Silver Bullet 13" professional not moving:*(

[CrossHairSB]

Hi there,
Last night for the first time my SB doesn't move when hitting "next" in print-n-cut. Thought it might be a "no laser" thing but, nope, it's there. Maybe a USB cable? I will try and find another and see if that's it. You know how frustrating it is having a few orders to fill and your cutter decides to misbehave lol.
Best,
Ken

[Gigi]

Be sure your registration marks are not out of range of the 13" cutting area. Then do a machine reset to see if that helps. Can you just cut a simple image not using print and cut? Just trying to see if it is a communication problem or something else. Could be a lot of little things. Any more information that you can share would be helpful for us to try to trouble shoot with you.

And I understand the frustration. It's like driving (to me). When I am in a hurry I hit every darn red light. When I have all the time in the world, I breeze through on all green lights. Never fails that things happen at the most inopportune time.

[CrossHairSB]

You're right, sitting their last night hastily hitting any button to try and get it to respond...stress entered in for sure. But, I designed a simple square box in SCAL & tried cutting it ...just doesn't want to move all of a sudden. My troubles all began when I rebooted my laptop and SB, lost all my calibration settings in the SB. So my cuts were inaccurate. The machine starting skewing a 19" rectangle. I was told to do a test until I got my speeds and pressure correct because maybe I had too high of pressure going on. Then, for whatever reason, the SB won't move when hitting "next" to find registration marks. I will try tonight to do a simple print n cut square with registration marks. Thank you Gigi!
Best,
Ken

[Gigi]

Keep us posted. Rebooting your computer and/or resetting the SB should not change your calibration settings. If the machine is skewing, be sure you have the pinch wheels over the grit shaft (in line with the white rectangles) and that they are clean and holding the mat well. And be sure your mat is level. Just responding to this but I understand the bigger concern is that the machine isnt responding.

Since the machine was cutting, it leads me to believe that your registration marks are out of area. Are you sure they are within the 13" cutting area measured from the inside right? The opening is larger and that can be confusing, but the actual cutting surface is measured from the inside right of the machine over. Also be sure your software is updated. If you want to send me the file I am happy to look at it, but check your placement of it first. Also be sure you have it place appropriately so the #1 is in the upper left hand side of the paper. I am sure you know this, just going over the basic things that can easily be forgotten or overlooked if you don't do it often.

[CrossHairSB]

Yep, I rebooted both the computer & SB. Along with doing an update on the firmware (it needed it). Is there a procedure to "reset' the SB" other than switching it off & on again? The only other thing I changed with picking up a new kind of cutting matt, it's more narrow than the Silver Bullet matts but the two outer pinch wheels still work, doubt that's it. I will send you over tonight the design I am trying to cut. Thanks once again Gigi...you are a gem!
Ken

[Gigi]

The directions to reset the machine are in the learning center classroom and on here - but you just turn the machine off, hold down the origin button and turn it back on while holding the button down until you see it say "reset" in the screen - then you can let go of the origin button and let it finish loading.

Again, double check and be sure your registration marks are not out of area of the 13" cutting area. That would give it every reason not to move. Did you try just cutting a small square or object (not print and cut) to be sure it is communicating? If it is, that would make me think even more that the print and cut is too far to the left - but I can't see where you have it set so I don't know. And the file could look fine to me, but it depends on where you are setting it on the mat. How large is the image? Can you do a screen shot of your image on the virtual mat - lets start there.....

And you are welcome.

[CrossHairSB]

Here's the file Gigi. I haven't reset the machine yet, will after work. I'm also trying to improve the "repeatablility" of the cut notches & holes. Under cutter settings I'm able to change the "X & Y resolution" to .996 each, and it helped a bit but can't say for certain that the cuts repeat exactly for each skin I do. But first I have to get the SB to communicate with my laptop. Ty
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cauuocly4ek6k ... scut5?dl=0

[Gigi]

I am confused - if the machine isnt moving, how do you know that the adjustments you made to x and y are working better??

On to the first question. When I look at the file (that's why I wanted to see how it was on your mat) I can see by your pnc registration marks that you are putting it in vertically. (well of course because 24" wouldn't fit the other way!) I need more caffeine! But here is my question and what I thought might be the issue but I am still guessing. With the placement of the file, you have it over to the left five inches - and your file is another 4 inches wide so that's 9 inches right there. That leaves you four inches to play with. Depending on where you are placing your mat into the machine you could easily be out of range if you are 3-4 inches away from the inner right side - make sense? I would move the file over to the right and see if it cuts then. That's my best guess not knowing the actual placement of the mat into the machine.

[CrossHairSB]

Hi Gigi,
I got it working! I think the "reset" did it. And, I must say, I believe its working better. Prior to this glitch...the cutter would momentarily pause at various times while cutting, that doesn't happen now. If I can improve the "cutter location accuracy" I will be home free. Is there a cutter-calibration-procedure that will improve its "repeatability" for a 19" design? The only way I know how is to make changes to the X & Y resolution setting. I made changes to it until the #3 reference point was close.
Thank you Gigi,
Ken

[Gigi]

I am glad the reset appeared. It is the first thing I go to whenever things don't seem "quite right" - which thankfully is rare.
As for your question about calibration, I assume you have used the calibration method through SCAL. The best way to get accuracy is to adjust the x and y there if your print and cuts are not accurate or as accurate as you might like them. You can also move the registration marks closer to see if that helps - which for some reason I think you did already. Just be sure you recalibrate every time you change something. As long as you don't change anything in between, your calibration, once perfected, should stay that way.

Not sure I understand what you mean about making changes to the #3 registration mark. You set your calibration at the "cross" that is cut to get an exact cut. Then when you go through the registration marks, there is always an adjustment - I mean you manually move the machine so the laser is directly over the registration mark each time. So each time you do a print and cut, you will align the registration marks - so there should be no "adjustment" to any of the marks. Can you explain more what you mean? Thanks.

[CrossHairSB]

You can also move the registration marks closer to see if that helps

I have it on "Mark offset around design"...this is the closest the registration marks can be correct?

The best way to get accuracy is to adjust the x and y there if your print and cuts are not accurate or as accurate as you might like them

Yes, I would adjust the X & Y resolution not by the cross but by where the laser locates when going through the pickup procedure. I mean, I know you have to manually pick up each dot before you go to the next reference dot but I'm talking about where it lands near the dot before I move it. This make sense? I feel and know this is the wrong way to do it...but it seemed to make a difference in accuracy.
Thank you Gigi,
Ken
ps: I will get this!

[Gigi]

I would think adjusting the x and y that way would make your cuts less accurate. I have not heard of anyone doing it that way. For me the accuracy is all about lining up the laser with the registration mark - Mine are super accurate that way and always have been, with or without a camera. I would not do that, but won't suggest you not if it seems to be working for you - just not the "normal" way to assure accuracy!

As far as the registration marks are concerned, did you change the cm number under "mark offset around design" to get the marks as close as you can/want them? You didn't mention that so I just want to be sure. Yes that is how you move them closer.

And if you are adjusting the x and y, I hope you are recalibrating afterward as that will change the accuracy as well. Good luck.

[CrossHairSB]

Okay this is cool, I didn't know you can bring the registration marks closer like that...so I did. And this should help with accuracy?
I think I'm not exactly communication this very good. But prior to print and cut I DO line up the laser to each registration mark. But what I didn't do is calibrate to the cross. So I will do that and see what I learn. Thank you Gigi, talk to you tomorrow...share my thoughts.
Best,
Ken

[Gigi]

OMG - you always need to calibrate the machine to do a print and cut. You only have to calibrate it once (unless you change printers as things can be off a little....) - but I am amazed you are getting anything even close without calibrating. That is step one - before doing a print and cut. And then when you do your first one, if the numbers are off, you can adjust the calibration numbers accordingly. If my print and cut is off, I will print a couple of rectangles to print and cut as it is easy to see how exact the x and y are that way. Then I adjust if needed until the rectangle is cut out perfectly and after that all of my designs are accurate.

No wonder you are having trouble!!

[MeFlick]

Once you have properly calibrated your machine, you need to write the. Down and store them away safely so that should something happen inadvertently you will still have those numbers should you need to. Input them again. For example, I have seen where an update to the software will cause you to lose the Calibration numbers input. I keep mine in a couple places “just in case�.