SummaSign t750 - Pro
SummaSign t750 - Pro
T-Series
IMPORTANT
NOTE
When selecting software drivers: If the Summa name is not
mentioned in the list of available software drivers, use
Summagraphics drivers.
FCC NOTICE
The SummaSign Pro T-series cutters have been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. These cutters generate, use, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of these cutters in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.
Caution !
DOC NOTICE
The SummaSign Pro T-series cutters do not exceed the Class A limits for radio
noise for digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of
the Canadian Department of Communications.
NOTICE
Summa reserves the right to modify the information contained in this User
Manual at any time without prior notice. Unauthorised copying, modification,
distribution or display is prohibited. All rights reserved. All queries, comments or
suggestions concerning this and other Summa manuals should be directed to:
Notice
TRADEMARK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Trademark Acknowledgements
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’s Manual
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1. Introduction...................................................................................................1-1
1.1.1. Product features...........................................................................................1-1
1.1.2. SummaSign Pro T-series User Manual..........................................................1-3
2. OPERATION
4. INTERFACE
4.1. Introduction...................................................................................................4-1
5 CONTOUR CUTTING
5.1 Introduction...................................................................................................5-1
5.2 General (see section 6 for the actual procedure details) ........................5-5
APPENDIX A:
Media certification ...................................................................................... A-1
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
LIST OF TABLES
GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1. INTRODUCTION
This manual is a reference guide for installing and operating the SummaSign
Pro T-series cutter models. These cutter models feature a tangential head
indicated by the ‘T’ prefix to the product designation.
This manual covers the following SummaSign Pro T-series cutter models :
• The SummaSign T750 Pro, which can handle media widths from 60 mm up to
762 mm (2.4” to 30”).
• The SummaSign T1010 Pro, which can handle media widths from 110 mm up
to 1020 mm (4” to 40”).
• The SummaSign T1400 Pro, which can handle media widths from 110 mm up
to 1370 mm (4” to 54”).
The term ‘Pro T-series cutters’ is used when information is provided which is
common to all members of this series. The specific model terms T750 Pro, T1010
Pro and T1400 Pro are used if information pertains only to that particular model.
The following are the main features of the SummaSign Pro T-series cutters.
• Media sensing.
• Full technical specifications for the SummaSign Pro T-series cutters and the
media to be cut.
• Step-by-step instructions for knife and ballpoint pen installation and media
loading.
1.2. SPECIFICATIONS
1.2.1. CUTTER
TABLE 1-1 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES CUTTER SPECIFICATIONS
1.2.2. MEDIA
Tracking - 12 m/39 feet max. within guaranteed specifications * for media less than
Performance 750 mm (30”) wide.
- 4 m/13 feet max. within guaranteed specifications ** for media larger than
750 mm (30”).
TABLE 1-2 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES MEDIA SPECIFICATIONS
Min. Margin***
Unperforated 25 1.0 25 1.0 25 1.0
Perforated 55 2.2 55 2.2 55 2.2
Front Margin 25 1.0 25 1.0 25 1.0
Rear Margin
Sensor on 42 1.7 42 1.7 42 1.7
Sensor off 30 1.2 30 1.2 30 1.2
* Media lengths greater than 12 m (39 feet) can be handled, but compliance with
specifications is not guaranteed (will be dependent on media type, media size and other
parameters).
** Media lengths greater than 4 m (13 feet) can be handled, but compliance with
specifications is not guaranteed (will be dependent on media type, media size and other
parameters).
*** for positioning of the pinch rollers (see section 1.8.)
TABLE 1-2 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES MEDIA SPECIFICATIONS (CONT’D)
Vinyl Types
A wide range of vinyl types has been evaluated and tested on the SummaSign
Pro T-series cutters. When using duly certified media, operation in accordance
with the functional specifications of the model is warranted. Other media
should be certified by CalComp before use to ensure performance in
compliance with specifications.
For a full list of all duly certified media suitable for friction drive operation, see
Appendix A.
Plotting Paper
The SummaSign Pro cutters are supplied with two standard knives (for vinyl
media), one masking stencil knife, one drag knife and one black ballpoint pen.
TABLE 1-3 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES KNIVES, PENS AND POUNCING TOOLS
To order replacement knives, pens and/or pouncing tools, contact your local
dealer, quoting the part numbers listed in table 1-9. The SummaSign Pro cutters
will only perform according to specifications if a Summagraphics genuine knife,
pen is installed. Do not replace the standard knife, pen or pouncing tool with
products from other manufacturers.
1.2.4. INTERFACE
TABLE 1-4 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS
1.2.5. FIRMWARE
TABLE 1-5 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES FIRMWARE
1.2.6. PERFORMANCE
TABLE 1-6 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES PERFORMANCES
1.2.7. CERTIFICATIONS
CE Certificate
FCC Class A
Comply with UL 1950, CSA 950
1.2.8. ENVIRONMENTAL
(cutter without media)
TABLE 1-7 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS
IMPORTANT HINT
1.2.9. ELECTRICAL
TABLE 1-8 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
OPTIONS/
ACCESSORIES/ T750 Pro T1010 Pro
CONSUMMABLES T1400 Pro
Cutter Stand Optional 391-400 standard
User’s Manual MD9045
Power Supply Cables MC1184 (Europe)
MC3545(US)
Serial Interface Kit, 423-155
consisting of :
- 9 pin to 9 pin cable
- 9 pin to 8 pin DIN conv
TANGENTIAL knife holder 391-663
Standard TANGENTIAL
knife (1 off) 390-549
Double tip knife 390-551
Standard nose piece 391-664
TANGENTIAL knife for
masking stencil (1 off) 390-550
Nose piece for masking 391-666
stencil
Ballpoint holder 391-667
Ballpoint pen 391-669
Holder for drag knife 391-668
Drag knife (set of 5) 391-360
2 Flanges for media roll 391-510
Manual cut-off razor
blades (set of 10) 391-146
Razor blade & holder 391-142
Pouncing tool 391-981
TABLE 1-9 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES ACCESSORIES AND CONSUMABLES
In order to get acquainted with your SummaSign Pro cutter, read the following
description of the rear panel components. Figure 1-1 shows the location of the
main components.
FIGURE 1-1 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES CUTTERS, REAR VIEW*
FOR PRACTICAL REASONS, ILLUSTRATIONS RELATE TO THE T750 PRO MODEL. ALL MEMBERS OF THE
PRO T-SERIES CUTTERS ARE SIMILAR EXCEPTING IN WIDTH.
3. Power ON/OFF switch : - This rocker switch sets the cutter’s power to ON or
OFF. To switch the power ON, press the “I” side of the rocker switch. To
switch the power OFF, press the “O” side of the rocker switch.
4. Power Entry Module : - The fuse box, the voltage select board and the AC
power cord receptacle are located in the power entry module.
The power-up procedure is explained in detail in Section 1.6.
For information about the conversion of the cutter's operating voltage,
see Section 3.2.
5. Roll Media Guide Bushes : - The two guide bushes serve to keep the
media roll in place when media is pulled from the roll.
6. Media Flanges : - The media flanges ensure proper routing of the media
roll.
7. Media Support Roller : - Rotating support rollers for the media roll.
In order to get acquainted with your SummaSign Pro cutter, read the following
description of the front panel controls and components.
Figure 1-2 shows the location of the main components.
FIGURE 1-2 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES CUTTERS, FRONT VIEW
1. Pinch roller lever arm : - This lever is used to raise and lower the pinch
rollers (Media loading is discussed in Section 1.8).
2. Media Drive Sleeves : - The media drive sleeves move the media only
when the pinch rollers are in the ‘down’ position.
The following table lists the number of media drive sleeves installed on
each model of the Pro T-series cutters.
3. Tool Carriage : - The tool carriage is the mount for the tangential cutting
head.
4. Control Panel : - The control panel contains 12 keys. All cutter activity
can be initiated from the control panel. This includes initiating remote
mode for computer control, local mode for manual operation and menu
mode. Each control panel function is explained in Section 2.1.
5. Display : - The 2x16 character display informs the user about the current
status of the cutting process or actions which need to be taken.
7. Pinch rollers : - The pinch rollers (one at each side) hold the media
clamped between the rubber rollers and the media drive sleeves.
The T1010 and T1300 units are provided with an extra low pressure roller in
the middle to keep the vinyl media flat.
8. Cutting strip : - Soft strip to avoid any damage to the knife tip when no
media has been loaded. Since cutting is done on the cutting strip it is
essential that the cutting strip remains intact.
9. Manual cut-off knife : - Upon completing a sign, move the media forward
by pressing the key. Use the manual knife to cut the finished sign off the
media roll. Leave the loaded media in place ready to start your next cut
by pressing the key again.
10. Stand : - The stand comes standard with the T1010 and T1400 units. For the
T750 unit the stand is optional.
1.6.1. EARTHING
! SAFETY WARNING
The wall sockets into which the cutter is plugged must be of the
earthed type. The earth conductors serving said wall sockets must be
properly connected to earth.
CAUTION
See Table 1-8 for the minimum and maximum operating voltage for the
different voltage ratings.
To check the operating voltage setting, locate the power entry module (shown
in Figure 1-1) on the cutter's rear panel. The power entry module shows four
possible voltage settings (100 V, 120 V, 220 V and 240 V). A pin next to one of
the voltage settings indicates the voltage setting currently selected for the
cutter. If this setting does not match the voltage supplied to your site, you will
have to change the voltage setting prior to powering up the cutter.
For information about the conversion of the cutter's operating voltage and the
exact fuse ratings, see Section 3.2.
USA : EUROPE:
THREE-PIN
PLUG
FIGURE 1-3 :
EARTH CONNECTION
Your cutter must only be used with a power outlet that is properly
grounded to earth. Use of an unearthed outlet exposes the operator to
risk of electric shock and will also lead to malfunctioning of the cutter.
1. Be sure the cutter is either placed on a flat, level and sturdy surface or
securely attached to its (optional) stand .
2. Plug one end of the AC power cord into the AC power cord receptacle
on the cutter's rear panel.
3. Plug the other end of the AC power cord into the wall socket.
4. Press the "I" side of the ON/OFF rocker switch on the rear panel to switch
the cutter ON.
! SAFETY WARNING
Your cutter uses razor-sharp knives. The knife blades may cause
serious personal injuries if handled without proper care. Use extreme
care when operating the cutter and when installing, removing or
handling the knife!
1. As shown in Figure 1-4, insert the standard knife blade p/n 390-549 into the
knife holder. Make sure the knife blade is firmly fixed into the holder. The
knife is firmly fixed when you can not remove it manually from the knife
holder.
To remove a fixed blade, when it is too blunt, push against the back of the
blade with the tip of a screwdriver. The blade will then jump out of its
holder.
This procedure is also valid for the installation of the optional double tip
blade p/n 390-551.
FIGURE 1-4 :
BLADE ASSEMBLY
2. Insert the grey nose piece as shown in Figure 1-5 until it snaps into the
nose piece holder.
FIGURE 1-5 :
NOSE PIECE INSTALLATION
3. Gently insert the knife into the tool shaft as shown in Figure 1-5. Hold the
nose piece in place with one hand, with the other hand turn the knife
holder anticlockwise until the alignment pin fits into the small notch of the
tool shaft. Now turn clockwise until the knife holder gets grip in the tool
shaft.
FIGURE 1-6 :
KNIFE HOLDER INSERTION
4. Holding the nose piece in place with one hand, adjust the knife depth
with the other hand by turning the knife holder clockwise until the knife tip
is just visible from under the nose piece as shown in Figure 1-7.
FIGURE 1-7 :
KNIFE DEPTH ADJUSTMENT
Press the key (MENU) key until the message 'USER CONFIG 1' is
displayed on the LCD.
↓ USER CONFIG 1
← →
Press the jogging key until the message 'KNIFE PRESS’ is displayed.
↑↓ KNIFE PRESS
← * 120 g → 1= TEST
Press the 1 key to perform a knife depth test as illustrated in Figure 1-8 .
FIGURE 1-8 :
KNIFE DEPTH TEST PATTERN
The knife depth is correctly set when the test pattern is visible on the front
side of the media backing, but not on the rear side of the media backing.
In general, you should increase the knife depth and knife pressure when
using thicker types of vinyl.
NOTE
As the ideal knife pressure and depth setting depends upon the
thickness and the type of media to be cut, adjusting the pressure and
depth of the knife will require some practice. In general terms, you
should increase the pressure and depth of the knife when cutting
thicker types of vinyl . For thinner types of vinyl, you will normally have
to reduce the knife pressure and depth.
CAUTION
After setting the cutting depth and/or the knife pressure, perform a
thorough visual check of the knife blade, which can be seen
protruding from the knife holder, and test cutting results on a scrap of
vinyl media.
DO NOT OPERATE THE CUTTER if the knife blade cuts through the media
backing, as this will seriously damage the cutter's rubber cutting strip
and the knife.
CAUTION
For most vinyl cutting operations, the knife blade tip will be barely
visible at the bottom of the knife tool. If you can clearly see the knife
blade tip, you will probably need to readjust the cutting depth.
To prevent damage to the cutter, check the depth of the knife blade
tip and the quality of the cut each time you load a different type of
vinyl into the cutter.
1. As shown in Figure 1-9, insert the knife blade into the knife holder. Make
sure the knife blade is firmly fixed into the holder. The blade is firmly fixed
when you can not remove it manually from the knife holder. To remove
the blade when it is too blunt, push at the back of the blade with a
screwdriver. The blade will jump out of its holder then.
FIGURE 1-9 :
BLADE ASSEMBLY
2. Insert the black nose piece as shown in Figure 1-10 until it snaps into the
nose piece holder.
When cutting masking stencil always replace the standard nose piece
(grey colour) by the masking stencil nose piece (black colour)
FIGURE 1-10 :
NOSE PIECE AND KNIFE INSTALLATION FOR CUTTING
MASKING STENCILS OR HEAVY MATERIALS
3. Gently insert the knife into the tool shaft as shown in Figure 1-10. Hold the
nose piece in place with one hand, with the other hand turn the knife
holder anticlockwise until the alignment pin fits into the small notch of
the tool shaft. Then turn the knife holder clockwise until it gets grip in the
tool shaft.
4. For knife pressure and depth setting, refer to section 1.7.1 point 4 and 5.
NOTE
The SummaSign Pro T-series cutters can also be operated with a DRAG knife.
This feature requires a drag knife and drag knife holder.
2. Insert the drag blade into the drag knife holder as shown in Figure 1-11.
FIGURE 1-11 :
DRAG KNIFE ASSEMBLY
4. Insert the drag knife in the tool shaft as shown in Fig 1-12. Turn the drag
knife holder clockwise while holding the nose piece holder in place.
FIGURE 1-12 :
DRAG KNIFE HOLDER INSERTION
5. To configure the cutter for drag knife operation, press the key (tool
select).
Then press the left or right jogging key until DRAG KNIFE appears on the
second line of the LCD .
Press ENTER and an asterisk will appear next to DRAG KNIFE. This indicates
that the DRAG KNIFE is selected. The drag knife will remain selected until
another tool is selected or the cutter is powered down. To start up the
cutter in drag knife mode refer to section 2.4.5 (tool submenu of the
USER CONFIG MENU).
6. To set the pressure of the drag knife, refer to paragraph 1.7.1 point 5.
7. To set the knife offset, perform the knife offset test described in
paragraph 2.3.3.
The SummaSign Pro cutters can also be operated with a BALL POINT pen. After
replacing the knife with a ball point pen, the cutter can be used as a plotter to
draw draft plots of new or existing designs on paper.
1. Remove the knife by turning the knife holder anticlockwise with one
hand while holding the nose piece in place with the other hand.
3. Insert the ballpoint pen holder into the tool shaft as shown in Figure 1-14.
FIGURE 1-13 :
BALLPOINT PEN ASSEMBLY
4. Install the ballpoint pen as shown in Figure 1-14. Insert the ball point pen
holder as far as possible by turning it clockwise while holding the nose
piece holder in place with the other hand.
FIGURE 1-14 :
BALLPOINT HOLDER INSERTION
5. To configure the cutter for ballpoint pen operation, press the key.
Press the left or right jogging key until BALLPOINT appears on the second
line of the LCD .
Press ENTER and an asterisk will appear next to BALLPOINT, this indicates
that the ballpoint is selected.
A small P (for "Pen") will be displayed in the upper right corner of the
LCD.
The SummaSign Pro cutters can also be operated with a POUNCING TOOL.
After replacing the knife with a pouncing tool, the cutter can be used as a
pouncer.
1. Remove the knife by turning the knife holder anticlockwise with one
hand while holding the nose piece in place with the other hand.
The following procedures are mainly written for using roll media . When using
sheets there are two possibilities. Firstly, when using long sheets, roll the sheet up
so that the alignment is identical to that of a roll. Secondly, when using short
sheets, alignment is not so important. If the sheet is cut off perpendicularly, it
can be aligned to the front border.
When working with cut sheet or roll media, the traction resulting from the
contact between the pinch rollers and the drive sleeves moves the media in
the X axis (forward/backward).
Proper movement of the media will only occur if the media is driven by the
pinch rollers correctly located over two drive sleeves.
The pinch rollers are lowered or raised simultaneously by means of the pinch
roller lever arm located on the right hand side of the cutter, next to the control
panel. The rollers must be lifted to facilitate vinyl loading when the media is fed
from the rear of the cutter to the front.
When in the up position, the pinch rollers can be moved manually to the left or
the right along the pinch roller shaft, so that they can be easily positioned in a
detent (click position) where they are to be lowered to ensure optimum
traction on the media.
When the pinch rollers are in the up position, the message "LOWER CAM
ROLLERS" is displayed on the LCD.
CAUTION
Always make sure that the pinch rollers are in the fully raised position
before sliding them to the left or right.
The pinch rollers MUST be positioned correctly and lowered onto the media
before an automatic load sequence is initiated. Make sure that the two pinch
rollers are positioned above the drive sleeves. The left pinch roller should be
positioned in a detent (click position). The right pinch roller should be
positioned somewhere on the long drive sleeve that only has a click position at
the beginning and at the end of the sleeve. The drive drum will move the
media only when the pinch rollers are lowered onto the sleeves.
Before lowering the pinch rollers, carefully check the position of the rollers in
relation to the drive sleeves. When the pinch rollers are DOWN, the two rollers
must run over the sleeves in order to ensure proper media traction. It is very
important that both media edges always rest on the sleeves in such a way that
the two pinch rollers, which are positioned 3 to 15 mm (0.1" to 0.6") from the
media edge, will run over the sleeves when lowered to the drive drum.
On the T1010 and T1400 units, two, three or more sleeves may be partly or fully
covered, depending on the media width used. To ensure precise and correct
positioning of the pinch rollers, special reference marks have been provided on
the head guide.
The central low-pressure roller on the T1010 Pro and T1400 Pro is used to
enhance media routing and keep the vinyl flat. Ideally, this roller should be
positioned halfway between the two edge rollers and above one of the drive
sleeves.
For media widths smaller than 600 mm, the central low-pressure roller on the
T1010 and T1400 units can be positioned in the UP position to disable it.
The loading procedure described below has been found to give excellent
repeatability. When loading media, adhere to these step-by-step instructions
strictly.
1. Raise the pinch rollers by means of the pinch roller lever arm located on
the right-hand side of the cutter, next to the control panel.
FIGURE 1-15 :
MEDIA POSITIONING
3. Position the media roll with flanges on the support rollers at the rear of the
machine.
Slide the two roll media guide bushes under the media roll so that the roll
flanges run into the groove provided in the guide bushes. In this position the
media roll and guide bushes can be shifted from the left to the right.
Start feeding the media from the rear of the machine.
Position the left media edge on the left-most drive sleeve and check
whether the right media edge is positioned over the long drive sleeve. If so,
the left pinch roller can be positioned in a detented position over the left-
most sleeve and the right pinch roller is positioned somewhere over the
long drive sleeve to suit the media width. The pinch roller can be lowered
anywhere between the two detent positions of the long drive sleeve to
allow for flexibility in holding any media width.
In circumstances where the above does not work, because your media is
too narrow to reach the long drive sleeve, try positioning the left media
edge over the second left drive sleeve and position the right media edge
somewhere on the long drive sleeve. Repeat this process if the media is
found still to be too narrow, locating the left media edge on the third
sleeve from the left and adjusting the right hand position as previously
described.
Follow the same reasoning when loading media on the wider models of
the Pro T-series cutters, which have been provided with more sleeves.
In all cases, both edges of the media have to run over a drive sleeve. If this
is not the case, reposition the roll of material to comply with the above.
FIGURE 1-17 :
FEEDING ROLL MEDIA WITHOUT USING MEDIA FLANGES
4. Make sure that the media follows a straight path from the roll of material.
To accomplish this, you can slide the media roll & guide bushes from the
left to the right along the media support rollers.
5. The pinch rollers should be positioned over the drive sleeves about 3 to 15
mm (0.1” to 0.6”) away from the media’s outer edges.
For wide media on the T1010 Pro and T1400 Pro units, slide the central low-
pressure roller into position. Ideally, it should be half-way between the two
edge rollers and above a drive sleeve.
If the central low-pressure roller does not run over one of the drive sleeves,
you may have to turn the knob on the back of the low-pressure roller to
disable this roller.
FIGURE 1-18:
PINCH ROLLER POSITIONING
6. Lower the pinch roller lever to press the media firmly against the drive
sleeves. After one second the tool carriage automatically moves from the
right to the left to sense the usable media width.
NOTE
It is not necessary to unroll the media manually from the roll. The
cutter will unroll the media automatically during the load sequence.
8. The cutter is now ready for the actual load procedure, which may be
controlled from the control panel.
SAFE OPERATION
Do not place any objects in front of, or behind, the cutter that could
interfere with cutter operation. Make sure the media is free to move
back and forth. Keep hands, hair, clothing and jewelry away from
moving parts.
Turn the power on and the following message will appear on the LCD screen :
PLEASE WAIT
LOADING...
When the next display appears, the cutter is ready to receive a file :
800mm/s 120 g K
ONLINE 1
When sending a cut file , the cutter will automatically pull the required media
from the roll. The pulling is done in steps such that for each step the length
pulled off the roll is identical to the width measured between the pinch rollers.
IMPORTANT
Press the key and the following message will appear on the LCD screen :
SET ORIGIN
X=0 Y=YYYY ↵
Press the key again and the following message will appear on the LCD
screen :
LOAD
1= ROLL 2= SHEET
Press the 1 key if you want to load media from a roll. Press the 2 key if you
want to load media in sheet form.
If you choose “sheet” and the sensors are enabled, then the sheet is
automatically loaded.
If you choose “roll”, the following display will appear on the LCD :
SET ORIGIN
X=0 Y=YYYY ↵
Using the , , , jogging keys, you can position the knife (i.e. the
origin) at any location. Press the key to confirm the selected point of origin.
MEDIA WINDOW
↑↓ ↵
By pressing the , jogging keys, you can enter the length of the media
you need for your task.
MEDIA WINDOW
XXXX YYYY ↵
The XXXX-value is the media length you define with the , jogging keys.
The YYYY-value is the cutting width of the media measured by the cutter.
Note : when the media length displayed is zero (0), the default media length
will be used.
Press to confirm the length and the cutter will start “shuffling” the vinyl in
order to establish a track on the vinyl.
If you pressed instead of the jogging keys for defining the media window,
the default media length is displayed :
DEFAULT WINDOW
↓↑ XXXX mm ↵
An XXXX-value appears. You can change the default value by pressing the
800mm/s 120 g K
ONLINE 1
800mm/s 120 g K
*ONLINE 1
When the built-in media sensors detect the end of the roll the message
END OF MEDIA will be displayed. The display will show the actual length
loaded.
If that area is sufficient, press 1 to ACCEPT.
If not, press 2 to ABORT and the media will automatically return to its
origin.
CAUTION
When you accept the loaded area in sheet mode, the cutter will clip the
sign to be cut in case of insufficient media. Compare the area loaded with
the area needed for the sign !
OPERATION
Figure 2-1 shows the control panel of the SummaSign Pro T-series cutters. The
main functions of the liquid crystal display (LCD) and the control panel keys are
explained in the following paragraphs.
FIGURE 2-1:
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES, CONTROL PANEL
Operation 2-1
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The 32-character liquid crystal display (LCD) contains two lines of 16 characters
each. The LCD provides cutter status information during operations and
displays menu options for the configuration of the cutter.
The contrast of the LCD can be adjusted from the control panel in order to
ensure optimum readability under varying lighting conditions.
Instructions for adjusting the LCD contrast are given in Section 2.6.12.
The various menu and submenu items are always presented in a loop, which
means that, when the last menu or submenu item is displayed, pressing the
appropriate key will automatically take you back to the first item of the same
menu or submenu.
Next to the status messages and/or menu options displayed on the LCD, arrow
Operation 2-2
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
When using the MULTIPLE RECUT FUNCTION the different copies will be cut in the
media in such a way that there is only a minimal loss of media. The distance
between the copies can be changed (See Section 2.4.18).
The key (ON LINE) toggles between on line and off line operation. When the
key is pressed, the selected mode (ON LINE or OFF LINE) is displayed on the
LCD.
Selecting OFF LINE will suspend all operations in progress. Pressing the key
while the cutter is off line will make the cutter go on line again, resuming the
suspended operation.
While the cutter is off line, the following operations can be performed:
• Press the or jogging key to move the tool carriage to the left or
right.
• Press the key (TOOL UP/DOWN) to lower or raise the active tool. If the
tool is not moved for approximately eight seconds, it is raised
automatically.
The key (MENU) is used to select one of the menus. Pressing the key will
make the cutter go off line and suspend all operations in progress. Pressing the
key repeatedly will display the different menus one by one. As the menu
options are on a loop, pressing the key when the last option is displayed
will automatically return you to the first option.
Operation 2-3
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
800mm/s 120g K
ONLINE 1
Menu
↓ USER CONFIG 1
← →
↓ INTERNAL TESTS
FIGURE 2-2 :
SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES CONFIGURATION SUBMENUS
Under normal conditions, the cutter is on line; it may then be selected by the
host computer for a cutting or plotting operation or deselected by the host
computer. Pressing the , or key will make the cutter go off line, in
order to initiate another operation.
Operation 2-4
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
MENU DESCRIPTION
USER CONFIG 1 (->4) Selects a given active cutter configuration from one
of the four sets of configuration parameters stored in
the unit’ s memory
TABLE 2-1:
CONTENTS OF THE SUMMASIGN PRO T-SERIES MENUS
The key (ENTER) is used to select the item currently displayed on the LCD.
The use of the 1 and 2 keys varies according to the operation in progress; their
use is displayed on the LCD as appropriate.
The use of the jogging keys varies according to the operation in progress.
For example, when working in the USER CONFIG menu, the or jogging
key is used to select the new user number and the or jogging key is
used to go to the previous or next menu item.
The key (TOOL UP/DOWN) is used while the cutter is off line to raise or lower
the tool. Pressing the key once will lower the tool onto the media. Pressing
the key again will raise the tool.
If the tool is not moved for approximately eight seconds, it is raised auto-
matically.
Operation 2-5
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The key (TOOL SELECT) is used to select one of the following tools :
a tangential knife
a drag knife
a ballpoint pen
a pouncing tool
To temporarily change the tool, press the key, then press the or
jogging key until the desired tool appears on the second line o the LCD. Press
the key to confirm the tool. An asterisk * appears next to the selected
tool. When the cutter is powered on the next time, the default tool will be
selected. For setting up the default tool see Section 2.4.5.
Operation 2-6
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The term "normal operation" covers on line operation, off line operation and
local operation, i.e. the three types of operation for actual cutting or plotting.
They are explained in further detail in the following paragraphs.
On line and off line are two important concepts when using the SummaSign
Pro cutters. The cutter is on line only when the following message is displayed
on the LCD :
800mm/s 120 g K
.45mm(1) ON LINE 1
When on line, the cutter can be addressed by the host computer, which
means that the cutter will execute cutting or plotting instructions issued by the
host computer’ s application software. The host computer will first issue a
SELECT sequence to the on line cutter, and the message "*ON LINE" will be
displayed on the LCD. The asterisk indicates that the host is in communication
with the cutter : i.e. the cutter is now “selected” by the computer.
When the cutter is on line and ready to receive instructions from the host
computer, it will remain deselected until actual instructions from the computer
are received. When the cutter is on line, but has not been selected by the host
computer, the message "ON LINE" is displayed on the LCD, without the asterisk.
For normal cutting operations, the cutter MUST be on line, so that it can receive
instructions from the host computer and the cutting/plotting software.
Operation 2-7
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
When the cutter is on line, but has not been selected by the host computer, the
following conditions must be met:
• The cutter must be connected to the host computer via a RS-232-C link or
a parallel interface.
To put the cutter off line, press the , or key. Pressing any of these
keys will suspend the current cutting/plotting operation until the cutter is put on
line again.
Local operation is only possible while the cutter is off line. Local operation
means that the cutter is operated directly by the operator via instructions
entered on the control panel.
2. To move the carriage to the left or right, press the or jogging key.
Operation 2-8
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
NOTE
Before altering any of the items in the USER CONFIG menu, make sure
that you have previously selected the right configuration number in
the USER CONFIG 1(->4) menu.
Operation 2-9
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
* = IN DM/PL ONLY
** = IN HP/GL AND HP/GL/2 ONLY
FIGURE 2-3 :
FLOWCHART SHOWING FACTORY PRESET MENU SETTINGS
Operation 2-10
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The KNIFE PRESSURE submenu is used to set or modify the cutting pressure of the
knife.
The PEN PRESSURE submenu is used to set or modify the pressure of the ball
point pen.
The POUNCING PRESSURE submenu is used to set or modify the pressure of the
pouncing tool.
The KNIFE OFFSET submenu is used to set or modify the distance between the
DRAG knife blade tip and the centre axis. This routine applies to a drag knife
only.
The default drag knife offset value is .45 mm.
The value can be set between 0 and 1 mm.
Make sure that the selected knife offset value matches that of the knife. Some
fine tuning may be necessary because of the mechanical tolerances on the
knife. To verify the knife offset, a test can be cut by pressing the 1 key.
If the offset value is set too low, the rectangles will not close.
When the offset value is set too high, the rectangles will be distorted.
The offset test is illustrated below.
Operation 2-11
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The pouncing gap submenu is used to set or modify the distance between the
pounced wholes. This routine applies to the pouncer only.
2.3.6. VELOCITY
The VELOCITY submenu is used to set or modify the velocity of the tool.
The default velocity is 800 mm/s (32 ips).
The velocity can be set between 50 mm/s (2 ips) and 1000 mm/s (40 ips).
2.3.7. OVERCUT
The SYSTEM SETUP submenu covers the menu items you normally only need
when establishing the initial setup e.g. when you install the cutter in
combination with the software you use.
Press the key to access the different submenu items, which are explained in
section 2.4.
Operation 2-12
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
2.4.1. CONCATENATION
The CONCATENATION feature increases the speed and quality with which cut
data having a very high resolution is cut. However when changing over to
normal characters again, deactivate concatenation by setting this parameter
to 0.
On the LCD, the active concatenation value is marked with an *.
2.4.2. SMOOTHING
The SMOOTHING feature helps to cut smoother curves when curve data with
many short vectors is received from the computer.
The default setting is OFF.
On the LCD, the active setting is marked with an *.
2.4.3. EMULATE
NOTE
Whenever possible, select the DM/PL menu option to set the active
cutting/plotting language to Houston Instrument Digital Microprocessor/Plotting
Language (DM/PL). This selection will allow the cutter to operate with DM/PL-
based cutting / plotting software. This language, having special command
extensions for cutting, normally gives superior cutting performance.
Operation 2-13
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
Select the HP/GL menu option to set the active cutting/plotting language to
HP/GL. The cutter will emulate an HP model 758xB plotter (with selectable
origin, see 2.4.12).
2.4.4. TOOL
The TOOL submenu is used to select the default tool at power up.
To configure the cutter for TANGENTIAL KNIFE cutting operations, select the
TANG. KNIFE option.
To configure the cutter for PLOTTING operations, select the BALL POINT option.
To configure the cutter for DRAG KNIFE cutting operations, select the DRAG
KNIFE option.
To configure the cutter for POUNCING operations, select the POUNCING TOOL
option.
To select a tool other than the default one temporarily, see section 2.1.9.
The MENU UNITS submenu allows you to select English or metric menu units for
DM/PL. In HP/GL & HP/GL/2 the menu units are always in metric.
For models sold in the US, English units are the default setting.
For models sold in Europe, metric units are the default setting.
On the LCD, the active menu units setting is marked with an *.
2.4.6. ADDRESSING
The ADDRESSING submenu is used to select the cutter’ s default DM/PL user-
addressable resolution. In HP/GL & HP/GL/2 the addressing is fixed at 0.025
mm.
The default addressing resolution is 0.025 mm (Europe) or 0.001" (US).
The user-addressable resolution can be set to 0.025 mm or 0.001" or 0.1 mm or
0.005".
On the LCD, the active resolution value is marked with an *
The BAUD RATE submenu is used to set or modify the operating baud rate for
RS-232-C serial communications between your cutter and the host computer.
Operation 2-14
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
NOTE
The baud rate setting of your cutter MUST match the host computer’ s
baud rate setting.
2.4.8. PARITY
The PARITY submenu is used to set or modify the byte format and parity type for
RS-232-C serial communications between your cutter and the host computer.
The default parity setting is bit 8 = 0 (8 data bits, no parity, the 8th bit being a
low bit). The parity can be set to any of the following values:
NOTE
The parity setting of your cutter MUST match the host computer’ s
parity setting.
2.4.9. RTS/DTR
The RTS/DTR submenu controls the Request To Send (RTS) and Data Terminal
Ready (DTR) signals of the cutter’ s RS-232-C serial communications interface
for hardware handshaking.
Operation 2-15
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The HP/GL ORIGIN submenu will only be displayed if the PLOT LANGUAGE is set
to HP/GL. (See Paragraph 2.4.4.) The HP/GL ORIGIN submenu is used to set the
origin in the centre (see HP/GL 758x) or the bottom-right corner (see HP/GL
7475) of the loaded media.
Operation 2-16
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
2.4.14. AUTOLOAD
The AUTOLOAD option enables the user to the change the vinyl unroll
proceedings. When AUTOLOAD is ON , the cutter will automatically unroll the
vinyl when needed. When the AUTOLOAD option is OFF, the operator himself
should unroll enough media before starting to cut.
The default setting is ON. The best results and performance are guaranteed
when using this setting. On the LCD display, the active setting is marked with
an *.
The TOOL COMMAND is used to determine whether the DM/PL and HP/GL
pen/knife-select commands (the P and SP commands respectively) are
ignored or accepted.
When the TOOL COMMAND option is set to “ACCEPT”, the P or SP commands
will change the selected tool in the cutter according to the suffix that follows
the pen/knife command. The cutter’ s LCD will, e.g. prompt the user with the
following message: “INSERT PEN” when a P2 command is sent. When the TOOL
COMMAND option is set to “IGNORE”, the pen/knife commands are ignored.
On the LCD, the active setting is marked with an *. The default setting is
“ACCEPT”.
The LOAD ON W CMD submenu will only be displayed if the PLOT LANGUAGE is
set to DM/PL (See Paragraph 2.4.4.). The LOAD ON W CMD determines, when
receiving the DM/PL Window-command (W-command), whether aside from
the scaling function, media is loaded or not. Besides scaling, the W-command
is also very useful when cutting long signs. With the W-command, media
loading will go smoother. Sufficient media will be pulled off the roll at once.
Even when AUTOLOAD is off, there is no need anymore to unroll the media
manually.
Operation 2-17
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
2.4.17. FLEX-CUT
FLEX-CUT can be set to OFF, to Mode 1 or Mode 2. When the cutter is set to
mode 1 or mode 2, it will alternately cut one length with full pressure, and one
length with reduced pressure. The feature FLEX-CUT offers the advantage that it
cuts completely through the material, yet allowing the material to stay
together by means of the small media bridges.
MODE 1 is the quickest mode, but it is less precise because the pressure
changes during the cutting. MODE 2 is a lot slower, but at the same time it is
much more precise, as the cutter stops at every change of pressure. Pressing
the 1 key will activate the configuration menu, which allows you to set the
cutting pressure and the cut length.
1. CUT LENGTH
This parameter determines the length that is cut with full pressure. By pressing
the 1 key, the FLEX-CUT test pattern will be cut.
2. FLEX-CUT LENGTH
This parameter determines the length that will be cut with reduced pressure or
without pressure. By pressing the 1 key, the FLEX-CUT pattern will be cut.
3. FLEX PRESSURE
This parameter determines the pressure of the FLEX-CUT LENGTH. By pressing the
1 key, the FLEX-CUT test pattern is cut.
The recut offset submenu is used to set or modify the distances between the
drawings when making multiple recuts.
Operation 2-18
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
4. Press the key until INTERNAL TEST is displayed and press the jogging
key.
5. Press the or jogging key until the desired internal test is displayed.
To exit from this menu and go to another menu, press the key until the
desired menu is displayed.
To exit from the menus and put the cutter on line again, press the key.
Operation 2-19
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
FIGURE 2-4 :
INTERNAL TESTS SUBMENUS
The purpose of the knife calibration routine is to detect and, if need be, to
correct problems related with the concentricity of the TANGENTIAL knife blade.
This routine should only be run when required. When noticing cut quality
problems with a new knife, perform a knife calibration test as described in the
following paragraphs.
During the knife calibration routine, the cutter will cut a series of test patterns
which will allow you to identify errors in knife rotation and concentricity.
Corrective measures can be taken using the control panel keys.
Knife calibration errors may be due to any of the following causes (see Fig. 2-5):
Operation 2-20
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
• Vertical misalignment. The knife tip deviates from its theoretical lateral
centre. This error can be corrected by means of the ADJUST LAT. test
routine.
ORIGIN deviation
LONGITUDINAL deviation
Theoretical 0º
angle of the knife
Theoretical centre
of the knife
LATERAL deviation
FIGURE 2-5:
POSSIBLE KNIFE CALIBRATION GROUNDS
The calibration settings entered during the knife calibration routine are
automatically stored in the cutter’ s memory and will be maintained after
power down.
NOTE
Operation 2-21
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
↓ INTERNAL TESTS
↑ CALIBRATE KNIFE
ADJUST ORIGIN
↑↓ 0
Weed out the ring and compare the circle pattern cut in the vinyl with the
circle pattern illustrated above. If you obtained this kind of pattern, increase
the value displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging key to correct
closing of the circles cut. To repeat the test, press the key.
Press the key to go to the next step of the calibration procedure
However if you obtained the kind of pattern illustrated above, then, decrease
the value displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging key to correct
closing of the circles cut.
Operation 2-22
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
ADJUST LAT
↑↓ 0 1
Carefully check the alignment of the different cuts: the two vertical lines should
meet seamlessly precisely in the middle, without any gaps.
Weed out the rectangle and if you obtained the kind of pattern illustrated
above, decrease the value displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging
key to correct closing of the lines cut.
To repeat the test, press the key.
Press the key to go to the next step of the procedure.
Operation 2-23
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
However, in case your cut resembles the pattern illustrated above, increase the
value displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging key to correct closing
of the lines cut.
To repeat the test, press the key.
A complementary test has been added to fine tune the LAT. adjustment.
Press the 2 key to perform the vertical test shown above. All the squares should
be identical.
Press the key to go to the next step of the procedure.
ADJUST LONG
↑↓ 0 1
Weed out the rectangle and if you obtained a pattern as illustrated above,
decrease the value displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging key to
correct closing of the lines cut.
Operation 2-24
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
displayed on the LCD by pressing the jogging key to correct closing of the
lines cut.
To repeat the test, press the key.
Press the key to repeat the calibration procedure or press the key to
interrupt the routine.
A complementary test has been added to fine tune the LONG. adjustment.
Press the 1 key to perform the horizontal test; all the squares should be
identical.
The CUT BORDER submenu is used to cut the border of the media area which
was defined during the load sequence. This function is particularly useful if you
want to verify the exact cutting area.
The MENU PLOT is a hard copy of the present cutter configuration, i.e. the items
selected in the USER CONFIG submenus described in Section 2.3. The plot is
organised by menu categories to show the current values for the various USER
CONFIG 1(->4) configurations. To run this plot, load a sheet of plotting paper
and install a pen.
Operation 2-25
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
NOTE
The CONFIDENCE cut performs an electrical and mechanical test of the cutter
to make sure that the cutter is fully operational. A media sheet of at least
A3/A- size should be used for this plot.
The DIN CUT also performs an electrical and mechanical test of the cutter, in
order to check the cut quality, but also provides the user with feedback on
knife setting, knife pressure, knife offset and cutting depth.
This cut is always run as a DIN A4 portrait/A-size image, regardless of the actual
size of the media loaded. If the media loaded is smaller than DIN A4/A-size,
part of the outer box will be clipped (not cut). This cut is always executed in the
sequence prescribed by the ISO DIN standard.
The SYSTEM TESTS submenu covers the menu items you only occasionally need
to adjust the cutting process.
Press the ENTER key to access the different submenu items which are explained
in section 2.6 below.
Operation 2-26
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The SYSTEM TESTS menu is a special set of procedures which are not required for
normal cutter operation. Field service personnel, however, will use the SYSTEM
TESTS menu occasionally. When in SYSTEM TESTS, the cutter is fully operational
and performs as described in this manual.
2.6.1. LANGUAGE
The MENU LANGUAGE submenu is used to set or modify the dialogue language
on the LCD. Press the or jogging key until the desired language is
displayed on the LCD and press to confirm.
The information on the LCD can be displayed in English, French, German,
Dutch, Spanish or Italian.
Selecting the ROM REVISION option, by pressing the key will furnish the
details on the cutter’ s ROM revision. This information is often helpful to
technicians when diagnosing problems over the telephone.
The SERVICE PLOT provides information about the cutter, which is helpful when
requesting service for your cutter. The SERVICE PLOT is always plotted at the
same size and should be performed with a pen on paper.
The plot shows the cutter model number, the revision numbers of the installed
ROM (Read Only Memory) circuits, the selected baud rate, the resolution and
buffer (memory) size.
CAUTION
Operation 2-27
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The SENSOR SETUP option is a useful routine to check whether or not the front
and rear media sensor are functioning properly and whether the switching
levels of these sensors are correctly set.
2.6.5. CALIBRATION
Calibration allows the length of the lines cut to be adjusted to within the
specifications.
For instance, if a cut line should measure 100 mm exactly, the cutter can be
adjusted for any discrepancy.
This test routine must be performed with a pen and is used to detect problems
with the cutter. The FRICTION PLOT is automatically scaled to fit the currently
installed paper size. This test should only be performed by qualified service
personnel.
The RS232 TEST routine verifies the cutter’ s RS-232-C serial communications
(transmit data, receive data, and hardware handshaking) circuits. This test does
not require pen, knife or media to be loaded.
1. Unplug the RS-232-C data cable from the rear panel of the cutter.
3. With RS232 TEST displayed, press the ENTER key. The cutter will start
transmitting and receiving data at all available baud rates and parity
settings. The length of the transmissions will vary because of the different
baud rates used. The unit then checks the hardware handshake lines.
4. Upon completion of the test, remove the loopback test cable from the
cutter rear panel RS-232-C connector.
Operation 2-28
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
The INSTALL MENU routine restores the factory-defined menu settings in all four
USER CONFIG menus. This test routine can be performed without a tool and
without media.
This test is used to calibrate knife and pen pressure and to set the knife and pen
“landing”.
After adjustment, the value is saved in the system’ s non-volatile RAM.
To execute this test a tension gauge of ± 100 gr and ± 500 gr is required.
In the upper line of the display the desired pressure appears and in the bottom
line of the display the value that has to be sent to the head to reach this
pressure (this value is between 0 and 127).
The LCD CONTRAST submenu is used to adjust the contrast (or intensity) of the
liquid crystal display on the control panel.
Press the or jogging key to increase or reduce the contrast and press
to confirm.
Operation 2-29
SECTION 3
GENERAL INFORMATION
The SummaSign Pro cutter range has a number of sliding surfaces made of
smooth metals and plastics. They are virtually friction-free and require no
lubrication. They will, however, collect dust and lint which may affect the
performance of the cutter. Keep the cutter as clean as possible by using a dust
cover. When necessary, clean the unit with a soft cloth dampened with
isopropyl alcohol or mild detergent. Do not use abrasives.
After a time, the sleeves of the drive drum may become clogged with
accumulated residue from the media. This situation may affect traction as the
media will tend to slip between the pinch rollers and the drive sleeves.
1. First disable the sensors by covering them, or via the configuration menu
(see 2.4.12 Media Sensor).
2. Place the cutter in local operation. (See Section 2.2.2.) Local operation
will allow you to use the control panel jogging keys, even when no media
is loaded.
3. Remove the backing from a piece of vinyl. Place the vinyl with the tacky
side down between one of the pinch rollers and a drive sleeve. Lower the
pinch roller arm.
4. Use the and jogging keys to move the piece of vinyl backward
and forward several times, until all residue is removed from the drive
sleeves.
5. Raise the pinch roller arm and remove the piece of vinyl media.
SLEEVE
FIGURE 3-1:
CLEANING OF THE DRIVE SLEEVES
After a certain time, the sensor may become dirty with accumulated residue
from the media. This situation may cause malfunctioning of the cutter.
1. The sensors are located on the cutter’s right side. One sensor is located on
the front platen the other sensor is located on the rear platen.
FIGURE 3-2:
LOCATION OF THE SENSORS
2. To keep the sensors clean, it is sufficient to wipe them out now and then
with a cotton swab.
The nose piece may become dirty with accumulated residue from the vinyl
and will result in poor cut quality.
1. Gently take out the knife or ball-point pen by turning the knife holder
anticlockwise.
2. Observe the orientation of the nose piece first and then push it out of its
holder.
The power entry module cover shows four possible AC voltage settings (100 V,
120 V, 230 V and 240 V). The pin in one of the holes indicates the cutter's active
voltage setting. If this setting does not match the voltage supplied to your site,
you must change the voltage BEFORE powering on the cutter.
When changing the voltage setting, you will also have to change the fuses as
appropriate to the voltage.
To change the fuse(s), remove the fuse(s) from the fuse box behind the cover
plate of the power entry module.
NOTE
Always make sure that you are using the correct fuses for your
voltage selection.
FIGURE 3-3
POWER ENTRY MODULE
4.1. INTRODUCTION
This section describes the signal connections for RS-232-C serial communication
between your cutter and the host computer. When connecting the cutter to
the host computer, always proceed as follows:
If your cutter is not specifically listed, use the cabling specified for the
Houston Instrument DMP-60C cutters.
Interface 4-1
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
4. To redirect the output to serial port #1, enter the following command at
the system prompt: MODE LPT1:=COM1:.
5. To redirect the output to serial port #2, enter the following command at
the system prompt: MODE LPT1:=COM2:.
6. The computer end of the cable must be plugged into the serial port
defined as COM1 (or COM2). The cutter's baud rate must be set to 9600,
with parity NONE and RTS/DTR mode set to TOGGLE.
2. Analogous to 4.2.1.2.
Interface 4-2
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
Interface 4-3
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
If you are making your own cable, only a few of the cutter pins will actually
need to be connected to the host computer. To ensure optimum results, the
cable length should not exceed 4.8 m (16 feet). It should be taken into
account that your computer or cutting software may also require additional
loopback connections at the host computer's end of the data cable.
• Connect the Transmit Data (TXD) pin of the computer to pin #2 of the
cutter.
• Connect the Receive Data (RXD) pin of the computer to pin #3 of the
cutter.
• For hardware handshaking, connect the Clear To Send (CTS) pin of the
computer to pin #4 or pin #7 of the cutter. Connect the Request To Send
(RTS) pin of the computer to pin #8 of the cutter.
• Connect the ground (GND) pin of the computer to pin #5 of the cutter.
Interface 4-4
5. Contour cutting on the SummaSign Series cutters
5.1 INTRODUCTION
2. SKEWED DESIGN : If the X and Y axes of the printed design are not
perpendicular, the contour can be skewed to fit the printed design.
3. INCORRECTLY SCALED DESIGN : If the print size is different from the original
design in your software due to media expansion or shrinkage, or due to
printing inaccuracies, the contour can be scaled to fit the printed graphic.
Press the key (MENU) until the message 'USER CONFIG 1' is displayed
on the LCD.
↓ USER CONFIG 1
← →
Press the jogging key until the message ‘SYSTEM SETUP’ is displayed.
↑↓ SYSTEM SETUP
↵
Press the jogging key until the message ‘SPECIAL LOAD’ is displayed.
↑↓ SPECIAL LOAD
← * X- ALIGN. →
The alignment methods are based on the principle of cross-marks that are
printed together with the drawing. These cross-marks can be of any type.
There are three alignment methods.
NOTE
The SummaSign Series cutters can also be equipped with an Optical
POsitioning System (OPOS). This automatic system guarantees precise
contour cutting. The use of the OPOS is explained in a separate manual
(MI9981).
Alignment methods:
1. X-Alignment : counterbalances a “rotated design” problem. For this
method, the origin and one point along the x-axis must be specified. This
method only rotates the contour. It does not require any distance
parameters. This is the fastest and easiest method. It is advised to use this
method with small sheets (up to A3 (11” x 17”)).
X-Axis point
Two cross-marks
indicating the
origin and the X-
axis.
Origin point
X-Axis point
Three cross-
Y-Axis point marks indicating
Origin point the origin, the X-
axis and the Y-
axis.
X-Axis point
Three cross-
Y-Axis point
marks indicating
the origin, the X-
Origin point axis and the Y-
axis.
5.2 GENERAL
• Create in your software the design you want to print and Cut:
⇒ Do not define the contour exactly on a printed line. This way it will not
catch the eye if the contour has moved a little during cutting.
NOTE
Most dedicated sign-making software will provide some easier ways to do
all this. Please contact your dealer.
• Make multiple copies if necessary (of both the design and the contour):
Origin cross-mark
X-Axis point
⇒ Place the markers as far as possible from each other for maximum
accuracy.
⇒ Place the cross-marks on a separate layer for easier handling.
• Place the cross-mark indicating the Y-axis (only when using the XY-
Alignment and the XY-Adjustment method):
Y-Axis point
♦ Make sure that the cross-mark is placed exactly above the origin
marker.
♦ The exact distance between the two points that are indicated
by this marker and the origin must be known (only when using
the XY-Adjustment method). Do not measure these distances on
the print-out, but measure them in the software.
⇒ Place the markers as far as possible from each other for maximum
accuracy.
X-Axis point
• When printing on sheets or cutting off your print from the roll, make sure
that there is a margin of at least 8 cm (3.15”) at the end of the sheet:
X-Axis point
• Load the print out in the cutter as described in the User’s Manual. Make
sure that the cross-mark indicating the origin is situated at the front right.
X-Axis point
• If you have selected the XY-adjustment method (see above), then open
Summa Cutter Control and select OPOS in the Configuration menu.
♦ Fill in the values for the marker distances and press OK:
• Before proceeding, make sure all the cutting parameters are correct
(pressure, velocity, …). See User’s Manual.
• Press the key until the message 'SPECIAL LOAD' is displayed on the
LCD.
SPECIAL LOAD
↵
• Press the key.
DIGITIZE ORIGIN
X=0 Y=0 ↵
• Position the knife tip exactly above the origin-marker using the , ,
, jogging keys.
During this entire procedure, make sure that the knife does not rotate, which
may cause an offset error.
Indicate the cross-marks with extreme accuracy because it directly
influences the result.
DIGITIZE POINT
X = 100 Y = 0 ↵
• Position the knife tip exactly above the mark indicating the X-axis.
• Press the key. If the X-axis-alignment method has been choosen, the
special load procedure will stop here. For the two other methods: position
the knife tip exactly above the cross-mark indicating the Y-axis. Press the
key .
DIGITIZE POINT
X = 0 Y = 100 ↵
• Follow the specific instructions for contour cutting in your software. If there
are no such instructions, follow the explanation below.
• Move the entire design (cross-marks and contours included) in your
software so that the origin mark is situated in the lower left corner of the
cutting area (In most sign-making software the orientation is landscape. If
not, you will have to rotate everything).
⇒ Some software will shift the selected contours to the origin when
cutting. This can be avoided by adding a small rectangle that has its
lower left corner right in the origin. Select this rectangle together with
the contours.
Correct Incorrect
Origin Origin
Types of media
A wide range of vinyl types has been evaluated and extensively tested on the
SummaSign Pro T-series cutters. To ensure operation in compliance with the
functional specifications of the T-Series cutters as listed in Section 1 of the User’s
Manual, only duly certified media should be used.
An alphabetic list of all duly certified media is included below. Before using
other media, please contact your local Summa representative for advice.
Manufacturer Type
3M Scotchcal Series 100
Scotchcal Series 3480
Scotchcal Translucent Series 3630
Scotchcal Special Effects 210
Controltac Series 170
Controltac Series 180
APA
ARLON Series 2100
Series 2500
FASSON Economy
Fascal 900 High Performance
Fascal 4500 Translucent
Fascal 8800 Intermediate
Rubyscreen
GRAFITACK Economy
100 Series
200 - 300 Series
Transparent
KAPCO High Performance Cast Vinyl
Intermediate K5000
MACTAC MaCal 8900
MaCal 9700
MaCal 9800
Appendix A-1
Summasign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
Appendix A-2
SummaSign Pro T-series Cutters User’ s Manual
SUMMA ADDRESSES
Summa Inc.
10001 Lake City Way NE
SEATTLE, WA 98125
USA
E-mail support@summausa.com
Europe
Summa NV
Rochesterlaan 6
8470 GISTEL
Belgium
E-mail summanv@summa.be
Addresses