Vinyl Cutter: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Tools]]
[[Category:Tools]]


We have a 4 ft wide vinyl cutter. You may use shop vinyl or bring your own. We do not provide transfer paper for the vinyl. The vinyl cutter is connected to a shop computer.
We have a 4 ft wide Rabbit 1360K vinyl cutter. You may use shop vinyl or bring your own. We do not provide transfer paper for the vinyl. The vinyl cutter is connected to a shop computer.


It requires the sentinel dual key usb dongle connected for the software to work. The software is FlexiCut 10 King Rabbit Edition. The software has a physical copy stored near the Vinyl cutter computer and a copy of the CD is available on the NAS.
{| class="wikitable"
|+1360K Model Specs
|-
! Paper feed width
| 1360mm (53.5 inch)
|-
! Max cutting width:
| 1250mm (49.2 inch)
|-
! Cutting force
| 20-800g
|-
! Cutting speed
| 25mm/s-800mm/s
|-
! Port
| USB 2.0 and RS232 (works over USB 2.0)
|}


1360K Model Specs:
= Setup =


* Paper feed width: 1360mm (53.5 inch)
Vector designs can be made with [https://inkscape.org/ Inkscape]. Keep in mind that these are just lines you're telling the machine to cut! Interfacing with the vinyl cutter itself can be done with [https://codelv.com/projects/inkcut/ Inkcut]. Specific settings are below, in the "Details" section. The vinyl cutter must have its power cable plugged in and turned on, and must be connected to via its USB port, not its serial port. This requires an A-to-A cable, which we have and should be with the vinyl cutter.
* Max cutting width: 1250mm (49.2 inch)
* Cutting force: 20-800g
* Cutting speed: 25mm/s-800mm/s
* Port: USB 2.0 port and RS232 port


The USB 2.0 port is an A style which is weird - we may need to build a cable. The device might have a USB to Serial converter internally. Right now we're using an external one, but no luck - it's possible we need a null modem cable.
Our public-use computer running [https://ubuntu.com/ Ubuntu] can connect to the vinyl cutter just fine without drivers, and has this software already installed and ready to use, so you can use it to create designs, and cut them.


There's some indication the plotter uses DMPL (not HPGL) but that'll need more testing/investigation.
= Details =
 
Here is some more detailed info on the vinyl cutter, and how to use it. Use this for troubleshooting or improving your setup. If you find settings that work more correctly, please update this entry!


== Serial Communication Settings ==
== Serial Communication Settings ==


The settings appear to be 9600, 8N1 - but it's unclear if we should use hardware or software flow control. The manufacturer seems to indicate software (xon/xoff) but the internet seems to indicate hardware (either CTS/RTS or DSR/DTR).
These are the Inkcut settings which have worked for us.


== Software ==
{|class="wikitable"
! Type
| Serial Port
|-
! Port
| /dev/ttyUSB0 (connect over USB)
|-
! Baud rate
| 9600
|-
! Byte size
| 8
|-
! Parity bit
| No
|-
! Stop bits
| 1
|-
! Flow Control
| XON/XOFF
|-
! Protocol
| HPGL
|}


Currently trying to get Inkcut to work with it - it's worked in the past, but no luck at the moment.
== TODO ==
Here's some things we still need to figure out and document here
* Add pictures! This can make things easier to understand.
* basic how-to of using inkscape to create a design, and using inkcut to cut the design.
* verify whether or not DMPL or HPGL are the correct protocols to use.
* how do you go about making a multi-color design, which requires multiple layers of vinyl which have to be aligned? (requires transfer paper) (maybe just link to a tutorial online)

Revision as of 17:28, 4 October 2019


We have a 4 ft wide Rabbit 1360K vinyl cutter. You may use shop vinyl or bring your own. We do not provide transfer paper for the vinyl. The vinyl cutter is connected to a shop computer.

1360K Model Specs
Paper feed width 1360mm (53.5 inch)
Max cutting width: 1250mm (49.2 inch)
Cutting force 20-800g
Cutting speed 25mm/s-800mm/s
Port USB 2.0 and RS232 (works over USB 2.0)

Setup

Vector designs can be made with Inkscape. Keep in mind that these are just lines you're telling the machine to cut! Interfacing with the vinyl cutter itself can be done with Inkcut. Specific settings are below, in the "Details" section. The vinyl cutter must have its power cable plugged in and turned on, and must be connected to via its USB port, not its serial port. This requires an A-to-A cable, which we have and should be with the vinyl cutter.

Our public-use computer running Ubuntu can connect to the vinyl cutter just fine without drivers, and has this software already installed and ready to use, so you can use it to create designs, and cut them.

Details

Here is some more detailed info on the vinyl cutter, and how to use it. Use this for troubleshooting or improving your setup. If you find settings that work more correctly, please update this entry!

Serial Communication Settings

These are the Inkcut settings which have worked for us.

Type Serial Port
Port /dev/ttyUSB0 (connect over USB)
Baud rate 9600
Byte size 8
Parity bit No
Stop bits 1
Flow Control XON/XOFF
Protocol HPGL

TODO

Here's some things we still need to figure out and document here

  • Add pictures! This can make things easier to understand.
  • basic how-to of using inkscape to create a design, and using inkcut to cut the design.
  • verify whether or not DMPL or HPGL are the correct protocols to use.
  • how do you go about making a multi-color design, which requires multiple layers of vinyl which have to be aligned? (requires transfer paper) (maybe just link to a tutorial online)
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