Help with 12x12 PNC please!!!

[riogirl71]

So I had to get a new computer since my old one died on me I calibrated the machine all over again and did a great 8.5 by 11 PNC that was dead on. So I got my template for PNC and moved the reg marks to make a 12x12 PNC template. I followed the instructions to ungroup them and then moved two at a time so that they stayed centered and aligned. It printed fine and when I go to export from inkscape to signcut it looks fine, then I do simple contour cut and place the laser on the reg marks, my first clue was that the laser didn't get that close to the next reg mark like it normally does when it is going to cut right. I tried anyway and my cut was about .25" off. Can anyone give me an idea of what I am doing wrong? My printer is an Artisan 1430 Epson. Thanks! I included the file in case there is something wrong with it. Oh and when on Signcut my units are set on mm.

[Mystic]

You have loads of stuff outside the registration marks on the left hand side and your images and cut lines are too close to the reg marks. All the stuff you want to cut has to be within the innermost part of the reg marks - not the centre of them as you have

[riogirl71]

Sorry I forgot to say stuff is on different layers, I turn off the "extra" and the "print" layer before sending it to signcut, sorry about that, I didn't make that clear. In my 8.5 by 11 it cut fine even with stuff lined up with center of reg mark but I will try keeping them out, thanks!

[Gigi]

Just checked only your cut layer. As Mystic said, your cuts on the left side especially are way too close to the registration marks - they have to be within the border - not on it. Darn - just closed the file but I think the top and bottom were really close as well - only the right side had a little extra room. I would take out a row top and bottom, move things in and then give it a try!

[riogirl71]

That is interesting, I printed and cut this file I attached (on this post) on 8.5 by 11 and things were outside of the margin you mentioned (Caden name) but everything printed and cut dead on. Are the limits you are talking about the outside of the circle or the end of the straight line?

Thanks again!!!!

[riogirl71]

http://www.signcutpro.com/files/mov/Sim ... index.html

I found this video and also that a sample sheet is under the program files/Signcut/Examples/Simple contour cut/inkscape
on their example they went almost to the center of the circle and on the video it looked like the outer edges were the cut off for them. I still have to print another 12 by 12 and see what was wrong.

[Gigi]

I just had another thought. Which size machine do you have? It might not have anything to do with your registration marks. Two things - what size machine do you have. Do you have the material that you are printing outside of the limits of the machine?

Secondly - you said that the laser didnt come close to the second registration mark but you let it go anyway. If you dont have the laser at the dead center of the registration mark, it will cut off as it did for you. It's really important to manually move the laser to the center of each of the three registration marks before you hit "cut". It rarely goes to the center on it's own - I always have to manually adjust mine a little - just part of the process

Hope one of these two things helps, but I am thinking the problem is that you didn't move the laser to the center of each of the registration marks which might explain why it didn't cut that one side.......

Gigi

[riogirl71]

Gigi - thanks! I have a 15" machine and always cut landscape and it works great, I cut vinyl up to 14.5" without a problem. I am sorry I didn't make it clear, when I aligned the first laser to reg mark I hit next and it went to the second reg mark, I aligned that one dead center too and the third one. What I meant to say is that when I did PNC before with my US letter size, anytime I hit "next" the laser would be within mm of the center of the next reg mark, very close and required minimal adjustment. What I noticed this time is when I hit next, the laser would automatically go to a spot cm away from the next reg mark which gave me the clue something was off and it needed me to move my laser more than usual. I found a couple of templates under the signcut folder for A4, letter and legal sizes, nothing for 12 by 12. I looed at the margins they had and they made no sense to me on the placement of reg marks, no margins were the same although reg marks were all aligned, not really proportional either as far as margins. I watched their video and opened their sample and the cut lines are also close to center of circle. On another post in Signcut they said not too worry about where to place reg marks as long as they are aligned (?) I emailed signcut to ask. My printer prints borderless at 12x12 so I was hoping to be able to cut close to edges using a cutting mat. I am using a large cutting mat so that there is no risk of the cougar spitting it out. I need to try a us letter again and a 12x12 again... just haven't had the time yet. I really appreciate the thoughts and solution advice, I would love to print stickers and labels at 12x12 cause that's the size vinyl I got on a 15' roll.