=====Roland Camm1 GS-24 Vinyl Cutter=====
{{facilities:bookableflabresources:242114712_762416951233297_6633588388987944797_n.jpg?600}}

The GS -24 vinyl cutter is a popular piece of equipment in the Fabrication Lab that is relatively easy to use and can make a big impact. Over the year members of the public and the Fabrication Lab team have used it to make also sorts of stuff that can cut a range of materials 

====Vinyl cutter and Roland Cut Studio Operating instructions==== 
Cut Studio is the application that drives the Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter. This software can be downloaded from the Roland website Here. 

The current setup for the Vinyl Cutter in the Fabrication Lab is operated from a single Marked Workshop Laptop. This laptop has CorelDraw ( our vector drawing program) Roland Cut Studio, and a CorelDraw-Roland Cut Studio plugin installed that allows you to cut from corel. 

==Step one - Find the Laptop and power it up  == 
**Find the laptop and power it up** and get a member of staff to sign into the "Fablabadmin" account on this machine. 

==Step two - Open your artwork in CorelDraw==
Open the artwork that you have prepped as a vector in CorelDraw. (check out the starter project over [[workshops:gettingstarted:vinylcutting|here]]) The Cut studio software recognises and will cut all curves in your artwork. Elements of you artwork like text or shapes made with a shape tool need to be "converted to curves"        

{{facilities:bookableflabresources:text.png?400}} {{facilities:bookableflabresources:convert_txt_to_curve.png?400}} 

**Your artwork is now ready to cut**

{{facilities:bookableflabresources:ready_to_cut.png?400}}

==Step three - Set up the Vinyl Cutter==

  * plug it into the power and connect the Usb cable to the laptop. 

  * Load the media (Vinyl, masking materials or iron material) into the machine and move the rollers to the appropriate setting for the width of the vinyl and re-engage the release lever. 

  * Power up the Machine and hit enter to allow the machine to detect the dimensions of the roll. 

  * While you're at it, do a test cut to make sure the pen force is correct for the media you are cutting

<WRAP center round box 60%>
You want the pen force in the goldilocks zone - just right, not pushing too soft (not actually cutting the vinyl properly)  or too hard ( so that the digging into the backing material) 

</WRAP>
Push the test button and then inspect the cut, that the shape releases easily 

and that its not making an impression /digging into the backing material.

**Now the machine is actually ready to make your cut... lets set it up in Cut Studio**

==Step four - Setup your job in Cut Studio==      
Back in CorelDraw **click the CutStudio Plugin icon.** 
 
{{workshops:gettingstarted:corelplugin.png?400}}
 
it looks like a little swing tag

This will open a window like this 

{{workshops:gettingstarted:rolandcutstudio.png?200}}

Click on the CutStudio icon {{facilities:bookableflabresources:cstudio_icon_.jpg}}

your artwork should show up in the window as a cut path.  

Here's you opportunity to resize your artwork to specific dimensions.
  
{{workshops:gettingstarted:resize_you_artwork.png?400}}

<WRAP center round important 60%>
__At this point you'll also get another reminder of how complicated your cut will be...__ 

the greater the complication... 

the more patience you'll require... 

and the more likely you could be disappointed when it doesn't pan out.
  
</WRAP>
 
Now we need to calibrate the job (in Cut Studio) to the dimensions of the media (the width of the vinyl roll)  


Click on the cutting icon 

{{facilities:bookableflabresources:cut_button.png?400}}

and the click thru the menus to apply the machine settings 

{{workshops:gettingstarted:change_button.png?200}} 

Get the dimensions from the machine

{{workshops:gettingstarted:setting_from_machine_.png?200}} 

and hit OK.

{{workshops:gettingstarted:capture8complete_vinyl_settings.png?200}}

**Now you are ready to start the cut.** 

Head back to the cut window and press Ok

{{workshops:gettingstarted:start_cut.png?200}} 

Head backover to the [[workshops:gettingstarted:vinylcutting|vinyl cutting starter project ]] for weeding and application tips

====Resources====

{{ :facilities:fablab:equipment-cots:cuttr_manual.pdf |}}