eCal Print2Cut :0(

SCAL for the Sizzix eclips
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Cheryl1st
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:34 pm

eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by Cheryl1st »

I've been playing with the print2cut, and am not at all happy with the performance. One of the reasons I purchased, and waited!, for the ecal was that it was to have a better P2C performance than past SCAL2 (which never seemed to work right.....for me, anyhow!). I am hoping this info makes some sense, and that someone can tell me if there's a fix, or if this is just a "deal with it" situation (I really hope the latter is not the case).

Even adding a Shadow (Rounded) x 1.5, the cut does not line up properly. Here are the steps I take:
I do print from the ecal P2C window in order to have the registration marks.

1. Place Image on mat
2. Trace Image
3. Break Image apart. I then select only the image outline, and remove the rest of the small pieces from the mat.
4. Drag outline over the placed image.
5. Shadow the outline image, and size to 1.5.
This shows the shadowed outline placed over my image - plenty of room to leave a white border when I cut!
This shows the shadowed outline placed over my image - plenty of room to leave a white border when I cut!
Penguin ecal.jpg (91.9 KiB) Viewed 5052 times
6. In the P2C window, I go through the steps to align the laser with both registration marks. (My laser was dead on, for both marks, every time I tried to cut.)
7. Cut.
This shows my cut image, with the white border no where near where it should be, according to how it was viewed on the cutting mat (above photo).
This shows my cut image, with the white border no where near where it should be, according to how it was viewed on the cutting mat (above photo).
Penguin cut.jpg (183.16 KiB) Viewed 5052 times
Here is what is happening to my image. (Note: this is a copyrighted image. Copyright Bugaboo Stamps, which is why I have it watermarked.) I have tried this several times, and even with a larger shadow for my outline, to no avail.
It seems to me that there is an issue with the way the registration marks print calibrates with the laser. Is there a way for me to calibrate this, or is it possibly a software issue??
I've searched the internet for other people talking about this, but haven't seen any reviews on this feature. Would love to know what experiences others are having!
celyinsc
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:42 am

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by celyinsc »

I'm totally with you Cheryl. I've tried and 3 other ladies have tried to no avail and all are very SCAL and computer savvy. Does Craftedge (SCAL/ECAL) know the problem? Good question. I have written them. Since the cutting machine (eClips) is so new I don't think many people have this machine yet to register a grave concern. I think this can hurt the sale of the eClips if this is not fixed ASAP. The eClips is a super, precise cutting machine, but for many of who use it and for the paying customer, it's going to have to do the Print 2 Cut feature accurately to stand out among the crowd of cutting machines. We have already dealt with just a cartridge base machine. ECAL was going to do this for us. Hope to hear from Craft edge soon letting us know they are working on their problem. They have been excellent in the past for fixing the bugs. Craftedge...don't let us down now....rally to our cries!!!
sstehman
Posts: 1964
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:29 pm
Location: Sandy in PA (PC&MAC,Inkscape .48, SCAL2,eClips, eCAL)

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by sstehman »

I sent the link to your posts on directly to CE. Let's see how they respond to you.
Sandy in PA
craftedge
Site Admin
Posts: 360
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:34 pm

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by craftedge »

You will probably need to calibrate the laser. There is a calibration option under the Cutter menu.
Cheryl1st
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:34 pm

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by Cheryl1st »

craftedge wrote:You will probably need to calibrate the laser. There is a calibration option under the Cutter menu.
I have done that now, thanks for pointing me to the right place for it, but it is still not working, It still comes up with the cut the same as my pic shows of my final cut in my first post in this thread. I've tried changing the shadow size to a x1.0, and same thing.

Any other suggestions??? This is extremely frustrating!
papasue
Posts: 4397
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:08 pm
Location: CALIFORNIA
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Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by papasue »

Check your version of eCAL. Some members got 1.000, and the latest on the CE download is 1.001. I may not solve your P2C but you for sure will be better off with 1.001.
Susan E
http://creationsbypapasue.blogspot.com
LEARN, GROW, CREATE, SHARE


Mac 10.12.6 Sierra, eCAL 1.506, ECAL2.023, SCAL4Pro, Export Plug-in, Inkscape 48, iPad/scal3
eClips2.
celyinsc
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 11:42 am

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by celyinsc »

I've also tried calibrating. When I do a preview laser cut it looks pretty doggone close, but as soon as I tell it to cut, the blade moves over, punches two dots in the paper and proceeds to cut the image.....not even close to the image. It did better without the calibration even though it was still off. I'm still saying CRAFTEDGE guru's need to hunker down and try it. Seven different people so far I know and no one is getting close enough accurate cuts. Yes, I will check on the next version, but it has already checked for updates and says there's none, but will manually check now.
Cheryl1st
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:34 pm

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by Cheryl1st »

papasue wrote:Check your version of eCAL. Some members got 1.000, and the latest on the CE download is 1.001. I may not solve your P2C but you for sure will be better off with 1.001.
I'm already on 1.001. I updated when I first installed.
Also, my laser preview looked pretty darned close, too, but the cut didn't work out right, as you can see.
melchache
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 11:33 am

Re: eCal Print2Cut :0(

Post by melchache »

what i do for p2c is this.i get my image on the screen,copy and paste in place,go to path and do union.go to layers and hide the copy,print out the image and before i cut i unhide the copy and hide the original.it cuts pretty well for me
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