How to print and cut with a roll-to-roll cutter in CalderaRIP

This article explains how to prepare a print-and-cut job for a roll-to-roll cutter in CalderaRIP and process its cutting job in the VisualCut interface.

Before you begin

Make sure that:

• Your roll-to-roll cutter is supported and has been added to CalderaRIP.
• The file contains the cut contours required for the job. For instructions on creating cut contours, see:
  • How to create a Cut Contour in Adobe Illustrator.
  • How to create a spot color or a cut contour in CorelDRAW.

Load a file with cut contours

1. Open CalderaRIP.
2. Open FileMan, then browse to the folder containing your file.
   

3. Check that the cut contour names in the file are recognised:

   • Click Setup… > RIP Parameters tab > Edit Cut Contour list.
   • Verify that the required contour name appears in the list.
   • If necessary, add the contour name.

     Good to know

   A contour name followed by an asterisk, such as NAME*, recognises all cut contour names beginning with NAME.

   

4. Click Open. The file is loaded into the ImageBar.
   

     Good to know

   When CalderaRIP recognizes the cut contours in the file, an icon shaped like a cutting blade appears in the corner of the file's thumbnail in the ImageBar.

Configure the print-and-cut job

1. Double-click the printer to open the Print module.
2. Select the required print settings, such as the media, print mode, resolution, and quality.
3. Drag the file from the ImageBar to the printer configuration window.
4. Open Page Setup, then select the Cutting tab.

5. Enable Cutting contour, then select the roll-to-roll cutter:

6. Configure the cutting settings required for the job:
   • Cutter Tools Configuration (Tools button): Configure cutter-specific settings, if required.
   • Instant cutting: Use this option when you want to print and cut the job immediately.
   • Registration marks: Configure the marks required for cutter alignment.
   • Barcodes or identification numbers: Use these options when the workflow requires the VisualCut interface to identify the printed job automatically.

   • Contours: Review the recognized contours and define whether each contour is printed, cut, or both.

       Info

     If a feature is enabled but appears greyed out, it is not active because it conflicts with another enabled feature. For example, if you enable Edges registration marks and then select Instant cut just after print, the Edges registration marks option becomes greyed out. In this case, Instant cut just after print is applied to the job.

7. Click Print to start the print job.

Check the cutting job in the Spooler

After the print job starts, CalderaRIP generates the corresponding cutting job and sends it to the queue configured for the selected cutter.

1. Open the Spooler and select the print job.
2. In the Cutting tab, check the available cutting information, such as:
   • Whether cutting is enabled.
   • The selected target cutter.
   • The barcode or identification number, if one was generated.
   • The location of the generated cutting file.
3. Click Cut… to open the corresponding job in the VisualCut interface. Alternatively, open the cutter from the ApplicationBar, then select the job from the Jobs queue.

Review the job in VisualCut

When VisualCut opens, verify that the correct cutting job is selected.

1. In the Jobs queue, select the cutting job to process.
2. Review the job in the Preview area.
3. If required, adjust the cut-file orientation.
4. If you do not want to cut every copy in the job, use the selection tool to select only the copies to cut.
5. Check that the cutter connection is ready.

6. Review the cutter settings, tool assignments, and cut contours before sending the job.

     Info

   The settings available in VisualCut depend on the cutter driver. For example, your driver may provide options for positioning, paneling, sheet cutting, cutting-tool settings, or contour priority.

7. Click Cut to send the cutting job to the cutter.