Why Is My Machine Tearing or Dragging Through My Material?
There are several variables that may cause a machine to tear through material. Fortunately, this problem can usually be resolved with some basic troubleshooting steps. If your Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore machine is tearing or dragging through the material, check the following:
Troubleshooting for Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore
-
Make sure that you have selected the correct material setting in Design Space or that the Smart Set Dial is on the correct setting.
- If you are using the Custom setting, ensure that the proper material is selected from the drop-down list.
-
Verify the size and intricacy of the image. If you are cutting an image which is very intricate or small, try cutting a simpler or larger.
- If cutting a simple image resolves the issue, try cutting the more intricate image using the Custom setting for Cardstock - Intricate Cuts.
- If using a Cricut Explore Air 2 or Cricut Maker in Fast Mode, turn Fast Mode off and attempt your cut again.
-
Remove the blade housing from the machine, then remove the blade and check for any debris inside the housing or on the blade.
-
Reduce pressure settings for that material type in the Manage Custom Materials screen by increments of 2-4. Access the Manage Custom Materials screen through the account menu or by selecting Edit Custom Materials in the upper right of your Mat Preview screen after you click Change Material.
-
This may need to be done 2-3 times to change the cut result.
-
Attempt cutting a different material – such as copy paper – at the appropriate setting for that material. It could be a problem with the specific material that you are trying to cut.
-
Try using a new blade and mat. Both of these can cause cut issues.
-
If the issue persists after you have completed all of these steps, please contact Member Care through one of the options below for further assistance.
Troubleshooting for Older Machines
Cricut Personal, Cricut Create, Cricut Cake, Cricut Cake Mini, Cricut Expression
-
Perform a Hard Reset on the machine. If this does not help, proceed to 2.
-
If the blade is still dragging through your material, please contact Member Care through one of the options below for further assistance.
Cricut Expression 2, Cricut Imagine
-
Remove the blade housing from the machine, then remove the blade and check for any debris inside the housing or on the blade.
-
Ensure that you replace the blade housing into the machine correctly. If you did not find debris stuck to the blade or lodged inside the housing, proceed to step 3.
-
Increase machine pressure settings, located on the Project Preview screen. If this does not change the result, proceed to step 4.
-
Increase blade depth by turning the dial on the blade housing. If this does not change the result, proceed to step 5.
-
Try an arm buoyancy test. Gently press down on the black arms that surround the blade housing and then release them. They should bounce right back up. If they stick or rub in any way, please contact Member Care through one of the options below for further assistance. If they bounce right back up when released, proceed to step 6.
-
Retry your cuts with a new blade housing. If the issue persists, please contact Member Care through one of the options below for assistance.
