Cutter Plotter (“Vinyl Cutter”)

Before you get started, read the overview on our cutting machines to make sure you know which machine best suits your project and to learn what you need to do before using the machine.

To get started with the Cutter/Plotter, read or review the information below, then walk in during our open hours in Rose Library.

If you haven’t used Adobe Illustrator before, expect to spend at least an hour learning how to complete some basic tasks with it before working with the cutter/plotter. As always, assistance and materials are provided by Makery staff. Additionally, we regularly hold workshops on how to use Adobe Illustrator.

How to Use the Cutter/Plotter

The Graphtec cutting plotter is directly connected to one of the workstation computers in the Rose Library makerspace. There is a dedicated plugin within Adobe Illustrator used to send designs to the machine. You have your choice of any of the colors or varieties of vinyl we have available.

To cut a design onto one of these materials, follow the steps below: 

1. Make sure the Graphtec machine is on (see Anatomy of Cutter/Plotter).
2. Install the selected vinyl and press the corresponding button for the type of sheet/roll you installed from the panel on the front. (see Loading Media Into the Cutter/Plotter).
3. Open Adobe Illustrator and sign in with a free personal account if necessary. Adjust the vector design in Adobe Illustrator as necessary using the provided tools. (see Adobe Illustrator Help: Getting Started)
4. Use the top menu bar to navigate to “File > Cutting Master 5 > Cut/Plot” and open the Cutting Master plugin. Click the “Poll Size” button to update the preview with the correct size of the vinyl as measured by the machine. Adjust size, positioning, number of copies, etc. When the design is ready, press the “Send” button or hit the “Return” key to initialize the cut. (see Sending an Image from Illustrator to the Cutter/Plotter)
5. When the machine has finished plotting the design, cut straight across the vinyl roll using scissors or the “Cross Cut” function on the machine. 
6. Weed the vinyl with the appropriate tools (e.g., dental picks, tweezers, etc.) to remove everything that will not be part of the final design (i.e. the negative space). For sticker or decal projects using adhesive vinyl, overlay a suitable piece of transfer tape and trim around the design to finish the project. (see Weeding and Applying Vinyl)

Cutter/Plotter Anatomy 

Power Switch

Control Panel

Overall Schematic

Loading Media into the Cutter/Plotter 

1. Begin by placing the roll atop the 2 “stock rollers” (long silver poles) in the back. The side to be cut should be face up because the blade descends from above. For sticker paper, this is the colorful side. For HT vinyl, this is the matte side. 
2. Pull the “media set lever” down to raise the “push roller” wheels and slide the media underneath them. Make sure the media is aligned perfectly by following the white notches on the back. Try to center it between the 2 wheels as well. One aligned, push the set lever back up to lower the wheels and secure the vinyl. 
3. Walk around to the front and ensure alignment. Adjust as needed. Select option 1 to tell the machine that a roll, rather than a sheet, is loaded. 
4. The tool carriage will move horizontally to measure the material’s width, and the wheels will adjust the starting length. Ensure that all dangling items and limbs are kept far away. It will not wait for you. 

Sending an image from Illustrator to the Cutter/Plotter 

Once the image has been traced and expanded to have paths, the image is ready to cut. To cut the image, you will use the Cutting Master plugin. 

Make sure you are in the main selection tool. Select everything that you want to cut. 

TIP: If you have multiple images traced in the workspace, highlight only what you would like to cut out first. You will have to be in the “direct selection” tool to select smaller portions of the image. Selecting each piece will allow you to adjust each one individually within Cutting Master. 

Once you have your image selected, go to file > cutting master 5 > send to cutting master 5 

A new window will pop up. This is cutting master 5. It is the plug-in between illustrator and the cutter/plotter. Your design should appear in the new window! Double check it is loaded into the software correctly and looks like how you want it to turn out. Under the first tab you will find options to resize, rotate, and mirror. 

Tip: to keep the ratio of your design consistent when re-sizing, ensure the “proportional” box is checked 

You can also choose how many copies by going to the 5^th tab. 

If you are using heat transfer vinyl for ironing onto fabric, the most important thing to remember is to flip the image, so that it is mirrored backwards. This will ensure that the image is facing the right way when you iron it on. You can do this by clicking the dropdown box next to “mirror” and selecting the mirror plane you prefer. 

When you are ready and the machine is loaded, hit “output” and the machine will begin cutting. Be sure to monitor the cutting process to ensure your design is being executed correctly. 

Here are a few descriptions of what each configuration means if you are interested: 

Copies: The number of times you want your design to cut. 

Media Size: The maximum cutting length of a vinyl cutter determines how long of a piece of the media the cutter can move.  

Job Size: The size of the design itself. 

Fit to Media: This button you will use to ensure that the design fits to the media size before starting the cut. 

Proportional: This tool will lock the sizing of the design. Therefore, if you change one length, it will automatically change the other length.  

Centering: The centering tool aligns your design in the middle of the media. 

Rotation: Allows you to turn your design on the media. 

Mirror: This button is used to invert the design. You will use this button when working with heat transfer vinyl.  

Weeding and Applying Vinyl 

Weeding vinyl is the process of manually removing excess vinyl from around your design, leaving only the parts that you want to transfer onto your final surface.  

You will need: 

• Weeding Tool 
  • A pick tool 
  • Tweezers  

• Transfer Tape (if working with adhesive vinyl, this is used to transfer the design to the desired surface.)

Steps: 

1. Prepare Your Workspace: Make sure you have a clean, well-lit area to work in.  
   • TIP: Good lighting helps you see the details better. 
2. Examine the Design: Look at your vinyl cutout and identify the parts that need to be weeded out. It helps to have the original version of your design nearby for reference. 
3. Start Weeding: 
   • Begin at a corner of your vinyl cutout. 
   • Use the weeding tool to lift the edge of the excess vinyl.
   • Gently pull away the excess vinyl from your design. Be careful around intricate details.
   • Use the tool to help remove small pieces and details, ensuring you leave the design intact. 
4. Remove Small Details: 
   • For small areas or complex details, use the tip of the weeding tool or tweezers to carefully lift and remove these pieces. 
   • Work slowly to avoid tearing or peeling up the vinyl you want to keep. 
5. Check Your Work: Once the excess vinyl is removed, inspect your design to ensure all unwanted pieces are weeded out. Correct any missed areas. 
6. Apply Transfer Tape (Optional): 
   • If you need to transfer your design to another surface, cut a piece of transfer tape slightly larger than your design. 
   • Separate the clear adhesive from the paper backing. 
   • Place the transfer tape over your weeded design and smooth it down with a scraper or credit card to ensure it adheres well. 
   • Peel the backing paper away, leaving your design on the transfer tape. 
7. Transfer the Design (Optional): 
   • Position the transfer tape with your design onto your desired surface. 
   • Smooth it down firmly to ensure the vinyl adheres to the surface. 
   • Carefully peel away the transfer tape, leaving the vinyl design on the surface. 

Applying Heat Transfer Vinyl 

As mentioned before, heat transfer vinyl is vinyl that may be ironed onto fabric. The higher the natural fiber content, the better the design adheres. Here are the steps: 

1. Make sure that the design is mirrored in Cutting Master before you cut. This ensures that the design will face the right way. 
2. Weed out any vinyl that you do not want to be part of the final design. This process is the same for both adhesive and heat transfer vinyl. 
3. Set the iron to high/natural fibers. However, use caution when dealing with synthetic fabrics. It is unlikely, but it is possible to melt synthetic fibers with an iron. 
4. Iron the surface of the fabric where you want the design to go. Leaving wrinkles may distort the design later. 
5. Center the design on the fabric. Make sure the colorful material is in direct contact with the fabric, and the clear coat is above to create a protective barrier between the vinyl and the iron. The clear coat will be sticky and so stick in place on the fabric. 
6. Begin drawing the iron across the design. Here are some tips: 
   • Avoid making large sweeping motions while applying pressure, and this can cause the design to smear. Small circles or tight zig zags tend to work better.
   • Evenly heat the design, taking care not to stay in one place for too long or to ignore other areas.
   • Pressure does help to press the vinyl into the fibers. Just take care to follow the above guidelines while applying pressure 
7. How do I know when it has been ironed enough? The true test, of course, is attempting to remove the protective film as outlines in step 8. However, here are some clues before attempting the final test: 
   • Often, tiny bubbles will form between the vinyl and protective layer. You may have to lean your head to the side to see the light reflecting off these.
   • For thicker designs you may begin to see the weave of the fabric imprinted in the vinyl. However, this may not appear until step 9. 
   • Some people prefer to use time guidelines. This varies by the size of the design, but in general it should only take about 3 minutes or direct heat 
8. Wait until the design is cool to the touch, then attempt to remove the protective film. 
   • Slowly peel one corner or edge and watch to see whether the design has adhered to the fabric. Peel the clear layer away horizontally rather than vertically to reduce the chance of damage. 
   • If the design sticks to the fabric, great! If not, return to step 6 and repeat. 
   • Optional: Flip the design over or inside out and iron the design from the other side of the fabric. This gives it just that little bit of extra adhesion. 

Tips, tricks, and extra info 

• DO NOT iron over vinyl without a protective barrier. This is a common mistake when applying multiple designs or layers. Previously laid designs WILL be ruined if accidentally swept by the iron while applying other areas. This will also damage the iron. Cover previous designs with discarded protective films or tracing paper. 
• Make sure there are no stickers (i.e., manufacturer’s sizing stickers, retail stickers, etc.) on the fabric before ironing – otherwise, the adhesive from the sticker will melt into the shirt. 
• When washing a shirt with iron-on designs, turn the shirt inside-out first (this will increase the number of washes that the design will survive.) 
• Line dry only (a clothes dryer will damage the design).

Frequently Asked Questions 

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

Some of the most common problems that arise with projects are listed below, along with basic steps to take in order to diagnose and potentially fix the issue: 

Additional Resources

• Graphtec Cutter/Plotter User Manual
• Vinyl Cutting 101
• Vinyl Sticker Project