BlueprintCutterControl

Synopsis

One of often requested features is ability to print to cutting plotters or create files for them.

Right now this page is a collection of ideas to to solve the issue in a sane and crossplatform way.

How it usually works

1. Client brings a EPS/AI file.
2. Printing service imports it to an application like.
3. Then the operator runs conversion and looks at preview.
4. If it's OK, the file goes to cutter.

Example: JPEG --> Cutter (Linux platform):

1. GIMP: Clean and edit image. Converts JPEG --> PPM.
2. AUTOTRACE: Converts PPM --> SVG.
3. INKSCAPE: Clean and edit image. Print --> Vidar's GRAPHTECPRINT --> Cutter

What available solutions exist

1. There is a DXF exporter for CraftRobo bundled with Inkscape.
2. There is a half-standalone project called graphtecprint.
3. There is a "scrapbook" project by Aaron Spike called cuft.
4. There is a testing version of an HPGL exporter written by Aaron Spike.
5. There is a script at http://pldaniels.com/hpgl-distiller using Linux.
6. There is a "plot manager" script at http://www.securetech-ns.ca/camm-linux.html for linux. Possibly not open-source.

I'm about to adapt the INX file from the HPGL exporter and commit the extension to SVN--Prokoudine 14:19, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

The cuft project aims to collect information about the GSD format. Currently there is no externally useful code.--Acspike 15:38, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

What should be done

For direct cutting

We probably do not want to distribute cutter drivers with Inkscape, but at the same time we want cutters to be available for users on all platforms.

What we could do is:

1. Split functionality between Inkscape and actual printing backend.
2. Find an upstream project like CUPS to ship the drivers with it.
3. Make sure we can still use cutter driver on Windows where CUPS is not that widely used.
4. Create a live path effect (LPE) for creating polylines from Bezier curves (using lib2geom)

Device dependent options (cutting speed, cutting force, knife position fine-tuning etc.) should go to Print dialog (Advanced tab or the like). It looks like Cairo backend would be the only correct way to pass polylines to a cutter.

A very useful option in commercial cutter management software is the creation of 'weed borders' (basically, a variable-distance bounding box) around objects --Cohort 12:16, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

For just exporting

1. Use available LPE for previewing
2. Create as many exporters as required (see below)

File formats

File extension	Full name	Devices	Exporter
DXF			Available in current stable version of Inkscape
GSD			Available from cuft's SVN
HPGL			Part of 0.47/SVN

Cutters

Device	Protocol	Linux drivers	Windows drivers	Mac OS drivers
ANAgraph - ANA Express Elite Cutter AE60E = http://pldaniels.com/hpgl-distiller
Graphtec FC7000Mk2
Graphtec CE5000
Graphtec CC200-20		graphtecprint (requires python & glade)	*	*
Graphtec CE5000-120AP
Graphtec Craft ROBO	based on Graphtec CC200-20 (?same as CC200-20?) (identifies it's self as:"Graphtec")	graphtecprint (requires python & glade)	*	*
Graphtec FC2250
Graphtec FC4200		graphtecprint (requires python & glade) + mods described by Ulisses on graphtecprint page.	*	*
Graphtec CE5000-120	HPGL converted from .ps	hpgl-distiller
QuicKutz Silhouette	based on Graphtec CC200-20
(Blue) Xyron Wishblade	based on Graphtec CC200-20 (identifies it's self as:"Whisblade Inc.")	graphtecprint (requires python & glade) + mods described by Ulisses on graphtecprint page.	*	*
(Pink) Xyron Wishblade
Roland CAMM1 PNC-1100 (Manufactured c.1992)	HPGL converted from .ps	hpgl-distiller
Roland CAMM-1 Pro GX-300 Cutter
Roland CAMM-1 Pro GX-500 Cutter
Roland STIKA SV-8 Cutter
Roland STIKA SV-12 Cutter
Roland STIKA SV-15 Cutter
Roland CAMM-1 GX-24 Cutter
Roland VersaCAMM SP-300 V Printer/Cutter
Roland VersaCAMM SP-300 V Printer/Cutter
Roland VersaCAMM SP-540 V Printer/Cutter
Roland VersaCAMM VP-300 V Printer/Cutter
Roland VersaCAMM VP-300 V Printer/Cutter
Roland SolJet Pro III XC-540 Printer/Cutter

(*) If python and glade are available on these platforms, a modified version of Vidar's graphtecprint scripts should work. The main difference would probably be how to detect and access the USB connected cutters.

Vendors

• Graphtec - We have been in discussion with people from Graphtec, initially about support for the Craft ROBO.