Adding Manual Registration Marks

[Angela-L]

Hello all.

I have a conundrum that has my head in a whirl and I hope I will be able to explain it clearly!

I have a sublimation printer, and want to sub print on to vinyl, then cut it out with my Silver Bullet using SCAL as the cutting software. (Currently SCAL 4)

My problem is, the method of sub printing on to sub vinyl is that you print a mirror image, then put the paper face down on to the vinyl and press it to transfer, so that it is then the right way round. However, I will need to print via a program other than SCAL, since, as far as I know, SCAL doesn't support custom ICC colour management profiles, and even if it did, as there are only registration marks in 3 corners, they wouldn't be in the correct 3 corner!

Therefore, I need to manually add registrtion marks to my print out so that I can upload to SCAL (not mirrored) to cut the vinyl after it's printed. I use a variety of software to make my designs - including GIMP, Affinity Designer, and Inkscape. I got all excited when I found the Craft Edge Tutorial "Import Artwork with Registration Marks" here https://www.craftedge.com/tutorials/import_regmarks/import_regmarks.php, but that is for Illustrator, and naming layers in any of the programs I am using doesn't seem to work (layer names never carry over to SCAL on anything I do, and the rectangle certanly isn't being recognised and converted in to registration marks.... it's remains just a rectangle!).

Does anyone know if what I want to do is possible, or if there ary 'cheats' or ways round this?

Sorry for the long, rambling post, and thanks for reading!

[Gigi]

There is a tutorial in the Learning Center classroom for adding registration marks. It uses Illustrator to demonstrate how to add them, but says the principles are the same in Inkscape. You just have to be sure that if you are using Inkscape, you change the import setting to Inkscape to preserve the work and not have it altered (under Edit>Preferences). That should help you.

[Angela-L]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I know I had access to the learning centre years ago, and I remember going through it all when I first got my machine, but I can't seem to find it now. However, I assume the tutorial you're talking about is similar / the same as the one from Craft Edge that I linked to in my post which doesn't seem to work for me using Inkscape as none of my layer names ever transfer over to SCAL.

However, I think I've found a way around it: if I create my image then export to SCAL, then export again from SCAL - saving as an SVG with 'Show Registration Marks' ticked, I can open it in one of my other design programs; add an additional registration mark in the 4th corner (so that I have one in the correct corner when the mirror image is transferred from the paper to the vinyl after printing and pressing), then print and press. Once that is done, I can open it again in SCAL; flip the image; and (in theory) everything should be in the right place to match my printed vinyl to enable me to line the laser up and do a print and cut. Fingers crossed it works in practice!

[Gigi]

No - they are different. But it sounds like you have it figured out. Would love to hear the result as I am sure it will help others. Good luck!

[Angela-L]

Cheers! Now that I've worked out a methodology, I'm hoping to get the vinyl later this week, so I'll post back how I get on, and how the theory compared to the practice!

Oooh.... I'd like to have a look at the methodology in the Learning Centre though, seeing as it's different (Always keen to learn more). Any idea how I can get access again?

[Gigi]

You would need to email Sherri for access. (sherri@silverbulletcutters.com). She has been recovering from CoVid so she will get back to you as soon as she can.

[Angela-L]

Oh my! I hope she hasn't had it too bad and is well on the road to recovery.

I'm in no rush, so I'll leave it a while rather than adding to whatever backlog she's likely to have, but thanks for the information.

[Gigi]

You are welcome. She is slowly getting back into the day to day needs to send the email whenever you wish. She will get to it as soon as she can. I think it feels good to work after not being able to for so long.

Thank you for your consideration.

[Angela-L]

Glad to hear it, and thanks again.