Page 1 Vinyl Express Qe60+ CUTTING PLOTTER USER’S MANUAL MANUAL NO. VEXQe6+-UM-151 Signwarehouse.com...
Page 3: Notes On This Manual
In addition to cutting marking ﬁlm and other media, a Vinyl Express Series cutting plotter can also be used as a pen plot- ter. To ensure high cutting quality and optimal productivity, be sure to read this User’s Manual thoroughly prior to use.
Page 5: Table Of Contents
Contents PREFACE ..............................i Notes on this Manual .........................i Registered Trademarks ........................i Copyright ............................i Contents ..............................iii 1. INTRODUCTION Checking the Accessories....................1-2 Parts Names and Functions ................... 1-3 Front View ......................... 1-3 Rear View .......................... 1-3 Control Panel........................1-4 2. SETTING UP THE CUTTER PLOTTER Connecting to Your Computer ..................
Page 6 Test Cutting........................3-12 4. FUNCTION SETTINGS AND OPERATIONS PAUSE Menu List ......................4-2 Reading the Auto Registration Marks (Option) ............4-3 Setting the FEED function ....................4-4 Setting AUTO PRE-FEED ....................4-5 Setting TANGENTIAL Mode.................... 4-6 Auto-Registration-Mark-Reading Settings (Option) ............. 4-8 Registration-Mark Menu Tree..................
Page 7 Blade-Tip Initial Position Setting..................5-2 Enabling/Disabling PEN UP MOVE................... 5-3 Enabling/Disabling the Media Sensors................5-3 Enabling/Disabling the Home Sensors ................5-3 Circle-Command Resolution Setting (when the COMMAND setting is HP-GL) ....5-3 Enabling/Disabling Blade Wear Detection................. 5-3 Setting Special Functions A ................... 5-4 Description of Special Functions B ................
Page 9: Introduction
INTRODUCTION Checking the Accessories ............1-2 Parts Names and Functions ...........1-3...
Page 10: Checking The Accessories
Checking the Accessories Check to conﬁrm that all of the standard accessories listed below are present. If any item is missing, please contact your sales representative or nearest Signwarehouse vendor promptly. AC power cord Quick Start Manual, Usage Precautions 1 each User Guide CD-ROM Cutter blade (CB09UA)
Page 11: Parts Names And Functions
Parts Names and Functions ■ Front View Cutting mat Pen carriage Grit roller Pen holder Media set lever Control panel Serial (RS-232C) interface connector Push rollers USB interface connector Cutting mat ; Cutting or plotting is performed on this mat. Grit roller ;...
Page 12: Control Panel
■ Control Panel Indicator Lamp STATUS: Lights (green) while the power to the cutting plotter is turned on, and is not lit when the cutting plotter is in PAUSE status. This lamp ﬂashes when data is being received from an interface, regardless of whether or not the cutting plotter is in PAUSE status.
Page 13: Setting Up The Cutter Plotter
SETTING UP THE CUTTER PLOTTER Connecting to Your Computer ..........2-2 Turning on the Power ..............2-3 Loading the Medium ..............2-4 Adjusting and Mounting the Cutter Pen ......2-10...
Page 14: Connecting To Your Computer
Connecting to Your Computer The cutting plotter can be connected to a computer via the serial (RS-232C) port or USB port. Select which port to use according to the requirements of your application software and/or which of your computer’s interface ports are available for use. Use a serial cable or USB cable in accordance with the connection method chosen.
Page 15: Turning On The Power
Turning on the Power Connect the cutting plotter to the AC electrical socket using the power cord provided, and turn on the power. Step Check to conﬁrm that the Power switch is turned off (the “O” side is down). Step Connect the cutting-plotter AC power inlet to a correctly rated electrical socket using the power cord pro- vided.
Page 16: Loading The Medium
Step If no medium has been loaded, the message below appears on the display, prompting the loading of a medium. L O A D M E D I A ! ! If a medium has already been loaded, the current media setting is displayed as shown below. R O L L 2 P R E S S E N T R Select the media mode to suit the medium used.
Page 17 Step Place the roll medium on the stock rollers, and clamp it between the stoppers. Once the position is ﬁxed, tighten the screws on the stoppers. Loading the Roll Medium Step Lower the media set lever to raise the push rollers. Step Place the roll medium on the stand stock rollers, and then pass the leading edge of the medium from the back of the cutting plotter so it emerges from the front, while making sure to remove any slack in the...
Page 18 Step Pull the leading edge out of the front of the cutting plotter so that it completely covers the media sensor. If the leading edge has been pulled out too far, turn the roll to adjust the length of the medium that is protrud- ing.
Page 19: Loading Sheet Media
■ Loading Sheet Media Step Lower the media set lever to raise the push rollers. Step With the Vinyl Express, position the edges of the medium ﬂush against the guide lines engraved on the front guide. Media sensor Guide lines...
Page 20: Aligning The Push Rollers
Step Raising the media set lever displays a menu for selecting the media mode. Select the media mode. S H E E T P R E S S E N T R CHECKPOINT If the “REALIGN ROLLERS” message is displayed when the medium is loaded and the media set lever is raised, either the right-hand push roller is not positioned over the right-hand wide grit roller, or the left-hand push rollers are not positioned over the grit roller.
Page 21 CAUTION To move the push rollers, the media set lever must be in the lowered position. The push roller on the right-hand edge when viewed from the front must always be moved over the right- hand wide grit roller. Right-hand push roller Right-hand grit roller To move the push rollers, the media set lever must be in the lowered position.
Page 22: Adjusting And Mounting The Cutter Pen
Position all of the rollers over the right-hand wide grit roller. Position the medium with the left-hand edge aligned with the left-hand edge of the grit roller, and position the push rollers over both edges. The mini- mum width of the medium that can be set is 50 mm for the Vinyl Express. Grit roller...
Page 23: Cutter-Pen Construction
■ Cutter-Pen Construction The cutting plotter cuts using a cutter blade mounted in a cutter-pen plunger. There are two different cutter- pen plungers to suit the diameter of the cutter blade to be mounted (the 0.9-mm cutter-pen plunger is pro- vided as standard equipment).
Page 24: Adjusting The Blade Length
Step With the blade inserted into the plunger cap, screw on the plunger from above. ■ Adjusting the Blade Length If the blade is extended too far in relation to the thickness of the medium being cut, it will damage the cut- ting mat.
Page 25: Mounting A Cutter Pen
■ Mounting a Cutter Pen Adjust the blade to the correct length before mounting the cutter pen. Take care not to cut your ﬁngers on the cutter blade when handling the cutter pen. CAUTION Step Loosen the pen holder screw. Step While pushing the pen holder in the upward direction, push the pen all the way into the holder until its ﬂange contacts the upper part of the holder.
Page 26 Step When the cutter pen has been mounted, tighten the screw to hold it in place. Flange Pen bracket 2 – 14...
Page 27: Basic Settings And Operations
BASIC SETTINGS AND OPERATIONS Setting the Format of Data to be Received .......3-2 Setting the Interface Conditions ...........3-4 Setting the Cutter-Pen Conditions ........3-5 Displaying the Effective Cutting Area .........3-9 Moving the Pen ................3-9 Setting the Initial Cutting Position ... (Origin Point) 3-10 Stop Function ................3-11...
Page 28: Setting The Command Mode
Setting the Format of Data to be Received Before data is sent from the computer, the format (command mode) of the data sent by the application soft- ware must be checked. The cutting plotter accepts two data formats (command modes): GP-GL (Graphtec) and HP-GL commands.
Page 29: Setting The Step Size
■ Setting the STEP SIZE If the GP-GL command mode is set, it is possible to change the minimum unit of distance that the cutter pen or pen can travel to one of four settings: 0.01 mm, 0.025 mm, 0.05 mm, or 0.1 mm. The default setting is 0.1 mm, so this setting should be changed if your application speciﬁes a different step size.
Page 30: Setting The Interface Conditions
Setting the Interface Conditions The interface conditions must be set if the RS-232C serial interface is being used. The data transfer rate (baud rate), data length, parity settings, and the handshaking mode for the cutting plotter must be set to match those of the computer operating system.
Page 31: Setting The Cutter-Pen Conditions
Setting the Cutter-Pen Conditions Before starting cutting, set the TOOL (cutter blade or pen), cutter-blade length, OFFSET, FORCE, SPEED, and QUALITY settings to ensure the optimal cutting conditions. (1) TOOL (cutter blade or pen): Set to suit the material to be cut. (2) Cutter-blade length: Adjust the blade length by referring to the media thickness table below.
Page 32: Selecting Cutter-Pen-Condition Setting Areas
To preserve the pen life, set the FORCE to the lowest setting, and set the SPEED after checking to conﬁrm that there are no faint lines or other problems during plotting. CHECKPOINT • If the SPEED and QUALITY settings are set to high values, the cut/plotted results will have a coarser ﬁnish, but the overall cutting/plotting time will be reduced.
Page 33: Setting Tool (Cutter Blade Or Pen)
■ Setting TOOL (cutter blade or pen) Set the type of pen (cutter blade) to be used. Step To display the cutter-pen conditions, either press the (COND.) key when the cutting plotter is in READY mode, or when the media set lever is lowered and the buffer is in the empty (cleared) status. Step Select the setting area (condition number) to be set, and then press the key to move the...
Page 34: Setting Force
■ Setting FORCE Sets the pressure applied by the cutter pen during cutting. Set the FORCE value based on the guidelines in the table entitled “Optimal Cutting Conditions for Each Media Type” on page 3-5. Step Press the (COND.) key in READY mode to display the cutter-pen conditions. Step Select the setting area (condition number) to be set, and then use the key to move the...
Page 35: Setting Quality
■ Setting QUALITY Sets the acceleration used in cutting. Step Press the (COND.) key in READY mode to display the cutter-pen conditions. Step Select the setting area (condition number) to be set, and then use the key to move the symbol to the position shown below.
Page 36: Setting The Initial Cutting Position
Setting the Initial Cutting Position (Origin Point) This function allows the starting position for cutting or plotting to be moved to the desired position. New origin Original origin Step In READY mode, use the , and (POSITION) keys to move the cutter pen to the new origin point.
Page 37: Stop Function
When it is necessary to both move the origin and rotate the coordinate axes, be sure to rotate the coordi- nate axes ﬁrst. CHECKPOINT After a new origin point is set, the displayed coordinate values of X= and Y= repre- sent the respective distances from the new origin.
Page 38: Moving The Pen Carriage In +100 Mm Steps
Moving the Pen Carriage in +100 mm Steps This function allows the pen carriage to be moved from its current position in +100 mm steps along the X- and Y-axes. 100mm Moved pen-carriage position Original pen-carriage position In READY mode, press the key while holding down the (ENTER) key to move the pen carriage in +100 mm steps along the X- and Y-axes.
Page 39 Step Press the (ENTER) key to return the pen carriage to its previous position and to switch the cutting plot- ter to READY mode. Step Adjust the CUTTER OFFSET value to suit the type and thickness of the medium being used, and ﬁne- adjust the ﬁnish of each corner.
Page 40 3 – 14...
Page 41: Function Settings And Operations
FUNCTION SETTINGS AND OPERATIONS PAUSE Menu List ................4-2 Reading the Auto Registration Marks (Option)....Setting the FEED function ............4-4 Setting AUTO PRE-FEED ............4-5 Setting TANGENTIAL Mode .............4-6 Auto-Registration-Mark-Reading Settings (Option) ..Clearing the Buffer Memory ..........4-22 Aligning the Coordinate Axes ..........4-23 Distance Adjustment ...............4-25...
Page 42: Pause Menu List
PAUSE Menu List Pressing the (PAUSE) key in READY mode displays the PAUSE menu, enabling the various settings to be made. Select the required menu by scrolling through the list using the (NEXT) or (PREV.) key. Note: “MOVE TO R. MARK” is applied only for RMS model (Option). “AUTO REG.
Page 43: Reading The Auto Registration Marks (Option)
Reading the Auto Registration Marks (Option) Step M O V E T O R . M A R K When “2 POINT,” “3 POINT,” or “4 POINT” has been set (see “4.6 Auto-Registra- F E E D tion-Mark-Reading Settings (Option)”), press the (PAUSE) key to switch to A U T O P R E F E E D PAUSE mode and display the following menu.
Page 44: Setting The Feed Function
Setting the FEED function The FEED function feeds the medium forward and backward to leave faint tracks of the grit rollers on it and prevent the media from slipping during a cutting or plotting operation. Step M O V E T O R . M A R K F E E D Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode.
Page 45: Setting Auto Pre-Feed
Setting AUTO PRE-FEED When the AUTO PRE-FEED function is set to “ON,” the medium is automatically fed forward and back- ward by the preset length when data is received. This operation leaves traces of the grit rollers on the media and prevents it from slipping during a cutting or plotting operation. Similarly, if roll media is used, the medium is automatically pulled out by the cutting plotter.
Page 46: Setting Tangential Mode
Setting TANGENTIAL Mode This function should be used for the cutting of thick media (more than 0.3 mm in thickness) and when the cutter blade is not able to turn properly due to the cutting depth, resulting in discrepancies between the start and ﬁnish point and the inability to cut sharp corners.
Page 47 Step Press the (ENTER) key or use the key to move the cursor to the right-hand side, and then press key again to display the menu shown below. If the distance adjustment is set for the setting area selected, the distance adjustment will be displayed here. Either press the (ENTER) key or move the cursor to the right-hand side and press the key.
Page 48: Auto-Registration-Mark-Reading Settings (Option)
Auto-Registration-Mark-Reading Settings (Option) These settings enable pre-plotted media to be cut without any offset by reading the registration marks using the cutting-plotter sensor and adjusting the axes to suit the coordinate data. CHECKPOINT Registration-mark reading accuracy *: Within 0.3 mm * Accuracy when using pens provided with the cutting plotter, high-grade media, and reading the speciﬁed pattern.
Page 49 Registration-Mark Pattern The cutting plotter is capable of reading the following registration-mark patterns. Registration-mark pattern 1 Registration-mark pattern 2 Reading Range Required for the Detection of Registration Marks The range required for the detection of registration marks is as shown below. Registration-mark pattern 1 Registration-mark pattern 2 a=6mm...
Page 50: Registration-Mark Menu Tree
Drawing Origin Point The drawing origin point following reading of the registration marks will be at the bottom-right registration mark, as shown below. Registration-mark pattern 1 Registration-mark pattern 2 Origin point Origin point ■ Registration-Mark Menu Tree M O V E T O R . M A R K F E E D A U T O P R E F E E D T A N G E N T I A L...
Page 51: Setting The Registration-Mark Mode
■ Setting the Registration-Mark Mode For 2-point alignment, the origin and X-axis registration marks are read; for 3-point M A R K M O D E alignment, the origin, X-axis, and Y-axis registration marks are read; and for 4-point alignment, all four registration marks are read. Axis alignment (correction of any M A R K P O S I T I O N tilt) and distance adjustment are then performed.
Page 52 Setting the Registration-Mark Detection Movement Distance This sets the distance between the registration marks and changes the initial registration-mark scanning position. Avoiding reading areas that obviously do not include registration marks increases the registration- mark reading speed and minimizes the possibility of incorrect reading due to other marks on the medium Registration-mark pattern 1 Registration-mark pattern 2 M A R K M O D E...
Page 53 Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. CHECKPOINT • This setting is retained in the memory even when the power is turned off. • If the detection movement distance is set to 0 mm, the sensor continues detect- ing between the registration marks without skipping until it detects the next mark.
Page 54 Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. CHECKPOINT The registration-mark conditions that can be read by the cutting plotter are as fol- lows. • Registration-mark line width: 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm (The registration-mark center lines are used as the data.) •...
Page 55 Step Use the key to set the value within the range “5 mm” to “20 mm,” and then press the (ENTER) key to conﬁrm. To cancel the selection, press the (NEXT) or (PREV.) key. Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. Setting the Registration-Mark Distance Adjustment This adjusts the distance between registration marks automatically, rounding up or M A R K M O D E...
Page 56 If “inch” is the unit displayed, select from among “OFF,” “0.25,” “0.5,” “0.75,” “1.0,” “1.5” and “STD.” Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. Setting the Registration-Mark Origin Point If the registration-mark origin point is not set, it will be positioned as shown in the ﬁgures below. This func- tion should be set when it is required to move the origin point from this position.
Page 57 Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. Adjusting the Registration-Mark Reading Sensor (1) This adjusts the position of the sensor for the reading of registration marks. The adjustment crosshairs are plotted after crosshairs already plotted have been read, and the difference between the two is input to adjust the position.
Page 58 Step Measure the offset of the crosshairs in the X-axis, and enter the distance adjustment. Using the already plotted crosshairs as the point of reference, enter the actual amount of the offset between these crosshairs and the crosshairs that were plotted on top of them after the already plotted crosshairs were read by the sensor.
Page 59 Step Press the (ENTER) key to display the Auto Reg. Mark submenu, and then press the (NEXT) or (PREV.) key until the following menu is displayed. M A R K S E N S O R A D J 2 Step Press the (ENTER) key.
Page 60 Setting the Registration-Mark Auto-Scan Mode If the registration marks are at pre-determined positions on the medium, they can be scanned automati- cally. When ON Registration-mark pattern 1 Registration-mark pattern 2 M A R K M O D E was selected Point 4 Point 2 M A R K P O S I T I O N...
Page 61 Step Press the (PAUSE) key to cancel PAUSE mode. Adjusting the Sensitivity of the Registration-Mark Sensor There may be instances when the registration-mark sensor does not function cor- M A R K M O D E rectly, depending on how it is moved. If this happens, adjusting the sensitivity will enable the sensor to perform detection correctly in most cases.
Page 62: Clearing The Buffer Memory
Clearing the Buffer Memory This function deletes the data sent to the cutting plotter. It is used to abort cutting while it is in progress. Step M O V E T O R . M A R K Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode.
Page 63: Aligning The Coordinate Axes
Aligning the Coordinate Axes This function is used to compensate for any offset in the origin or angular deviation in the coordinate axes that occurs when a medium plotted in another plotter is loaded or when a previously plotted medium is reloaded.
Page 64 Step Use the , and (POSITION) keys to move the cutter pen to alignment point 2 (any point on the X-axis for the previously plotted medium). The coordinates displayed here indicate the distance from alignment point 1. P T 2 Step Press the (ENTER) key to calculate the X-axis angle of inclination and align the axes.
Page 65: Distance Adjustment
Distance Adjustment This function corrects any deviation in the length of cut or the plotted line segments, which occurs depend- ing on the medium being used. The adjustment value for the deviation is speciﬁed as a percentage of the total distance. For example, a setting of 0.05% adjusts a distance of 2 m (2,000 mm) by +1 mm (2000 x 0.05% = 1 mm), to become 2,001 mm.
Page 66 Step Select “X” or “Y” using the key. Use the key to increase or decrease the setting within the range of “-2.00%” to “+2.00%,” and then press the (ENTER) key to conﬁrm. If the condition-setting area is set for TANGENTIAL mode, the TANGENTIAL-mode setting will be displayed. Press (ENTER) again.
Page 67: Setting The
4.10 Setting the PAGE LENGTH This function sets the length of each page when long-axis cutting or plotting is performed using a roll medium. This should be set for long-axis cutting or plotting exceeding 5 m in length. The default setting is “5000 mm.“...
Page 68: Setting The Cutting/Plotting Area
4.11 Setting the Cutting/Plotting Area This function allows the area in which cutting/plotting will be performed to be speciﬁed, thereby preventing cutting/plotting outside the speciﬁed area. This function enables more efﬁcient use of the ﬁlm through the speciﬁcation of uncut portions of a ﬁlm that have already been cut, to avoid the previously cut areas. Note that setting of the cutting/plotting area also repositions the origin point in accordance with the movement of the cutting area.
Page 69: Expanding The Cutting/Plotting Area
CHECKPOINT The following message is displayed if the lower-left and upper-right settings are not separated by a distance of at least 5 mm. If this message appears, reset the lower- left and upper-right positions. W R O N G P L O T A R E A 4.12 Expanding the Cutting/Plotting Area This function allows the width of the cutting/plotting area to be extended by 9.5 mm on both sides, for a total increase of 19 mm, enabling cutting to be performed up to the area in which the pinch rollers are posi-...
Page 70: Rotating The Coordinate Axes
4.13 Rotating the Coordinate Axes This function allows the cutting/plotting origin and coordinate axes to be rotated as shown below. New origin When axis-coordinate rotation is “on” When axis- coordinate rotation is “off” Origin Step M O V E T O R . M A R K F E E D Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode.
Page 71: Mirroring
4.14 Mirroring This function allows the cutting/plotting origin and coordinate axes to be changed, as shown below. The origin when MIRROR is “on” The origin when MIRROR is “off” Step M O V E T O R . M A R K Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode.
Page 72: Cutting/Plotting Using The Buffer Memory
4.15 Cutting/Plotting Using the Buffer Memory (COPY Function) This function is used to make duplicate copies of cutting or plotting data that has been sent from the com- puter and is retained in the cutting plotter’s internal memory. copy 6th copy copy 5th copy copy...
Page 73 If the data to be copied does not ﬁt within the cutting/plotting area, the following message is displayed in step 5. C A N N O T C O P Y Use the , and (POSITION) keys to change the initial copying position or load a medium with an area of sufﬁcient size to ﬁt the copied data.
Page 74: Sorting Settings
4.16 Sorting Settings This function sorts and cuts or plots the cutting/plotting data stored in the buffer memory to minimize the amount of medium feed required. This is useful for data requiring a large number of movements on the drawing with the pen raised. If the data received has been sorted using the application software, sorting the data using the cutting plotter may require additional time.
Page 75: Interface Settings
4.17 Interface Settings If the RS-232C serial interface is used, the interface conditions must be set to ensure that the data-transfer rate (baud rate), parity, data length and handshake settings for the cutting plotter match those set in the application software or computer operating system. This section describes the interface conditions for the cutting plotter.
Page 76: Setting The Format Of Data To Be Received
4.18 Setting the Format of Data to be Received Before data is sent from the computer, the format (command mode) of data sent by the application soft- ware must be checked. The cutting plotter accepts two data formats (command modes): GP-GL (Graphtec) and HP-GL commands.
Page 77: Setting The Step Size
■ Setting the STEP SIZE If the GP-GL command mode is set, the minimum unit of distance that the pen can travel can be changed to one of four settings: 0.01 mm, 0.025 mm, 0.05 mm, or 0.1 mm. The default setting is 0.1 mm, so change this setting if your application speciﬁes a different step size.
Page 78: Blade Wear Detection
4.19 Blade Wear Detection (When Blade Wear Setup is On) This function calculates the total cutting distance of the cutter blade to indicate when it requires replace- ment. This should be used purely as a guide, as the actual cutter-blade wear will vary depending on the material cut and the cutting conditions (e.g., force) used.
Page 79: Setting Wear-Rate Groups
■Setting Wear-Rate Groups M O V E T O R . M A R K This registers setting areas in groups. F E E D Step A U T O P R E F E E D Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode. T A N G E N T I A L A U T O R E G .
Page 80: Setting Wear-Rate Factors
■ Setting Wear-Rate Factors This sets factors corresponding to the differences in wear rates due to different materials and cutting con- ditions. Step Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode. Step Press the (NEXT) or (PREV.) key until the following menu is displayed. B L A D E W E A R S E T U P Step Press the...
Page 81 Step Press the (ENTER) key to display the wear-rate setting submenu, and then press the (NEXT) or (PREV.) key until the following menu is displayed. C L E A R G R O U P Step Press the (ENTER) key to display the wear-rate clear menu. C L E A R G R O U P 1 <...
Page 82: Raising And Lowering The Pen
4.20 Raising and Lowering the Pen This function raises and lowers the pen. Step M O V E T O R . M A R K Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode. F E E D A U T O P R E F E E D Step T A N G E N T I A L Press the...
Page 83: Test Mode
4.21 TEST Mode The cutting plotter has ﬁve test modes: “Condition print (COND. PAT.)” for the printing of setting details, “Dump mode” for checking data transfers from the computer, and “Cutting force test cutting (PRESS TEST CUT)” for performing ﬁve test cuts. These should be used to check the various settings and to check for problems.
Page 84: Dump Mode
■ Dump Mode This function checks whether data is sent correctly from the computer. If the output data does not match the program after the dump list has been output, check the transfer conditions and connections. Step Mount a plotting pen in the pen carriage, and set the conditions to suit the pen used (e.g., force, pen speed settings) (see “3.3 Setting the Cutter-Pen Conditions”).
Page 85: Cutting Force Test Cutting
■ Cutting Force Test Cutting The cutting force can be changed in one-step increments from its current setting (in the range -2 to +2) to enable ﬁve test cuts to be performed. Test cutting can be performed after selecting the TOOL (cutter blade) and specifying the cutter-blade length, OFFSET, FORCE, SPEED, and QUALITY settings to ensure that the selected cutting conditions actually produce the desired cutting results.
Page 86 Step With the menu shown in Step 5 displayed, press the (ENTER) key to start test cutting. Five test cuts will be performed in the range from “-2” to “+2”, with the current FORCE as “0.” Test cutting will be per- formed from the current pen position.
Page 87: Setting The Pen Up Speed
4.22 Setting the PEN UP SPEED This function sets the travel speed of the pen when it is raised. It can be speciﬁed independently of the cut- ting SPEED function. When the PEN UP SPEED is high, the pen travels faster when it is raised, thereby reducing the overall cutting time.
Page 88: Setting The Offset Force
4.23 Setting the OFFSET FORCE (Initial Cutting Force) This function speciﬁes the cutting force to be applied during initial blade control for checking the cutter- blade direction at the start of operation. This is used to control the rotation of the cutter-blade tip during ini- tial blade control when thick media is cut, and is therefore not necessary to specify for media of regular thickness.
Page 89: Setting The Offset Angle
4.24 Setting the OFFSET ANGLE This function sets the reference value used to adjust the cutter-blade offset angle to correspond to the dis- placement of the traveling angle as deﬁned by the coordinate movement data received. The cutter blade is controlled above the angle speciﬁed.
Page 90: Setting The Step Pass
4.25 Setting the STEP PASS Reducing this setting increases image quality by enabling smooth cutter-blade tip control when arcs are cut. The STEP PASS setting speciﬁed is used as the unit for blade tip control, with blade tip control omitted for any data below the STEP PASS setting.
Page 91: Setting The Initial Down Force
4.26 Setting the Initial Down Force The initial down-force setting is useful when TANGENTIAL mode is selected (for the cutting of thick media). With thick ﬁlm, additional time is required for the cutter blade to penetrate the ﬁlm fully, even when the nec- essary cutting force is applied.
Page 92: Setting The Length Unit
4.27 Setting the LENGTH UNIT This function speciﬁes the units for coordinates displayed in millimeters or inches. Step M O V E T O R . M A R K Press the (PAUSE) key to switch to PAUSE mode. F E E D A U T O P R E F E E D Step T A N G E N T I A L...
Page 93: Setting And Using The Special Functions
Setting and Using the Special Functions Description of Special Functions A ........5-2 Setting Special Functions A ...........5-4 Description of Special Functions B ........5-4 Setting Special Functions B ...........5-5...
Page 94: Description Of Special Functions A
Description of Special Functions A The cutting plotter is provided with the special functions described below. These functions are speciﬁed only in special situations, and are not normally used. ■ Enabling/Disabling the “:” and “;” Commands (when the COMMAND setting is GP-GL) This function enables or disables the “:”...
Page 95: Enabling/Disabling Pen Up Move
■ Enabling/Disabling PEN UP MOVE This function sets whether the pen will travel to each point speciﬁed or only from the initially speciﬁed point to the last speciﬁed point when consecutive commands are received specifying pen movement while it is raised.
Page 96: Setting Special Functions A
Setting Special Functions A Step Turn on the cutting plotter while holding down the key. The menus for setting the special functions are displayed. In GP-GL command mode In HP-GL command mode " : " , " ; " E N A B L E D M O D E L 7 5 5 0 "...
Page 97: Setting Special Functions B
Setting Special Functions B Step Turn the cutting plotter on while holding down the (ENTER) and (ORIGIN) keys simultaneously. The special functions B setting menu is displayed. D I S P L A Y E N G L I S H Step Use the key to select the desired display language, and then press the...
Page 98 5 – 6...
Page 99: Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING The Cutting Plotter Does Not Operate When Turned .....................6-2 The Cutting Plotter Does Not Operate Correctly .....6-2 The Cutting Results Are Unsatisfactory ......6-3 An Error Message Was Displayed .........6-5...
Page 100: The Cutting Plotter Does Not Operate When Turned On
The Cutting Plotter Does Not Operate When Turned On Symptom Cause Solution The STATUS lamp on the Power is not being fed to the cutting Check to conﬁrm that the power cord control panel does not light plotter. is securely connected to the cutting- plotter AC line inlet and the electrical outlet.
Page 101: The Cutting Results Are Unsatisfactory
Symptom Cause Solution Abnormal noise is gener- The cutter plunger tip is in contact with Adjust the cutter-blade extension (see ated by the cutter during the medium. “2.4 Adjusting and Mounting the Cutter cutting. Pen”). Reduce the cutting force (see “3.3 Setting the Cutter-Pen Conditions”).
Page 102 Symptom Cause Solution The cutting start and end The data is not connected. Check by plotting using a pen, and cor- points for ﬁgures do not rect the data. match. The offset force is too low. Increase the offset force (see “4.23 Set- ting the OFFSET FORCE”).
Page 103: An Error Message Was Displayed
An Error Message Was Displayed Symptom Cause Solution CURRENT LIMIT or POSI- The cutting conditions are not suitable for the Reduce the cutting speed. TION ALARM is displayed. medium being cut. Reduce the cutting force (see The STATUS lamp ﬂickers. “3.3 Setting the Cutter-Pen Conditions”).
Page 104 If any of the following command error messages appear, they are nearly always caused by one of the fol- lowing two reasons: • The software or host-computer settings have been changed. • The cutting-plotter interface settings have been changed. Solutions •...
Page 105 Error messages in HP-GL command mode Error message Cause Solution HP-GL ERROR 1 An unrecognizable command was received. Noise was received when the computer was turned Press the ENTER key to cancel the error. The software command settings for controlling the Set the software command set- cutting plotter have been changed.
Page 106 6 – 8...
Page 107: Appendix
APPENDIX APPENDIX Appendix A Main Speciﬁcations ..........A-2 Appendix B Options and Supplies ..........A-3 Appendix C External Dimensions ..........A-4 Appendix D Menu Tree ..............A-5...
Page 108: Appendix A Main Specifications
Appendix A Main Speciﬁcations Item Vinyl Express Qe60+ 32-bit CPU Conﬁguration Grit rolling Drive system Digital servo Maximum cutting area 603 mm x 50 m Range of guaranteed precision 584 mm x 5 m Compatible media widths Minimum: 50 mm...
Page 109: Appendix B Options And Supplies
Appendix B Options and Supplies ■ Options Designation Part No. Description Basket PG0022 Basket for Vinyl Express Qe60+ Loupe PHP-61LOUPE Loupe with 6x magniﬁcation ■ Supplies Designation Part No. Description Cutter holder PHP32-CB09N 1 holder for the 0.9-mm-diameter supersteel blade PHP32-CB15N 1 holder for the 1.5-mm-diameter supersteel blade...
Page 110: Appendix C External Dimensions
Appendix C External Dimensions Units: mm Dimensional accuracy: ±5 mmS A – 4...
Page 111: Appendix D Menu Tree
Appendix D Menu Tree M O V E T O R . M A R K F E E D The Registration Mark Sensor function is an option. A U T O P R E F E E D M A R K M O D E T A N G E N T I A L M A R K P O S I T I O N A U T O R E G .
Page 112 A – 6...
Page 113 INDEX AC power cord ..........1-2 Enabling/disabling blade wear detection ..5-3 AC power inlet..........1-3 Enabling/disabling PEN UP MOVE....5-3 Accessories............. 1-2 Enabling/disabling Adjusting the blade length......2-12 the “:” and “;” commands ......5-2 Adjusting the registration-mark reading Enabling/disabling the home sensors ....5-3 sensor (1)...........
Page 114 Setting the cutter-pen ........3-5 Setting the cutting/plotting area .....4-28 NEXT .............. 1-4 Setting the FEED function .......4-4 Setting the format of data to be received ........3-2, 4-36 Optimal cutting conditions Setting the initial cutting position for each media type ........3-5 (origin point)..........3-10 Options............
Page 115 USB interface connector ......... 1-3 User Guide CD-ROM ........1-2 Water-based fiber-tip pen ....... 1-2 Wear detection..........4-38 Wear-rate groups .......... 4-39 I – 3...
Page 116 The speciﬁcations, etc., in this manual are subject to change without notice. VEXQe6+-UM-151 Aug 10, 2006 1st edition Signwarehouse.com...

Vinyl Express Qe60+ User Manual

1 Introduction

2 Setting up the Cutter Plotter

3 Basic Settings and Operations

4 Function Settings and Operations

5 Setting and Using the Special Functions

6 Troubleshooting

Appendix

Appendix A Main Speciﬁcations

Appendix A Main Specifications

Appendix B Options and Supplies

Appendix C External Dimensions

Appendix D Menu Tree

Quick Links

Related Manuals for Vinyl Express Qe60+

Summary of Contents for Vinyl Express Qe60+

Table of Contents