# Is Illustrator compatable with cutter plotters?



## destromayhem01 (Oct 15, 2009)

Im kind of new to the whole t shirt business, and I went out and a cutter plotter, my question is can I use Illustrator and print a picture on the plotter, if not what would be a better solution for a cutter plotter vinyl transfer?


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

It should be fine for cutting paths, what software/cutter are you using?


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## Slightlychilled (Oct 3, 2009)

What cutter do you have? I might be wrong but most cutters come with some sort of program. My roland did and in was able to inbed inself into illustrator and is a plud-in. 
They work hand and hand if not I think there are some free ones out there but remember NOTHING IS EVER FREE, some how some way it will make you pay. Might not be cash but the time lost trying to get it running right....


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## BigBear (Aug 15, 2007)

destromayhem01 said:


> Im kind of new to the whole t shirt business, and I went out and a cutter plotter, my question is can I use Illustrator and print a picture on the plotter, if not what would be a better solution for a cutter plotter vinyl transfer?


I can't speak for other cutters, but Graphtec cutter free software works with Illustrator.


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## SystemVoid (Dec 18, 2007)

Our Roland Camm-1Servo came with software for cutting, it's called CutStudio. Usually, we just Copy & Paste our artwork from CorelDRAW X4 into CutStudio. We've never used Illustrator to do this, but I would imagine it would work, because it's all just vector artwork.

Did you cutter come with a CD for installing cutting software?


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## destromayhem01 (Oct 15, 2009)

The program or cd that came with it is called ve lxi apprentice, and my cutter was bought from us cutter and its their *24" EnduraCUT Desktop Vinyl Cutting Plotter*. If anyone can shead some light on this little problem it would be grateful. Is there a way to cut right from illustrator or some other software besides ve lxi apprentice?


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## Nvr2Old (Oct 14, 2009)

destromayhem01 said:


> Im kind of new to the whole t shirt business, and I went out and a cutter plotter, my question is can I use Illustrator and print a picture on the plotter, if not what would be a better solution for a cutter plotter vinyl transfer?


Hi Michael,
Are you asking if a jpeg photo will print through Illustrator?
If that's your question, you would have to vectorize the photo first, A better option may be to use Photoshop and heat transfer paper.
If you are cutting vinyl transfers, you should be able to cut your artwork using illustrator and the cut program that came with your plotter. If you are using more than one color in your art work, you could work with layers to use 2 or 3 different colors, then layer an image together with the different colors of heat transfer vinyl.
Hope this helps.


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