Cutting Manager User Manual

User Interface

The user interface provides controls for managing cutting jobs. Key areas include:

• 1. PDF Preview: Displays the cutting file layout.
• 2. Alignment Controls: Adjustments for X and Y offsets.
• 3. Status Bar: Provides information about the current job status.
• 4. Select Cutting File: Button to choose a cutting file.
• 5. Open Last Job: Opens the most recently used cutting file.
• 6. Media Controls: Buttons to move the media forward or backward.
• 7. Camera Preview: Shows a live view from the plotter's camera.
• 8. Black-Mark Distance: Sets the distance between black marks.
• 9. Black-Mark Size: Sets the size of the black marks.
• 10. Blank Mode: Option to enable or disable blank mode.
• 11. Label Spacing: Sets the distance between labels.
• 12. Cutting Force: Adjusts the blade strength and cutting depth (1-31). Common values for label cutting are 7-9.
• 13. Cutting Speed: Sets the cutting speed (50-600 mm/s).
• 14. Copies: Determines the number of copies to cut.
• 15. Copy Count: Displays the number of copies already cut.
• 16. Number of Copies Input: Field to enter the desired number of copies.
• 17. Start/Cancel Button: Initiates or stops a cutting job.
• 18. Pause/Resume Button: Pauses or resumes the current cutting job.
• 19. Cut Test Button: Performs a single cut to test parameters.
• 20. Advanced Controls: Access to more detailed settings.
• 21. Help: Links to user manuals and video guides.
• 22. Pad Number: Identifier for touch screen input.
• 23. Check Force: Initiates a test to find optimal cutting force by cutting multiple squares.

Cutting Direction Controls:

• Move down the cutting file (-X)
• Move up the cutting file (+X)
• Move to the left the cutting file (-Y)
• Move to the right the cutting file (+Y)

Advanced Options

Access advanced settings via the 'Advanced' menu (24).

Settings (24)

• 25. Industry 4.0 settings: Configure network communication.
• 26. Report: View cut logs.
• 27. Language: Set the interface language.
• 28. Init cutter: Restore plotter settings.
• 29. About: Additional software information.

Offset and Curve Adjustments

Saved Offsets: When new offsets are applied, they are added to the deltas, which store these saved offsets.

Dashed Lines: For 100% magenta lines in the cutting file, these settings control the cut length and spacing for dashed lines (min 0.1mm, max 819mm).

Sensors: Enable or disable 'Media/Lamination sensors'. If enabled, the software alerts and stops the cut when material runs out.

Approximation of Cut Curves: Adjusts how cut curves are represented.

Cut Sorting: If enabled, the software determines the cutting order; otherwise, it follows the PDF layer order.

Distortion Fixer: Corrects distortions in printed output. A positive value stretches the cut, while a negative value compresses it on the respective axis.

Axis Alignment (X and Y)

When printed output has distortions, the cut may not align with the print. Use the following steps:

X Axis Alignment:

1. Step 1: Verify the correspondence of the cut with the print.
2. Step 2: At the indicated point, adjust the offset to align the cut with the print.
3. Step 3: Increase or decrease the 'Stretch' parameter (X) to fine-tune alignment.

Y Axis Alignment:

1. Step 1: Verify the correspondence of the cut with the print.
2. Step 2: At the indicated point, adjust the offset to align the cut with the print.
3. Step 3: Increase or decrease the 'Compression' parameter (Y) to fine-tune alignment.

Overcut

For thin materials where cuts may not close, enable 'overcut' to advance or delay the blade start/end point by up to 0.9mm per cut.

Black-Mark Recognition

Check Area Parameters: Adjust the position of the black-mark checking area (blue square in camera preview).

Black-Mark Tolerances: Modify tolerances if the print distorts the black mark. Positive values are required. For smaller black marks (under 4mm for 4x4mm or 2mm for 2x2mm), reduce the minimum area by 100. For larger black marks, increase the maximum area by 100 until recognition.

Artwork Rotation

If artwork is not printed straight, cutting lines may have a different grade. To fix this:

1. Step 1: Check the match between the cut and the print.
2. Step 2: Rotate the die-cut to find the correct inclination until cut lines and printed lines are parallel.
3. Step 3: Adjust offsets to match the cut lines to the printed lines.

Adjust rotation by 0.1-degree increments and perform a cut test.

Software Features and Modes

Preset Saving (14): Save current interface values as a new preset for future use. Options include updating the main interface preset, settings preset, or both.

Middle Cut Start (15): Determines if the cut begins in the middle of a vertical side.

QR Mode: When enabled, the camera scans barcodes to automatically load cut files and mark distances. Files must be in the 'Barcode files folder' (default: C:\Cutting Manager\Barcode files folder).

Barcode Folder: A dedicated folder for placing cut files when using QR mode.

Buttons 1 and 2 (17): Used to select and adjust parameters for the plotter.

Industry 4.0 Settings (25): Configure TCP/IP communication for Industry 4.0. Enable the server to make the machine available on the network. Set IP (auto or manual) and port (default 3333).

Reporting and Updates

Report (26)

The 'Report' section displays cuts run by the Cutting Manager system. Session reports are saved automatically. The complete history is located at C:\Unit Cutting Manager\Report\CutHistory.txt. The 'SAVE AS' option allows saving specific work session reports.

Cutting parameters are saved after each job, automatically applying them the next time the software is opened.

How to Update Software

1. Go to Control Panel.
2. Uninstall Unit Cutting Manager.
3. Download the new Cutting Manager release from the website and run the installation.

Device Selector

When connecting multiple plotter units (cannot be used simultaneously), the Device Selector window appears, allowing selection of the active machine. For simultaneous use of two units, a USB 3.0 hub connected to a USB 3.0 port is recommended.

Industry 4.0 Communication

Communication Specifications

The application communicates with the Unit server via TCP/IP. Default server IP matches the network Ethernet port, and the server port is 3333. Data transfer limit is 65MB.

Special characters (), +, "", and ... are used for documentation simplification and are not part of commands. All commands and responses end with "!" as a terminator.

Obtain Unit Status

Command: GET_STATUS!

Description: Retrieves the status of the Unit and its jobs. Data blocks end with 0x17.

Return Data Structure Example:

(Unit STATUS)
Unit STATUS: not cutting/cutting/paused + 0x17 (end of Unit status data) +
(JOB1)
N:(job code),STJ:(job status),FD:(number of files completed),FTD:(number of files to do),C:(customer),TS:(job start time) + ;
(end of JOB1 data) +
(FILE_A OF JOB1)
F:(file name),ST:(file status "not cutting/cutting/paused/suspended/completed"),M:(material),CT:(cut tests done),LD:(layouts done),LTD:(layouts to do),TL:(total of labels done),TE:(time elapsed in seconds),MS:(material speed "x m/min/start and stop/sheets"),FS:(file start at) + ;
(end of FILE_A data) +
(FILE_B OF JOB1)
F:(file name),... + ;
(end of FILE_B data) + 0x17 (end of JOB1 block of data) +
(JOB2)
N:(job code),... + ;
(end of JOB2 data) +
(FILE_C OF JOB2)
F:(file name),... + ;
(end of FILE_C data) + 0x17 (end of JOB2 block of data) + ! (terminator)

Example of Returned Data:

Unit STATUS:cutting(0x17)
N:001,STJ:cutting,FD:0,FTD:2,C:Customer 1,TS:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm;
F:file1,ST:cutting,M:paper label,CT:3,LD:100,LTD:2000,TL:300,TE:3500,MS:16 m/min,FS:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm;
F:file2,ST:not cutting,M:paper label,CT:0,LD:0,LTD:3000,TL:0,TE:,MS:,FS:;(0x17)
N:002,STJ:not cutting,FD:0,FTD:1,C:Customer 2,TS:;
F:file3,ST:not cutting,M:plastic label,CT:0,LD:0,LTD:2000,TL:0,TE:,MS:,FS:;(0x17)!

Job Ended Notification

Description: When a job completes (all layouts done), the server removes it from the queue and provides a report. A report of completed jobs is also stored at C:\Unit Cutting Manager\Report\Queue jobs completed report.txt.

Return Data Structure Example:

(JOB1)
N:(job code),STJ:(job status),FD:(number of files completed),FTD:(number of files to do),C:(customer),TS:(job start time) + ,TF:(job end time) + ;
(end of JOB1 data) +
(FILE_A OF JOB1)
F:(file name),ST:(file status "not cutting/cutting/paused/suspended"),M:(material),CT:(cut tests done),LD:(layouts done),LTD:(layouts to do),TL:(total of labels done),TE:(time elapsed in seconds),MS:(material speed "x m/min/start and stop/sheets"),FS:(file start at) + ;
(end of FILE_A data) +
(FILE_B OF JOB1)
F:(file name),... + ;
(end of FILE_B data) + ! (terminator)

Example of Returned Data:

N:001,STJ:completed,FD:2,FTD:2,C:Customer 1,TS:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm,TF:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm;
F:file1,ST:completed,M:paper label,CT:2,LD:1000,LTD:1000,TL:3000,TE:2000,MS:16 m/min,FS:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm;
F:file2,ST:completed,M:paper label,CT:2,LD:2000,LTD:2000,TL:8000,TE:3000,MS:start and stop,FS:dd-mm-aaaa H:mm;

Job Management

Append Job to Queue

Command: APPEND:N:(job code),C:(customer);(FILE_A->)F:(file name),M:(material),LTD:(layouts to do (number or "u" for unlimited));(FILE_B->)F:(file name),...;!

Description: Appends a new job to the queue. Ensure files have unique names across jobs and within a job.

Example of Sent Data: APPEND:N:001,C:Customer 1;F:FILE_A,M:paper label,LTD:300;F:FILE_B,M:plastic label,LTD:200;!

Return Data: Success message or syntax error message.

Remove Job from Queue

Command: REMOVE:N:(job code/all);F:(file name 1,file name 2/all)!

Description: Removes jobs or files from the queue.

Example of Sent Data:

• (REMOVE ALL JOBS): REMOVE:N:all!
• (REMOVE ALL FILES OF A JOB): REMOVE:N:001;F:all!
• (REMOVE SPECIFIED FILES): REMOVE:N:001;F:FILE_A,FILE_B!

Return Data: Success message or error message.

Jobs Queue Window

This window displays jobs appended to the queue, showing job code, customer, order, file name, material, layouts done, and layouts to do. Users can delete files using the trash can icon. Completed jobs are removed from the window.