Vinyl Cutter - Revision history

Nsullivan: /* Operation */

2026-02-18T09:30:32Z

Operation

Nsullivan: /* General Procedure */

2026-02-18T09:29:22Z

General Procedure

Nsullivan: /* Demonstration */

2026-02-18T09:27:30Z

Demonstration

Nsullivan: /* Operation */

2026-02-18T09:26:18Z

Operation

Nsullivan: /* Description */

2026-02-18T08:46:41Z

Description

Nsullivan: /* General Procedure */

2026-02-18T08:44:47Z

General Procedure

Nsullivan: /* General Procedure */

2026-02-18T08:43:17Z

General Procedure

Nsullivan: /* Demonstration */

2026-02-18T08:42:42Z

Demonstration

Nsullivan: /* Terminology */

2026-02-18T08:39:39Z

Terminology

Nsullivan: /* Terminology */

2026-02-18T08:36:33Z

Terminology

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:30, 18 February 2026
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	Graphics or text can be made in Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or your favorite vector graphics software. Ultimately, your file will need to be uploaded into Illustrator as the final step because the Roland CutStudio extension--which talks to the vinyl cutter and sends over the cut information--lives inside of Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator can accept .ai files, .svg files, .pdf files, .dxf files, .eps files, and many more.		Graphics or text can be made in Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or your favorite vector graphics software. Ultimately, your file will need to be uploaded into Illustrator as the final step because the Roland CutStudio extension--which talks to the vinyl cutter and sends over the cut information--lives inside of Adobe Illustrator. Illustrator can accept .ai files, .svg files, .pdf files, .dxf files, .eps files, and many more.
		+
		+	80 gf is the recommended cut force for calendar vinyl.

	==== Demonstration ====		==== Demonstration ====

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 ## Continue this process until the graphic is completely applied and all air bubbles are removed.
 # Peel the transfer paper from the material, in the same manner as the backing of the vinyl was peeled off.
-<nowiki>*</nowiki>Stickers do not have to be immediately applied to a surface. The process can be stopped at step 4.1 of Transferring the Graphic, and applied later in a similar manner. Using the squeegee to apply is also optional but may result in a less polished final product.
+<nowiki>*</nowiki>Vinyl does not have to be immediately applied to a surface. The process can be stopped at step 4.1 of Transferring the Graphic, and applied later in a similar manner. Using the squeegee to apply is also optional but may result in a less polished final product.
 == Certification ==

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 ==== Demonstration ====
-The student will draw a 1.5 in. x 1.5 in. graphic in Illustrator. Using the Roland CutStudio Extension, they will finalize and cut the graphic. To finish they will weed the sticker. Learning the transfer paper process is optional but very useful for applying vinyl letters/words. The student is also responsible for setting up the vinyl cutter before it is used and resetting it after they are done.
+The student will draw a 1.5 in. x 1.5 in. graphic in Illustrator. Using the Roland CutStudio Extension, they will finalize and cut the graphic. To finish, they will weed the vinyl cutout. Learning the transfer paper process is optional but very useful for applying vinyl letters/words. The student is also responsible for setting up the vinyl cutter before it is used and resetting it after they are done.
 ==== General Procedure ====

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 ==== Operation ====
-Sticker making is the most frequent use of the vinyl cutter but it can be used for other applications as well depending on the type of material being cut. For cutting materials, vinyl rolls can be be found in the cabinet below the computer and loaded onto the material rack at the back of the machine. However, for most projects a small piece will be sufficient and it is recommended that you use the scrap pieces in the bin to the right of the computer as a result. As for other materials, heat transfer vinyl can be used (found in the cabinet to the right of the vinyl printer); further it is possible to cut other vinyl based materials if you find they are compatible with the machine and have them cleared by Justin. Uploaded graphics can be in any format, but .pdf is preferred. This is due to the vector format of .pdf files, other formats need to be converted to vector form in Adobe illustrator 2025. The vinyl cutter needs to be loaded and setup before a graphic can be sent to it and cut out. Once cutting has been completed, it also needs to be reset and turned off.
+For cutting materials, calendar vinyl rolls can be be found in the cabinet below the computers; heat transfer vinyl rolls can be found in the cabinet to the right of the vinyl printer; vinyl scraps including calendar vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, and digital print media vinyl pieces can be found in the vinyl scrap bin. Please do not use the digital print media vinyl rolls on the standard vinyl cutter (scrap pieces of digital print media vinyl are OK to use on the standard vinyl cutter). The digital print media vinyl rolls are only for printing stickers on the vinyl printer.
 ==== Demonstration ====

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 == Description ==
-Vinyl cutting is the process of cutting graphics out of vinyl to make adhesive vinyl applications. The maker hub has a Roland GR-640 cutter. It cuts larger format vinyl than the BN-20 [[Vinyl Printer]], but does not have printing capability. It is used to make stickers/cutouts for applications such as signage, vehicle graphics, apparel, etc. The vinyl cutter is used primarily for cutting vinyl sheeting, but can cut other materials if needed for a specific project, see [https://www.rolanddga.com/products/vinyl-cutters/camm-1-gr-large-format-cutters/applications this application page]
+Vinyl cutting is the process of cutting graphics out of vinyl to make adhesive vinyl applications. The maker hub has a Roland GR-640 cutter. It cuts larger format vinyl than the BN-20 [[Vinyl Printer]], but does not have printing capability. It is used to make vinyl cutouts for applications such as signage, vehicle graphics, apparel, etc. The vinyl cutter is used primarily for cutting vinyl sheeting, but can cut other materials if needed for a specific project, see [https://www.rolanddga.com/products/vinyl-cutters/camm-1-gr-large-format-cutters/applications this application page]
 Example process video:

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 In Adobe Illustrator:
 [[File:Ai 2024.jpg|1200px|none|Ai 2024 Home Page]]
-*Use Adobe illustrator '''2025''' (Ai).
+*Use Adobe illustrator.
 *Best practice is to start with a new work-space, then size the dimensions to the piece of material you are using.
 [[File:Blank doc.jpg|1200px|none]]
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 [[File:Windows-Extensions-Roland CutStudios.jpg|1200px|none]]
 *For model setup, select the GR-640.
-Setting up the graphic in Ai:
+Setting up the graphic in Illustrator:
 # File is .pdf (the ideal format):
 ## Use [File] > [Open].
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 # Convert your graphic to a vector if needed. Do this by clicking [Path] > [Trace Bitmap] and then pressing [Okay]. There are several different options in the bitmap menu that you can experiment with to find the best results. Generally, the color option works the best. Finish the process by right clicking and selecting the [ungroup] option so that each piece of the graphic can be edited.
 # Perform any desired edits on your graphic. If there is something you don't know how to do use google; Inkscape is a popular software and there are a lot of internet resources. When the file is exported to Cut studio a cut line will automatically be added around the edge of each object similar adding a stroke around each individual object. This can be an issue if you have several adjacent shapes creating a graphic but you only want to cut around the outside of the objects. To prevent this, select the group of objects you want to cut around and then got to [Path] > [Union]. This will combine the group of objects into one shape with a continuous outline that will be cut out, but the downside is that the new singular object will be one color so if the objects were originally different colors they will be lost. However this does not matter for the Vinyl Cutter because it can only cut one color of vinyl anyway.
-# Save your file as an .svg and open it in Ai to use the Roland CutStudio extension.
+# Save your file as an .svg and open it in Illustrator to use the Roland CutStudio extension.
 Cutting the graphic:
 * Under the Roland Cut Studio extension, select your graphic to view it in the preview window.

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 # Save your file as an .svg and open it in Ai to use the Roland CutStudio extension.
 Cutting the graphic:
-* Under the Roland Cut Studio extension, select your graphic to view it in the RCS preview window.
+* Under the Roland Cut Studio extension, select your graphic to view it in the preview window.
 [[File:Basketball preview.png|1200px|none]]
 * After the file looks like intended, click on the "Output to Paths" button in the top right of the extension.

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 * Weeding: the process of removing unwanted material after the vinyl has been cut
 * Graphic: the chosen image/picture to be formatted and cut
-* Adobe Illustrator 2025 (Ai): used to prep the graphic for cutting
+* Adobe Illustrator: vector graphics software that can be used to make graphics and prep them for cutting
 <!--* Roland Cut Studio (RCS): an Ai extension used to finalize the format of the graphic and send it to the vinyl cutter for cutting-->
 * Vector images: an image constructed with mathematical formulas which makes it easy to resize and perform other edits