A Digital Printing Network
job cutting with versaworks
I'm printing up a number of vinyl signs (must be election time again!) and would like to have versaworks cut each sign off when done printing without having to load 200 files and nesting. Is there command to cut after each sign is printed?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on -
Not sure exactly what you want to do, but here is your start.
Scenario - 200 eps or pdf files varying info
Set the jobs; Set the queue under the Edit tab - Printer tab - turn on cut after each job - Job management tab - set whether you want it to perform each job individually or a set number at a time, or after a particular time, or number of jobs - With that done - now drop your jobs into the Input A folder - and your machine will handle the rest.
Downside
More paper usage
Upside - providing machine does not hangup - not loading and setting up 200 jobs. all your set up is done in the queue prior to the jobs.
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Permalink Reply by DanielTF3 on -
Try creating a cut line on the top and bottom of where the page layout is... That way later on you could easily tear or cut off by following the peforated cut line cleanly without having to go through a process which may cost you more time and money? If you're working off Corel you can easily add a line on top and bottome of the page layout and export the entire page as an EPS. If you're working off Adobe couldn't you almost just add a cut line on top of the page and the bottom?
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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on
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Dan, if I may be so kind to point out just a few minor things. Sheet cutting is not the same as contour or Perf Cutting. I believe in the OP he needs to cut 200 signs. They would have to be 200 very small signs for your method to be viable at the expense of putting a lot of wear and tear on the cutting strip if using perfcutting. Your method would reduce waste in between jobs, but the media that is accumulating on the floor will become damage. Remember the lines created by software is just for contour cutting not sheet cutting. There are only two ways to get a sheet cut - by the control panel or electronically in the printer tab in versaworks. The only way to have VW work unattended is to set up the job management tab in the VW queue. The only way to get the jobs into the queue is to place them in the Input A or B folder. Once the jobs are placed in that folder they are automatically sent to VW. VW then handle the jobs based on the setting you did in the queue. You can place all 200 in at one time, but only will be handle based on your settings, whether by number, time, or length. The ideal way is to go by length so that the media is not overlapping on the floor. I hope this helps further the process.
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Permalink Reply by DanielTF3 on
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I see the you've point made Irv. I agree. But help me piece this together; Roland printer/cutters can be set to print and peforate for 200 copies which need to be made. But instead of individually cutting manually by pressing the button at the printer, you're saying that the user can change settings on VW so that user doesn't have to physically stay next to the printer and press the cut button for each printed artwork?
I also do see the possible risks getting these type of jobs... The long continuous prints have potential risks of alignment issues from my experience. I've found ways to get around this problem but I tend to stay away from continuous long prints, bbut then even though I'm required to do lots of prints I tend to break them up into small portions as a pre-cautionary procedure. It seems time is always an issue, but part of my job in my company is also to find better ways to improve quality time spent on jobs.
The other thing about waste reduction is partially true, but we don't worry as much because if that is the case... we have that waste added to our cost structure as a fudge factor for what we may lose as part of our production procedure.
Just learned something new=) Thanks Irv
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Permalink Reply by Steven Jackson - Admin on -
you can automatically set the machine to perform a sheetcut after the job has completed by checking the "cut sheet after output" button on the printer controls page in the settings.
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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on
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Yes Dan - The VC and the VW are great and it takes time to learn all the potential that is included in the machine and software. When training we tend to give the major things so folks can become familar with the process of getting jobs out. There can be another session for advance techiques and even a third for production techniques. Locate your Input A folder on your computer (where your VW files are) and drop a file for printing in there. You will see it pop up in your A queue. That file will be process based on your queue settings and your job management settings in the queue. It is actually scary since we tend to like to maintain control over the process.
Users will need to see whether it is more important to save time or money. In my business time is money so the priorities shift depending on the project.
In this instance I think the user would be better off dropping his 200 jobs into the INPUT A folder. I would set the printer control tab to cut after each job. In the job management tab I will set it run after a set job length of approximately 36". I would have a bin under the machine and the VW will pull the jobs from the Input folder and start processing after it reached the job length. The job will contour cut and then perform a sheet cut after the run and then start the next.
If there is a worry of ink not drying. A drytime pause can be put in before the contour cut commences - there are other ways to slow the machine (slow printhead, unidirectional printing, or highquality) those are not necessary if the delay is place before contour cutting.
Of course I would try the procedure before sending 200 jobs - but it works and time to do other things in the area would be realized.
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Permalink Reply by Doug Jones on -
Sorry, I may not have explained myself well.
I have a job to make 200 signs, 24X36, all the same. I want to be able to cut each one as they finish printing so that I can begin the mounting of the same. I would like to be able to send about 25 to the printer at the same time so as to be sure not to encounter any of the dreaded skewed vinyl, outta ink....I know that I'm sure I could send 25 different files, set up the print parameters, then nest them, but that seems like a lot of extra work...should be a simpler method.
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Permalink Reply by irving donaldson on
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Doug load 1 job go into job settings
1st tab set page size about .5 larger than your page ie 36.5 set amount to 25. In your printer tab set it to cut after each page. You done.
Concerns
Ink drying - to correct print unidirectional or allow some dry prior to mounting
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