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Registration problems
I seem to be having problems with registering multi colour jobs with my graphtec 610. After aligning everything correctly on the software i cut all the panels with reg marks. But once i have taped everything i go to apply and nothing lines up properly. Almost as if the vinyl is shrinking even though im using decent 651 oracle.
For example. Yellow lettering with a black 2mm outline. Apply black. Apply yellow. But it seems 2-3mm shorter even over 1220!!!!! Starting from the left everything lines up…… get to the end and the outline looks like a drop shadow as the yellow is shorter.
Is this a cutter problem or app tape / vinyl problem? Any ideas?
Not sure im making any sense at all though?
Matt
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10 Replies
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Hi matt did a demo on this a while ago without using registraion marks as such it works for us layering as many layers as you like. see if you can find it if you can’t let me know and when I have more time I’ll find it for you, great to meet you by the way
Lynn
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as lynn says… there is a good demo posted by lynn and peter on this subject. also a video tutorial here:
http://www.uksignboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=13085 -
Hi Matt, I understand the problem you’re describing as I have experienced it too.
The only explanation I have come across is to make sure you cut all the colours on the same day at roughly the same time to ensure that conditions are the same for each colour. e.g cutting using a machine that has warmed up and is not susceptible to temperature changes. I suspect that when the motor is warm it performs slightly differently to when it is either hot (after much use) or cold (first thing in the morning). My own machine is a summagraphics d610 (now 10 years old). When new I never had this problem at all – but more recently (only in the last two or three years) I have come across occasional registration problems exactly like that you have described. I suspect that this is a result of the age of the machine and now that the motor is much older and more worn it is probably less precise than it was when new. Is yours an old machine or is it stil fairly new? Unfortunately I do not have a definitive answer (just a suspicion as to the cause) but I too would like to fully understand the cause and its solution.
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just re-read your post after reading phills…
you should try multiple reg points. easily done… just add double reg marks each interval. wherever you feel the need slit the tape and apply each bit in sections. so if you have 4ft of text at 12 inch high. apply first layer in one go. then apply all other layers slit every 12 inches. easier to handle/manage and wont be out over any long length.
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I agree with phil here.
I have experienced this on my Roland camm1 as well as my old graphtec.
I have proven the theory, to a point. If I am doing a long sign, and cut the 1st colour, then go to lunch and cut the second colour when I get back, it will never line up true. May be as much as 3 or 5mm out over a long sign.
If I cut them all in the same run, that is not stop for a break, they will usually be much closer.
Also, if your first layer is cut from a full 45m heavy roll, the stepper motors will be pulling a weight, then if you next colour is on a smaller lighter roll, say 5m, the stepper will not have any difficulty and the spacing will not be exactly as the heavy roll.
I have proven this to a point too.
Also, the reg marks will not line up if you cut a sign in one direction, say horizontal, and the next colour verticle. The xy cordinates will not be the same.
Sorry to babble
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Thanks lynn, phill, and rob. My cutter is only 2yrs old. The vinyl was cut all within 2hrs and fitted straight away. Also i cant seem to get flexi to read the cutting data along the width of the cutter as opposed to front to back.
When cutting. It goes from front of panel cutting as you read it rather than the the width of the machine. I dont think this is helping the problem as the cutter is pulling the media back and forth for evey line of text for instance, perhaps losing its precision? Any fix for this? Ive optimised cutting order but no difference.
Also i have a pre-fab app-tape dispenser from cherwell signs. Do you think that this stretches the tape? As it is passed underneath a roller. Maybe resulting in shrinkage once applied to the vinyl.
Thanks for the response all
Matt
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Not babbling shane. Im all ears so to speak? Whenever im cutting i pull out the length of the panel with the cutter to eliminate this problem.
Also all cutting was done in same direction.
Matt
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hhmm is the app tape clear? That is the only problem I have had with stretching toward the end of a roll. Paper app tape has never caused me a problem
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to check the repeatability of your plotter to help find problem.
cut the outline then with out removing the vinyl (form feed off) cut the inner part these should line up as the correct distance apart.most people run there plotters to fast and to higher acceleration and with the weight of 4 of 5 ft of vinyl to move errors will occur.
chris
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Shane. No i use oracle tape. Im gonna change back to conform though as its less prone to stretching and shrinking.
Chris. I run the cutter middle of the road as far as speed is concerned. But i will try your method, of testing repeatability. Do you know how to alter settings in flexi, to cut along the width of the cutter other than front of job to back. I really think that this is effecting accuracy. As the sheet is being pulled in and out with every line of text for example.
My old sign wizard program cuts as i previously described. Scan direction not feed direction.
Thanks for the replies
Matt
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