can create your own custom marks and save them as a symbol.

· Create your marks, select them adn then got to Edit> Symbol> New Symbol. It will open a dialog box for you to name it. When you want to apply it, open the symbols docker and just drag it onto the page where you want it.

· As a note, when you save something as a symbol, you can use as many instances of symbols in your design as you wish. It does not increase your file size at all.

· I have the macro that can be used to creat the cropmarks in coreldraw and corel designer, mail to comcaresystem@rediffmail.com

·