Ioline Supernova I/S Series User manual

User Guide
Ioline SmarTrac™
I/S Series SC Series

Trademarks
Ioline and SmarTrac are trademarks of Ioline Corporation. Other product names, logos, designs, titles,
words or phrases mentioned within this publication may be trademarks, service marks, or trade names of
Ioline Corporation or other entities and may be registered in certain jurisdictions including internation-
ally.
Ioline Disclaimer
IOLINE CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OR CONDITIONS OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO
EVENT SHALL IOLINE, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES
FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS
AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF IOLINE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES
ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
Limit of Liability Statement
It is the responsibility of the operator of the signcutter to monitor the performance of the signcutter and
maintain it in proper working condition by following the instructions in this User Guide. It is the respon-
sibility of the operator of the signcutter to follow all safety precautions and warnings that are described in
this User Guide. Ioline is not responsible for injuries that may occur as a result of unsafe operating proce-
dures. Ioline is not responsible for substandard operational performance as a result of failure to maintain
the signcutter as described in this User Guide.
© 1997-2005 Ioline Corporation. All rights reserved. This manual may not be copied, photocopied, repro-
duced, translated, transmitted or converted to any electronic or machine-readable form in whole or in
part without prior written approval of Ioline Corporation.
Service and Support
If you require assistance with an Ioline product, your local Ioline dealer or authorized service center is
ready to help. Support information is also available 24/7 on the Ioline Web site—or you may contact Ioline
directly:
Ioline Corporation
14140 NE 200th Street
Woodinville, Washington 98072 U.S.A.
Ioline Customer Service Department
Monday through Friday
7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. U.S. Pacific Time
Voice: 1.425.398.8282
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.ioline.com
User Notice
Part Number 106844 Rev. 3

User Guide
Ioline SmarTrac™
I/S Series SC Series

Images & Illustrations
Figure 1 The Ioline SmarTrac I/S cutter front view ............................................................. x
Figure 2 The Ioline SmarTrac Contour (SC) cutter front view ....................................... xi
Figure 3 The Ioline SmarTrac SC-72 cutter front view .................................................... xii
Figure 4 The Ioline SmarTrac Contour SC-72 cutter rear view ................................... xiv
Figure 5 Power and communications ports .............................................................................xiv
Figure 6 USB Connection ....................................................................................................... 17
Figure 7 Ignore the Windows® XP Warning ........................................................................ 17
Figure 8 Click Next when the New Hardware Wizard window appears .............. 17
Figure 9 Locate the USB driver folder ................................................................................. 18
Figure 10 Find the COM port number under the Device Manager window ............ 18
Figure 11 Setup the software for USB .................................................................................... 19
Figure 12 Enter the port settings under the Device Manager window ...................... 19
Figure 13 The Ioline Control Center Installation window. ........................................ 20
Figure 14 The SmarTrac keypad ............................................................................................... 21
Figure 15 Origin point ................................................................................................................ 22
Figure 16 The Control Center Setup Screen ............................................................... 23
Figure 17 The Control Center Main Menu .................................................................... 24
Figure 18 Adjusting pinchwheel presure ................................................................................ 31
Figure 19 Locking the idler pinchwheels off the platen ...................................................... 31
Figure 20 Installing the blade and blade foot in the holder ............................................... 32
Figure 21 Installing the blade holder in the carriage jaw .................................................... 32
Figure 22 When properly exposed, the blade lightly scores the backing ....................... 33
Figure 23 Suggested settings for different materials ............................................................ 35
Figure 24 Plotting pen guidelines ............................................................................................. 36
Figure 25 The Tangential Panel ................................................................................................. 40
Figure 26 Rectangular registration marks .............................................................................. 41
Figure 27 Recommended registration mark dimensions .................................................... 41
Figure 28 Registration marks margin ...................................................................................... 42
Figure 29 Registration mark locations on plot ..................................................................... 42
Figure 30 Replacing the blade ................................................................................................... 49
Figure 31 Cleaning the drive shaft ........................................................................................... 50
Figure 32 The Calibration Box and measurements ........................................................ 51
Figure 33 Print and measure a 1-cm black square on a white background ................... 52
Figure 34 Registration tool in jaw ............................................................................................ 52
Figure 35 Align tool with the corner of the box ................................................................. 52
Figure 36. The Control Center Calibration window ..................................................... 53
Figure 37. The Small Sensor Calibration window .........................................................................54

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Safety & Cautions
Visual Reference Guide
Chapter 1 Installation
Getting Started ........................................................................................................................ 15
Compatible Materials .......................................................................................................... 15
Installation .................................................................................................................................. 16
Unpack the Signcutter ......................................................................................................... 16
Assembly ................................................................................................................................ 16
Prepare the Area .................................................................................................................. 16
Connect the Signcutter to the Computer ..................................................................... 16
Installing USB Drivers ........................................................................................................... 17
Prepare to install .................................................................................................................. 17
Windows® XP Warning ....................................................................................................... 17
Install Drivers ........................................................................................................................ 17
Find the COM Port .............................................................................................................. 18
Setup the Software to use USB ......................................................................................... 19
Manually configure the USB settings (optional) ............................................................ 19
Power On ............................................................................................................................... 20
Installing Ioline Software and Manuals ............................................................................. 20
Chapter 2 Operation
Keypad Controls ....................................................................................................................... 21
START / STOP ........................................................................................................................ 21
Arrow Keys ............................................................................................................................ 22
Set Origin ............................................................................................................................... 22
Speed ....................................................................................................................................... 22
Force ....................................................................................................................................... 22
Test Cut .................................................................................................................................. 22
Repeat ..................................................................................................................................... 23
The Ioline Control Center .................................................................................................. 23
Changing System Settings ................................................................................................... 24
Menu Bar Features ................................................................................................................. 25
File .......................................................................................................................................... 25
Setup ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Display .................................................................................................................................. 25

Options ................................................................................................................................. 25
Calibrate .............................................................................................................................. 25
Test ......................................................................................................................................... 25
Help ........................................................................................................................................ 25
Screen Menu Options ............................................................................................................ 26
Measurement Units .............................................................................................................. 26
Panel Size ................................................................................................................................ 26
Scale ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Autoloop ................................................................................................................................ 26
Tangential Cutting ................................................................................................................ 26
Special Features .................................................................................................................... 26
Update Display ...................................................................................................................... 27
Send Settings to Cutter: Temporary ............................................................................... 27
Send Settings to Cutter: Permanent ................................................................................ 27
Acceleration .......................................................................................................................... 28
Up/Down Delays .................................................................................................................. 28
Force ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Force Values ........................................................................................................................... 28
Blade Overcut ....................................................................................................................... 28
Blade Steering Arc ................................................................................................................ 28
Cutting a Sign ............................................................................................................................ 29
General Guidelines .............................................................................................................. 29
Power On ............................................................................................................................... 29
Loading the Material ............................................................................................................ 29
Aligning the Material and Pinchwheels ............................................................................ 30
Adjusting the Pinchwheel Pressure .................................................................................. 30
Locking the Pinchwheels Off of the Platen .................................................................... 31
Installing a Blade and the Blade Foot ............................................................................... 32
Installing a Blade Holder or Pen ....................................................................................... 32
Adjusting Blade Exposureand Force .............................................................................. 33
Adjusting Blade Exposure: .................................................................................................. 33
Force Adjustment: ................................................................................................................. 34
Verification: ............................................................................................................................ 34
Sending a Cut/Plot File to the Signcutter ....................................................................... 34
Pausing Cutting ..................................................................................................................... 34
Canceling a Cut .................................................................................................................... 35
Suggested Settings ................................................................................................................ 35
Guidelines for Plotting Pens ............................................................................................... 35
Cutting Long Signs ............................................................................................................... 36
Cutting Small Characters (Under 1/4-in.) ........................................................................ 37
How to Pounce ..................................................................................................................... 38
Stencil Cutting ....................................................................................................................... 39
Tangential Cutting ................................................................................................................ 40
Contour Cutting ................................................................................................................... 41
Chapter 3 Communication Testing
Communication Test ............................................................................................................ 43
Testing the Signcutter Serial Port ..................................................................................... 44
Testing the Computer Serial Port .................................................................................... 44
Troubleshooting Chart ........................................................................................................ 45
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting
LED Codes ............................................................................................................................. 47

vii
Troubleshooting the Parallel Port (for older machines) .............................................. 47
Replacing the Blade ................................................................................................................ 49
Chapter 5 Routine Maintenance
Cleaning the Drive Shaft .................................................................................................... 50
Size Calibration ........................................................................................................................ 50
Prepare the signcutter: ........................................................................................................ 50
Gather the Calibration Data: ............................................................................................. 50
Enter the Calibration Data: ................................................................................................ 51
Calibrating the Sensor for Contour Cutting .............................................................. 52
Prepare to Calibrate the Sensor ....................................................................................... 52
Calibrate the Sensor ............................................................................................................ 53
Service & Support ................................................................................................................... 55
Getting Help .............................................................................................................................. 55
Chapter 6 End Notes
Customer Service ................................................................................................................... 56
Your Comments Are Requested ...................................................................................... 56
Before you contact Support… .......................................................................................... 57
The FCC Wants You to Know... ......................................................................................... 58
This booklet is available from: .......................................................................................... 58
Glossary
Index

viii

Please read these safety guidelines before beginning operation of
the signcutter. The signcutter uses a very sharp blade when cutting.
The parts can move quickly. Always observe the following safety
precautions:
 Do not allow the material to become suddenly taut between
the plotter and a roll of material during plotting. A service
loop of unrolled material is required for problem free opera-
tion. Using the Autoloop function (enabled in the Control
Center) will create the required service loop by gently pulling
a set amount of material from the roll before cutting. Ioline
recommends using the Autoloop function when plotting on a
roll of material.
 Do not try to repair the machine without factory authorization.
Only qualified service personnel should attempt any disas-
sembly or access to internal components. If external mechanical
adjustments are necessary, turn off the signcutter and discon-
nect it from all power sources (both the computer and the wall
outlet).
 Be careful with hair, jewelry, or loose clothing near the signcut-
ter. They can become caught in the mechanical parts.
 Never move the carriage by hand. Use the Arrow keys and let
the machine do it.
 Keep hands away from the carriage when the signcutter is in
operation. The carriage will automatically move to its right end
position when the power is turned on.
 Be careful when lifting the signcutter. Hold the bottom surfaces
of the signcutter to lift or move it.
 Keep fingers away from the drive shaft when the signcutter is
in operation.
 Use caution when changing a blade in the blade holder. See the
Routine Maintenance chapter of this User Guide for the recommend-
ed procedure.
 Be careful when handling the blades. They are sharp and could
cause an injury if mishandled. Although the blades are made
of an extremely hard material, they are brittle and can break if
dropped or mishandled.
Safety &
Cautions
ix

A. Dust Cover
B. Drive Shaft Marker
C. Carriage
D. Blade Holder
E. Idler Wheel
F. Drive Shaft (beneath vinyl)
G. Pinchwheel
H. Pinchwheel Lever
KEY
Figure 1. The Ioline SmarTrac I/S cutter front view.
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