Contour Cutting example using a Roland Printer-Cutter (image courtesy of rolanddga.com)
Contour Cutting (Cut Contours)
Making decals and stickers like the one above is easy using SignMaker, and no matter what equipment you have, you’ll find Contour Cutting using SignMaker’s Contour Cutting Wizard will quickly guide you through the whole process for the most accurate Contour Cutting possible!
What is Contour Cutting?
Contour Cutting involves placing an outline around an Object or Objects in SignMaker. The Object(s) but not the Outline are printed onto media such as white vinyl, later the Outline is cut out using special Registration Marks (ARMS) or a Laser Pointer and a Vinyl Cutter, which then creates a decal or sticker. The Outline can be set at any distance from the edge of the Object or Objects and cut out from a separate vinyl cutter or on a Printer-Cutter.
Print, Laminate & Cut
Another application of Contour Cutting is to create a Cutline around an artwork’s perimeter. The artwork (not the Cutline) is then printed and later laminated and the Cutline then cut out to create the finished artwork.
SignMaker & Contour Cutting
SignMaker comes with specialist Contour Cutting tools and features including a Contour Cut Module for creating contour cutlines and a Contour Cutting Wizard for super accurate Contour Cutting, outlined below.
Contour Cutting Wizard
Click on the image (above) to see it full size…
Contour Cut Wizard
The Contour Cutting Wizard will guide you through the Contour Cutting process which will vary depending on on what equipment you have. This will include a Desk-top or Large Format Printer and either a Laser Pointer Cutter, a Vinyl Cutter with ARMS, a Printer-Cutter or combination of devices.
No Printer!
Even if you don’t have a vinyl printer you can create super-high quality PDF files for someone else to print out for you which you can then contour cut using your vinyl cutter, or plotter.
Automatic Registration Mark Sensing (ARMS) Vinyl Cutters
The Contour Cutting Wizard has been designed to work with Automatic Registration Mark Sensing (ARMS) Vinyl Cutters from all the leading manufacturers, including most Chinese Vinyl Cutters.
Automated Print & Cut
This system of automatically finding the artwork’s correct position using special marks (as shown directly above) and then cutting out the contour cutline to match exactly what has been printed, is a fool-proof way of getting the job done right every time.
Calibration Tools
SignMaker also comes with registration mark calibration tools to make sure you get super accurate results of less than 0.008 of an inch or 0.2 of a millimeter for the most accurate Contour Cutting possible.
Laser Pointer Vinyl Cutters and Plotters
SignMaker also supports Laser Vinyl Cutters and Plotters.
Laser Pointer Offset
SignMaker lets you set the offset for your Vinyl Cutter, or Plotter using a simple tool to work out the offset of the laser pointer to the cutting blade i.e. the position of the Laser Point relative to the cutting blade.
Ultra Marks
SignMaker can use up to 8 Marks for Super Accurate Contour Cutting with a Laser Pointer of less than 0.008 of an inch or 0.2 of a millimeter for the most accurate Contour Cutting possible.
SignMaker – Contour Cutting
Note: You can adjust the quality of the video in the bottom-right toolbar (directly above)