A while back I created a step-by-step walk through for setting up the Roland GX-24 for Print & Cut using the Cut Studio software.  I’ve been emailing it out as requested to date but it belongs in a more public domain. 

Before I get into the steps involved, the most important thing to know is that this process has to be done in only the Cut Studio software.  You can create your artwork in another design software if you so choose, just save the artwork as a Bitmap (.bmp) or Jpeg (.jpg) to bring into Cut Studio. 

• The secret to the Print & Cut process is in the Crop Marks.  The Crop Marks that are set up in Cut Studio are what the Optic Eye on the GX-24 uses to register itself.  To add the Crop Marks on the screen, click on “File” and then “Print & Cut”.  This will put two round, black circles on the bottom of your page and one in the upper left.
  • You should notice the options below “Print & Cut” (print, print setup, etc) are no longer grayed out.  If you aren’t in Print & Cut mode there is no reason to use any of those options. 
• Make sure you have the correct printer and paper size.  To do this, click on “File” and “Set up the printer”.  This is where you’ll select the printer and paper size for your job.  If you adjust the paper size you should notice the crop marks automatically adjust to account for the new settings.

You are ready to import your artwork.  Cut Studio does not read fill colors for vector files so make sure the artwork you are importing for Print & Cut is a bitmap or jpeg as discussed above. 

• To bring in your image, click on “File” and “Import”.  Locate your design and click “Open”.
  •  More often than not Cut Studio will bring a design in very large.  To re-size the design, click on “Properties”, the “Size & Shape” tab and then re-size your design as needed.  Click the “Move” icon on the top toolbar to bring your design to the origin point on the screen.
• The next step is to add the cut line(s). 
  • With the image selected, click on “Object” and then “Image Outline”.  This will bring up the “Image Outline” box. 
  • Cut Studio will add a cut line anywhere the black meets the white.  You can adjust the colors by moving the Alignment Image Density slider. 
  • Once you have your desired density, click the “Extract Contour Lines” button.  If you don’t like what you see, you can still adjust the slider and hit the button again.
  • Once you have the cut line the way you want it, hit the OK button.

You are ready to print.  It is very important that the file does not move from here on out.  Once it is sent to the printer, what is on the screen must remain the same as when you send it to the cutter.

• Steps to print
  • To preview what your design will look like when printed, click on “File” and “Print Preview”.  You should notice that the image will be a bit move vivid and the Cut Studio Grid will be gone.  You’ll also notice that the cut line is not visible.  Cut Studio recognizes the cut line and removes it from the printed image.
  • To send to the printer, click the “Print” button in the upper left hand corner.  When your print box comes up, click the OK button.  This will send to your printer.

Now that you have your printed design, you’re ready to cut.  Make sure you leave Cut Studio in the “Print & Cut” mode.  This is the only way the Optic Eye will function.

• On the cutter
  • Load the printed Transfer in the cutter with the two registration points on the bottom. 
  • Select “Piece” when the Select Sheet option comes up on the GX-24.  This will measure your width and length. 
  • Set your origin on the registration point in the lower left hand corner. 
  • Back on the Cut Studio software, click on “File” and “Cutting”.  When the cutting box opens, make sure the GX-24 is displayed in the drop down box.  Click OK.

When you click OK, the Optic Eye laser will search for the Registration point.  This is why you set the origin over the Registration Point at the lower left.  It makes it easy for the cutter to find it’s starting point.  Once it finds all three, it will begin cutting. 

The Print and Cut process is pretty simple as long as you’re familiar with it.  Hopefully this has helped you!

If there are any questions, please contact me.

AY