Short introduction to the use of cutting plotter machines

This book is a very short introduction to cutting plotters, include the description and use of a cutting plotters, starting from zero knowledge about the topic.

The cutting plotter machines that this book works with are made by American manufacturer Cricut, the models worked with are: Cricut Maker (1, 2 and 3), Easy Press (Heat press) 1 and 2, Cricut Joy, Cricut Explore (1, 2 and 3), Cricut Autopress, Cricut Hat Press, Cricut Mug Press.

But the information in this book may be applied to similar cutting plotter machines such as the ones developed by Silhouette, Graphtec Corporation, and other companies.

Introduction
Plotters are machines that produce vector graphics drawings and in other cases cut the graphic on a material.

Vector graphics are a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes defined on a Cartesian plane, such as points, lines, curves and polygons. This allow machines to easily draw or cut a pattern since they follow a defined geometric shape, polygons or formula, therefore the lines represented by vector graphics can accurately be represented, modified and resized facilitating its use in printing and cutting hardware. Vector graphics are an alternative to raster or bitmap graphics, with each having advantages and disadvantages in specific situations due to the use of random lines without any patter or defined direction.

Plotters draw lines on paper using a pen, or in some applications, use a knife to cut a material like vinyl or leather. In the latter case, they are sometimes known as a cutting plotter.

Cricut is a cutting plotter, this is a machine that instead of drawing designed vector graphics, it cutsthem in a selected material that can be vynil, paper, wood, etc. Cricut name is derived from the word "cricket" (a small, hopping insect that produces a chirping sound and "cut" since it main functions is to cut materials (paper, vinyl, metal wood, etc).

Cutting plotters can be used to create monograms, labels, text, decals, stickers, banners, decorations greeting cards and iron-on t-shirts.

Cricut heat presses allow to transfer ink into other materials, using iron on vynil or ink material.

Cricut is not a printing machine, but a printed can be connected to the software and the user can print from the software to connected printers, when a printer is available.

Design Space (Software)
The software used by Cricut to create the designs is Design Space, it is a freeware software. Many of the options in the software are free, except the options with a green icon, which is how the company gets the revenue to continue developing its machines and its software.

https://design.cricut.com/#/

Once Design Space is installed, open the software and sign in typing the email and password or create a new account. In order to save the documents users can create an account choosing a name and choosing a password and using their email to validate their account.

When pressing the option new project, user access to a new canvas or workspace... The canvas can also be accessed From the menu besides the option home. In the canvas new graphics can be used or created with the templates, shapes, image or text options, phrases or editable images.

Many icons and graphics are free, the graphics with a green cricut icons are non free but they can be buyed on the the software Design Space, which is the business model of the company.

Users can also upload their own svg files created with graphic vector software such inkscape and illustrator, or download images from sites such as freesvg, devianart and similar websites, this items will be stored in the uploaded section not in my stuff section.

In the top menu user can access the section my stuff of Design Space that is the area where all the user projects ore creation are stored and can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection.

Other options that can be modified are the text font or size, also can be added effects a background, etc.

Layers
When more than one image is used in a canvas (area of work), they can be overlaped in layers. The control of the layers are located in the right of the canvas, from it users can move a graphic to the the front and the second image or graphic or text in the canvas can be in the back or completely or partially hidden by the frontal image, or combined, etc. using the options at the bottom of the layers menu.

The eye icon will indicate what layer will be visible.

Requirements
The requirements to complete a cricut work are the following:

A computer or laptop with Cricut Design Space software installed, an internet connection is optional. A cricut machine Materials to print the work: A cutting mat, a material to cut (vynil, paper, fabric or others) A tape paper (Transfer paper) to separate, retrieve and store cutted material.

Materials
Classic materials to cut using cutting plotter machines are Vinyl in many colors with mate, glossy, metallic tones, also permanent vinyl and other materials such card stock, thick paper, wood, metals, etc. The use of the classic materials usually require a mat.

Many cutting machines are able to work with smart materials, cutting mat is not necessary, such are smart polymers (smart vinyl), smart iron, among others. These materials can be also be bought in many art material stores such as: Jo-Ann, Michaels, Blic, Amazon, among others. Cricut maker started using smart materials with its third model, Cricut maker 3.

Blades
The cricut machine comes with a standard blade but other blades can be used to cut more materials, some examples are:

Rotary blades for many softer materials. Fine point blade for wood and leather non-ferrous blade for cooper and aluminum Ferrous blades for iron and stainless steel or cast iron Diamond blade for some other metals.

Cutting process
After creating the graphic or text, or selecting it from my stuff section or from the downloaded section, click on Make it and choose and option, if you have a mat, clic the option on Mat.

Put the material (vynil, fabric, etc) on the mat, in the area intended to cut the graphic or text, tape can be added to hold the material to the grid.

In the prepare area of Design space move the graphic or text according to the position on the mat, and press continue.

Select a base material, it can be Cardstock or vynil, etc. Selecting the right material will allow the printer to apply the right pressure to the material and will be less likely that the cut of the material is done with wrong pressure taking the text or graphics out of the material.

The button to enter the mat will blink in the cricut machine, put the mat near the printer and press the button so the cutter can measure the mat.

If maker 3 not recognized use Maker 3: 5 USB option. continue. If that does not work, unplug and plug the usb cable or check that the cutting machine is connected to a energy source and turned on, and that the USB cable is connected from the cricut machine to the computer where Design Space software is installed.

Sometimes the text or object in the canvas change from the position that was originally selected, some times the can go to the center or to the right side, in this cases users can either move the vinyl to that position in the mat or also choose the edit option or move the items to the area of the canvas where our vynil is located in the mat.

The play button will blink, press it to start the cutting process. Clic in the option done to finalize the work.

Take out the cut material and put it on the tape paper to used when necessary.

Other options
Choosing the correct pressure will result in better outcomes and will avoid to cut the mat.

When the materials used are stronger such wood or metal, users can modify the pressure choosing the option add more pressure, or less in case that the pressure is too high.

A margin can be added to the text to used as part of the cut, or to make the extraction of the graphic or text easier. With applications of layers changes can be made to fuse or separate margins and graphics.

Edition of works
Works previously created can be accessed from my stuff, edited and modified.

Works that have being already cut, can also be modified and edited from the edit section.

Text creation
Select the text option and type any text, then clic in the option make it, on mat confirm, continue, choose the material (vynil, etc), choose pressure (default, or more or less), the cricut machine will measure the mat. Press the button to load mat.

Other options: offset to cut a surrounding area to easy the removal of the area or in to create an sticker to paste first take thee external area out of the vynil, then transfer the text and surrounding area, and finally remove the surrounding area or use it as part of the work.

Choosing the right material will allow the cutting machine to cut the material without removing while cuttin, mixing the pieces or damage the final work.

The text can be resized by clic on the text and expanding or reducing its size from the corner of the text area, this will allow to select the proper area for the vynil. If the cutter cannot cut small text, it can be resized to a size that the cutting machine can work properly.

The use of layers will allow to create different ways of cutting, the layers can be combined, one can be in the back one in the front, etc. For example when using a surrounding area, if the text is not shown in the canvas, the cutting plotter will only cut the surrounding area.

The different layers can also be cut in different times, for example the text can be cut first and after it the surrounding area, but it can also be done at the same time in order to not need to calculate the correct area in the mat that match with the previously cut text or surrounding.

Fixing the vinyl to the mat with the use of vynil will also allow to prevent movement of the vynil during the cutting process.