Contour Cutting uses a three-step process:

1. Create a cut path in a vector-based drawing program. Some popular programs include Adobe® Illustrator® or CorelDRAW®.
2. Create a special Quick SetA group of settings that is applied to images to create jobs in an efficient manner. that uses the cutter path prefix. This creates the cut file from the cut paths in the image.
3. Determine your cutting workflow and change your printer's setup options accordingly.

The first step in Contour Cutting is to create a cut path using a vector-based drawing program. This path can be as simple or complex as you like. Once the path is created, assign a spot color to it. The name of this spot color is critical to using Contour Cutting because RIP-Queue identifies the cut path from that name. The spot color name should have a prefix associated with it that will be recognized by RIP-Queue. If this prefix is not used, RIP-Queue will not create the cut path.

 

To create a cut path and assign a spot color using Adobe Illustrator:

1. Open the image file in Illustrator.
2. Create a new layer (Window > Layer > New Layer), and select that layer.
3. Draw your cut path using the box/ellipse, pen, or pencil tool. Make sure to close all cut paths.
4. Open the Swatches Palette. If the Swatches Palette is not readily visible, you may need to open it by selecting Swatches from the Windows menu.
5. Click the arrow in the upper right corner of the Palette, and select New SwatchStandard print image used by RIP-Queue for profile generation. A swatch contains multiple patches.. This opens the New Swatch dialog.
6. Enter CutContour as the name of the new swatch. This needs to be spelled exactly as shown here.
7. Select Spot ColorA specific color or type applied to individual graphic items. from the ColorThe attribute of visual experience that can be described using the dimensions of Hue, Saturation, and Brightness. Type drop-down menu, and use the slider bars to create a color. The color is not important since it will not be printed.
8. Click OK to close the dialogs.
9. Select your cut paths and assign your new swatch color to those paths.
10. Save your file in .eps format.

When RIP-Queue prints the image, the spot color you selected will not be printed. Instead, RIP-Queue will convert that color into the cut path to be used by your cutter.

 

NOTE: You may use any vector-based drawing program you want. These instructions are specific to Adobe Illustrator. Most drawing programs will follow a similar process. If you have trouble, see the Help Files in your drawing program.

 

NOTE: If the cutter you are using supports multiple layer cutting, you may use different cut path names to indicate the different cut layers. Each cut path name must start with the same prefix (such as CutContour) and then be followed by a number from 1 to 9. (e. g. CutContour1, CutContour2, etc.) These different layers can then be assigned separate cutter settings in Onyx CUT-ServerA computer that provides facilities to other computers on a local area network. Examples of servers include file servers, print servers, and mail servers. . For more information, see CUT-Server Online Help.

Before you can print a contour cut file, you must create a Quick Set . You can either create a new Quick Set or modify an existing Quick Set. The Contour Cutting Quick Set determines the spot color prefix used in step 6 of Creating a Cut Path (above) as well as the ability to use additional options such as TileSection of a print image. Images can be tiled when they are too large for the media, or to fit mounting and display requirements. Outline Cut Paths and Trim Overlap.

 

To create a Quick Set for Contour Cutting:

1. Open the Edit Quick Set dialog (Figure 1) by either clicking Configure Printer > New or Edit Quick Sets > Edit. Use the first option to create a new Quick Set; the second to edit an existing Quick Set.
2. Select your cutter from the Contour Cutting drop-down menu. If your cutter is not available, select Generic Cutter. Set all the other Quick Set options you want, and click Advanced. This opens the Advanced Options dialog (Figure 2).
3. Select the PostScript File tab (Figure 3) and enable the Use Cutter Path Prefix option. The prefix must exactly match the prefix you entered in step 6 of Creating a Cut Path. If it does not, you will not be able to create the cut path. Leaving this as the default setting (CutContour) is strongly advised.
4. Select the Marks tab, and select additional options. You can choose to Generate Tile Outline Cut Paths or use Trim Overlap.
5. Click OK.

Generate Tile Outline Cut Paths - This option is useful for multiple copies of an image that does not contain an embedded cut line or for cutting around the edge of a tiled image.

Trim Overlap - This option configures RIP-Queue to place cut lines in the center of the overlap.

Depending on your equipment, you can use one of three workflows:

• Print and cut on the same device - This workflow uses RIP-Queue to print and cut your image.
• Print on any printer and use the I-Cut® digital die cutter - This workflow uses RIP-Queue to print your image and the I-Cut application to cut it.
• Print on any printer and use a separate cutter - This workflow uses RIP-Queue to print your image and CUT-Server to cut it.

 

To print and cut on the same device:

1. Open the Edit Quick Set dialog (Figure 1) by either clicking Configure Printer > New or Edit Quick Sets > Edit. Use the first option to create a new Quick Set; the second to edit an existing Quick Set.
2. In the Contour Cutting drop-down menu, select By Printer.
3. Click OK.
4. Open your file and apply your Contour Cutting Quick Set. RIP-Queue will print the image and automatically cut it.

 

NOTE: This workflow requires that your printer can act as both printer and cutter.

 

To print on any printer and use the I-Cut digital die cutter:

1. Follow steps 1 through 4 for the previous workflow, but select I-Cut instead of By Printer in step 2.
2. Once RIP-Queue is done printing, place the finished print on the cutting table.
3. In the I-Cut application, select Options > File Location.
4. Browse your network and select the sharedHot Folder (machine name\cutter\I-Cut).
5. Start the cutting process. The cutter automatically reads the barcode on the image and finds the corresponding cut script file. 

 

NOTE: This workflow requires that you have an I-Cut digital die cutter. When you print using this workflow, a barcode is automatically printed on your image. This barcode tells the I-Cut cutter where to cut your image.

 

To print on any printer and cut on a separate cutter:

1. In RIP-Queue, highlight your printer, and click Change.
2. In the Change MediaA paper or other substrate that the printer creates images on. and Placement dialog (Figure 4), click Setup.
3. Select the General tab, and set the top offset to 2 inches. This adds an extra margin that the cutter needs when moving the media back and forth.
4. Click OK.
5. Open the Edit Quick Set dialog (Figure 1) by either clicking Configure Printer > New or Edit Quick Sets > Edit. Use the first option to create a new Quick Set; the second to edit an existing Quick Set. Select your cutter from the Contour Cutting drop-down menu. If your cutter is not available, select Generic Cutter.
6. Click OK.
7. Open your file and apply your Contour Cutting Quick Set.
8. Once RIP-Queue is done printing, use CUT-Server to cut the print.

 

NOTE: This workflow requires that you have CUT-Server. If you do not, contact your sales representative for an upgrade.

You can change the cutter assigned to a print job by right-clicking on the job and selecting JobAn image coupled with RIP-Queue settings. Settings. On the Job Settings dialog, you can then select a new cutter or, to turn off cutter marks, select None.

When Job Nesting is enabled, only jobs with the same cutter assignment will nest together. This assures that jobs intended for a particular cutter will print with the correct marks for that device.