# Graphtec CE5000-60 won't read registration marks......



## MancUK (Apr 7, 2009)

Hi all, I'm ripping my hair out with this one. I've just recently started to contour cut and I'm having a lot of issues.

It will read the first registration mark (bottom right) and then it goes up to the second (top right) but it doesn't find it. It doesn't even go up far enough. 

The design is on an A4 piece of Phototex. There are about 3 inches around the design and the pinch rollers are nowhere near the registration marks.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm about to throw the cutter out the front door.

I use Illustrator and Cutting Master 2


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

there needs to be some space before and after the registration marks too. not just room to the side between pinch rollers and marks but lengthways too


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

tape an extension sheet to the back end.... It needs a few inches past the reg marks so the sheet stays in the cutter.


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## Nick Horvath (Feb 26, 2010)

Or you could adjust your margin settings if your design is not real big.


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

I created an 11x17 template in Illustrator to use for contour cutting. Margins are TOP 3", BOTTOM 1", SIDES .75". This works perfect for me. I already have the registration marks in my template and just drop the artwork in. Registration Marks use 1 layer, Cut uses 2nd Layer, Print uses 3rd layer.


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## MancUK (Apr 7, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies. Yes in my frustration I didn't notice the top margin. I decided to tape a sheet to the top as suggested, and it now works perfectly.

Thanks again!


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

I do this all the time... I print on a mutoh 1604, usually on 60" oracal. BUT..my plotter is a CE5000, only 24" wide. So, I have to print on 24x60 sheets and sometimes need the space at the end for the vinyl. I just tape on a scrap piece of liner, or even brown kraft paper. 

attached is my template for that... 
1. green area = feed rollers area 
2. red area = registration mark
3. gray area = header & footer allowance for oprical eye. 
4. white = useable area... all cuttable content has to say in this space.


sry... I forgot to attach it yesterday!


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## MancUK (Apr 7, 2009)

Thanks for the info, although I can't see any attached file?


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## nitewalker (Jan 27, 2010)

mrvixx said:


> I created an 11x17 template in Illustrator to use for contour cutting. Margins are TOP 3", BOTTOM 1", SIDES .75". This works perfect for me. I already have the registration marks in my template and just drop the artwork in. Registration Marks use 1 layer, Cut uses 2nd Layer, Print uses 3rd layer.


Thanks for the measurements on that. I'm doing the same for sheets of Sihl 3988 I cut from the roll. I still have to tweak them a bit but it's been working so far.


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## sunra1081 (Aug 8, 2009)

jiarby said:


> tape an extension sheet to the back end.... It needs a few inches past the reg marks so the sheet stays in the cutter.


can someone help me??? when my design is real small registration marks will read, but when i make it a full 8 x11 with registration marks included it will not read!!! I tried taping it to additional sheets of paper to extend and add a few inches, but it just wont read. can someone help me figure this thing out??? I have the ce 5000-60!!!


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## sunra1081 (Aug 8, 2009)

can somebody please advise???


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## NOPALITO24 (Jul 22, 2009)

Not sure If I missed the type of media that you are using for this job, but if its some kind of specialty media(not vinyl) then try the following: to isolate the media try printing your job on vinyl or paper just to make a test to see if your file is fine as well as the plotter, if you use paper use the pen that came w/ the plotter instead of the blade. If that job goes good then you know you file is fine as well as the plotter. Try you job again and again it is really important you follow the spacing spec. mentioned above which are about .25in of space min. from the inside part of the rollers to the marks, and about 3in. of white space from the end of the media to the last 2 marks. if the plotter still can read the marks then change your step size up to 1016 on BOTH the plotter and CM2(if your using the plug in: Adv. tab, step size) when increasing the step size the movements of the motors is more precise this is useful on specialty materials but it VERY important you make the change on both the plotter AND the software. If you are using the HPGL command mode this is not applicable. To change the step size on the plotter if using GPGL then go to PAUSE, NEXT, Command, ENTER, ENTER, change to 1016, ENTER.


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## sunra1081 (Aug 8, 2009)

NOPALITO24 said:


> Not sure If I missed the type of media that you are using for this job, but if its some kind of specialty media(not vinyl) then try the following: to isolate the media try printing your job on vinyl or paper just to make a test to see if your file is fine as well as the plotter, if you use paper use the pen that came w/ the plotter instead of the blade. If that job goes good then you know you file is fine as well as the plotter. Try you job again and again it is really important you follow the spacing spec. mentioned above which are about .25in of space min. from the inside part of the rollers to the marks, and about 3in. of white space from the end of the media to the last 2 marks. if the plotter still can read the marks then change your step size up to 1016 on BOTH the plotter and CM2(if your using the plug in: Adv. tab, step size) when increasing the step size the movements of the motors is more precise this is useful on specialty materials but it VERY important you make the change on both the plotter AND the software. If you are using the HPGL command mode this is not applicable. To change the step size on the plotter if using GPGL then go to PAUSE, NEXT, Command, ENTER, ENTER, change to 1016, ENTER.


okay that was alot to take in... let me analyze what your saying and give it a shot... i'll get back with you soon... oh and for the record im using cutting master 2, coreldraw x4, andgraphtec cutter!!!


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## sunra1081 (Aug 8, 2009)

NOPALITO24 said:


> Not sure If I missed the type of media that you are using for this job, but if its some kind of specialty media(not vinyl) then try the following: to isolate the media try printing your job on vinyl or paper just to make a test to see if your file is fine as well as the plotter, if you use paper use the pen that came w/ the plotter instead of the blade. If that job goes good then you know you file is fine as well as the plotter. Try you job again and again it is really important you follow the spacing spec. mentioned above which are about .25in of space min. from the inside part of the rollers to the marks, and about 3in. of white space from the end of the media to the last 2 marks. if the plotter still can read the marks then change your step size up to 1016 on BOTH the plotter and CM2(if your using the plug in: Adv. tab, step size) when increasing the step size the movements of the motors is more precise this is useful on specialty materials but it VERY important you make the change on both the plotter AND the software. If you are using the HPGL command mode this is not applicable. To change the step size on the plotter if using GPGL then go to PAUSE, NEXT, Command, ENTER, ENTER, change to 1016, ENTER.


oh, media... im tring to cut opaque transfer paper!!!!


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## bakedbanana (Nov 24, 2011)

man i love this forum...


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## krstep (May 19, 2014)

OK I have tried literally everything, the cutter won't read the registration mark no matter what i try.
It was functioning properlly before now it finds the mark, scans it, and then throws an error.
Please help I don't know what else to try...


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I'd help, but I gave up trying to contour cut on my ce 5000 a long time ago. Same issues.


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