Signs of the Times - June 2013 - (Page 36)

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW By Chris and Kathi Morrison Chris and Kathi Morrison own and operate The Image Specialists, a full-service graphics company based in Clements, CA. Chris is also a Microsoft-certified systems engineer. Graphtec’s CE6000 Cutter Family Right out of the box, you can start making signs. Vany signshop for been the and, inyl cutters have staple of decades, in many ways, they appear to seldom change, but here’s the clincher – most were built to stand the test of time. One of our cutters has operated since we opened our shop. Out of necessity, we’ve added one that’s wider and, later, a printer and cutter device. Our point is, cutters are a signshop staple – although the newer ones are faster, more accurate, easier to operate and, of course, have skew control. Graphtec’s CE6000 family is a grand case for cutter evolution. The series comprises 15-, 24- and 48-in.wide cutters, each with a maximum cutting width that lies 0.25 in. inside the machine’s maximum media width. For example, you can cut up to 47.5 in. wide on the 48-in.-wide model. The cutters are quite fast. The cutting speeds reach 24-, 35- and 40-in.-per-second respectively, for the 15-, 24- and 48-in.-wide machines. The downward cutting force ranges from 300 to 450 grams, which is based, again, on the machine model. Further, these machines will cut Key Information Graphtec America Inc. 17462 Armstrong Ave., Irvine, CA 92614 (949) 770-6010, www.graphtecamerica.com Contact: Neil Zdunkawicz, director, marketing and technical services (949) 770-6010, X 4180, nzdunkawicz@graphtecamerica.com such media as self-adhesive vinyl, reflective films, paint mask, card stock, and rhinestone-pattern and heat-transfer media. Each cutter features Graphtec’s fifth-generation, Auto Registration Mark Sensor (ARMS) system, which is an optical system that reads multiple, media-registration marks and Specifications: Graphtec’s CE6000 Cutter Family Maximum Cutting Area CE 6000-40: 14.76 in. x 164 ft. CE 6000-60: 23.5 in. x 164 ft. CE 6000-120: 47.5 in. x 164 ft. Compatible Media Widths CE 6000-40: 2 - 19 in. CE 6000-60: 2 - 28 in. CE 6000-120: 2 - 53 in. Maximum Media Thickness 25 mil (0.6mm) Programmable Cutting Force CE 6000-40: 20 - 300 grams in 31 steps CE 6000-60: 20 - 300 grams in 31 steps CE 6000-120: 20 - 450 grams in 38 steps Maximum Cutting S peed CE 6000-40: 24 in. per second/360º CE 6000-60: 35 in. per second/45º CE 6000-120: 40 in. per second/45º 36 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / JUNE 2013 / www.signweb.com subsequently positions the cutting blade over your selected cut lines. No need to position your blade – the ARMS system will find the proper marks and register the knife. The CE6000 family’s expansive control panel eases control of the eight, pre-set cutting modes, a tangential-control mode, variablespeed controls and the blade-wear monitor. A new, digital-servo motor and the four-point, dual-axis, skewcorrection system, coupled with the ARMS system, significantly improve cutting accuracy, especially on longer jobs. A system-compensation tool considers and reacts to material expansion/contraction and misalignments. As we said – faster, more accurate, easier to operate and, certainly, with skew control. Purchase the larger CE6000 cutters to receive stands with an integrated media rack; the desktop unit includes a rear media tray. All units include Graphtec’s Studio design software, along with plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator® and CorelDraw®. http://www.graphtecamerica.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - June 2013

Signs of the Times - June 2013
Contents
ST Update
Tech Update
Profiling Media for Purpose
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review
Technology Review
Sign Museum News
New Products
Enter ST’s 7th Annual Vehicle Graphics Contest!
The Reality of Your Surroundings
The Great ’scapes
Digital Printers at ISA
It’s a Jungle in Here
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - June 2013