KNK Zing Air User manual

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KNK Zing with Make-The-Cut1
April 20, 2012
Features of this Online User Manual
Turning Pages and Zooming
Click along the outside margins of the manual to turn a page. To activate the zoom, double click anywhere on
the page. Then move your mouse to pan up or down the page.
Videos
This user manual contains numerous links to videos, such as the one just above which presents an overview of
the Zing cutter. Click on these green Video icons to open either a You Tube or Vimeo hosted video and learn
the topic in that particular section of the manual. Past experience has shown that watching videos can be
extremely beneficial when learning software and cutting applications.
Bookmarks
Click on the Bookmarks icon to list the major chapters of the manual and then click on a chapter to immediately
go to the first page of that chapter. You can also enter a page number at the top in order to go to that specific
page.
Searching
You can search by any word at all. Click on the Search icon, enter any word, and all pages with that word will
be listed. Select any page and the word will be highlighted in yellow.
Downloading
You may download this manual, if you wish, in either PDF format or as an application that will continue to work
in the same way that it does online. But again, this is a manual that will be updated, as needed.
Printing
Do NOT print this entire manual!!! It will be changing as enhancements are made to Make-The-Cut or new
applications are added for using your Zing. Thus it’s better to print only those pages you might need for a certain
topic, at a specific moment. And you may never need to print any of it at all.
Where to Start
Thank you for choosing a KNK Zing. Before using a blade in your new cutter, we suggest you read the
Quick Start Guide that came in your Zing box plus Chapters 1 and 2.
If you run into difficulties with the operation of the Zing, turn off the power and look for a solution in this
manual. If you continue to have technical questions or issues, please contact your KNK Zing supplier as
soon as possible.
For additional support, please visit our Yahoo group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KNK_Zing/
1© 2011, 2012 Accugraphic Sales, Inc., All Rights Reserved

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Table of Contents
KNK ZING WITH MAKE-THE-CUT .............................................................................................................................................................. 1
FEATURES OF THIS ONLINE USER MANUAL .................................................................................................................................................. 1
WHERE TO START ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. UNPACKING, INSTALLING, AND ASSEMBLING .................................................................................................................................. 7
1.01 UNPACKING........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
1.02 CONTENTS......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
1.03 ITEMS TO NOTE (PLEASE READ!)......................................................................................................................................................... 7
1.04 PARTS OF THE ZING............................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Front ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Back............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
1.05 ACCESSORIES.................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Test Pen Holder......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Blades Included With KNK Zing Purchase ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Blade Installation....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Mat (Carrier Sheet) .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
1.06 INSTALLATION OF MAKE THE CUT (MTC) SOFTWARE,ZING DRIVER,AND THE ZING PLUG-IN ................................................................ 11
1.07 PINCH WHEEL LEVERS...................................................................................................................................................................... 11
1.08 MAT/MATERIAL GUIDES .................................................................................................................................................................... 12
1.09 TEST DRAWING SHAPES ................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Landscape Versus Portrait: Which do you prefer? ............................................................................................................................................. 12
Drawing Your First Shape ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
2. CUTTING ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
2.01 WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT CUTTING.......................................................................................................................... 18
You Have To Make Mistakes .................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
The Most Common Mistakes Made by New Owners ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Begin with Easy Materials and Easy Shapes ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Record Your Successes ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Use the Correct Blade for the Material You Are Cutting ..................................................................................................................................... 19
Set the Blade Length To Match the Material Thickness...................................................................................................................................... 19
Set the Blade Height Above the Material .............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Adjust the Speed, Force, and Number of Passes Based on the Material and Shapes .................................................................................... 20
Perform Test Cuts!.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Know Where Your Images Will Cut ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Adjust Blade Offset If Needed................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Keep the Cutting Mat Clean and Sticky ................................................................................................................................................................ 21
Don’t Get Frustrated, Get Help! ............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
2.02 CUT WITH KLIC-N-KUT ZING............................................................................................................................................................. 21
2.03 SPEED............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22
2.04 FORCE............................................................................................................................................................................................. 23
2.05 MULTICUT ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 24
2.06 BLADE OFFSET................................................................................................................................................................................. 24
2.07 CUT TYPE........................................................................................................................................................................................ 25
Knife Point ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
WYSIWYG................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26
WYSIWYG –Virtual Mat Matches Ruled Grid on Actual Mat .............................................................................................................................. 27
WYSIWYG –Virtual Mat Matches Material Dimensions ...................................................................................................................................... 28
Print and Cut............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 29
2.08 SET BLADE ORIGIN........................................................................................................................................................................... 29
2.09 CONNECTION STATUS AND TEST CUT MENU ...................................................................................................................................... 30
2.10 UPDATES,PRESETS,AND HELP......................................................................................................................................................... 30
2.11 IMPORTANT CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU CUT!........................................................................................................................................ 31
2.12 RESOLUTION CALIBRATION ............................................................................................................................................................... 32
SUGGESTED SETTINGS FOR VARIOUS MATERIALS1..................................................................................................................................... 34
SETTINGS FORM FOR CUTTING MATERIALS................................................................................................................................................ 36
3. MTC BASICS.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
3.01 MAIN MTC SCREEN.......................................................................................................................................................................... 37
3.02 TOOLBARS ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
File Toolbar.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 38

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Import Toolbar......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Magic Toolbar.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Node Mode Toolbar................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
3.03 BARS............................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Menu Bar .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Sel. Properties Bar .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
Main Bar ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Layer Bar.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 40
Tab Bar ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Page Bar................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Status Bar ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
3.04 VIRTUAL MAT ................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
3.05 ZOOMING AND PANNING.................................................................................................................................................................... 42
3.06 OPENING MTC FILES........................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Opening a New File/Project.................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Opening an Existing MTC File ............................................................................................................................................................................... 43
3.07 SAVING MTC FILES.......................................................................................................................................................................... 44
3.08 OPENING BASIC SHAPES................................................................................................................................................................... 44
3.09 SELECTING,MOVING,AND DELETING SHAPES.................................................................................................................................... 45
Selecting .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Moving...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Deleting .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
3.10 CUTTING,COPYING,PASTING,DUPLICATING...................................................................................................................................... 47
Cutting to the Clipboard ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Copying to the Clipboard ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Pasting from the Clipboard .................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
Duplicating............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
3.11 UNDO/REDO .................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Undo ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Redo ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
3.12 LAYER BAR ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
3.13 RESIZING,ROTATING,SLANTING,AND WARPING ................................................................................................................................ 51
Resizing.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
Rotating and Slanting ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
Warping .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
3.14 CHANGING COLOR,TEXTURE,AND LINE STYLE .................................................................................................................................. 53
Changing Color ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Changing Texture.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Changing Line Style................................................................................................................................................................................................ 55
3.15 OTHER SHAPE MANIPULATIONS......................................................................................................................................................... 56
Aligning .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
Spacing .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
Mirroring and Flipping ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 56
4. IMPORTING AND EXPORTING............................................................................................................................................................. 58
4.01 ACCESSING THE IMPORT OPTIONS..................................................................................................................................................... 58
4.02 IMPORTING FROM THE ONLINE MTC GALLERY.................................................................................................................................... 58
4.03 IMPORTING SVG, SVGZ FROM YOUR COMPUTER .............................................................................................................................. 59
4.04 IMPORTING AI, EPS, PS, PDF.......................................................................................................................................................... 60
4.05 IMPORTING SCUT, SCUT2............................................................................................................................................................... 61
4.06 IMPORTING TTF, OTF FONT FILES .................................................................................................................................................... 61
4.07 IMPORTING FROM LETTERING DELIGHTS ............................................................................................................................................ 61
4.08 IMPORTING RASTER FILES (JPG, BMP, PNG, ETC)............................................................................................................................ 62
4.09 ACCESSING THE EXPORT OPTIONS.................................................................................................................................................... 62
4.10 EXPORTING TO BASIC SHAPES .......................................................................................................................................................... 63
4.11 EXPORTING TO MTC GALLERY.......................................................................................................................................................... 63
4.12 EXPORTING AS EPS/AI, SVG, OR PDF ............................................................................................................................................. 64
4.13 EXPORTING AS A RASTER FILE .......................................................................................................................................................... 64
4.14 USING WINDOWS COPY/PASTE ......................................................................................................................................................... 65
Adobe Illustrator...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 65
Inkscape ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 65
KNK Studio/ ACS Studio......................................................................................................................................................................................... 65
5. WORKING WITH TEXT .......................................................................................................................................................................... 67

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5.01 THE TEXT AND FONTS TAB................................................................................................................................................................ 67
5.02 OPENING FONT FILES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 67
5.03 ADD TEXT GROUP ............................................................................................................................................................................ 68
Rotating Text ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Splitting Text............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 69
5.04 CREATING A CONNECTED LETTER TITLE ............................................................................................................................................ 70
5.05 INCORPORATING DINGBAT SHAPES INTO A TITLE ................................................................................................................................ 71
5.06 WELDING TITLES IN IMAGINATIVE WAYS............................................................................................................................................. 72
5.07 FITTING TEXT TO THE OUTSIDE OF A SHAPE....................................................................................................................................... 73
Wrapping Text Around A Circle............................................................................................................................................................................. 73
Wrapping Text Half-way Around the Top and the Bottom of a Circle................................................................................................................ 74
5.08 FITTING TEXT TO PATHS ................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Closed Path in Bézier Warp ................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Open Path in Bézier Warp ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
5.09 CREATING AN OVERLAY TITLE AND WELDING TEXT TO FRAMES........................................................................................................... 77
5.10 STENCILING LETTERS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 79
5.11 OPEN PATH FONTS (OPF)................................................................................................................................................................ 80
6. TRACING................................................................................................................................................................................................ 81
6.01 RASTER VERSUS VECTOR................................................................................................................................................................. 81
6.02 FINDING EASY IMAGES TO TRACE...................................................................................................................................................... 82
6.03 PIXEL TRACE.................................................................................................................................................................................... 82
Pixel Trace Method.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 83
Alpha Trace Method................................................................................................................................................................................................ 86
Palette Trace ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 88
Color Trace .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 93
6.04 MANUAL TRACING ............................................................................................................................................................................ 99
Importing an Image for Manual Tracing................................................................................................................................................................ 99
Manual Tracing Using the Bézier Curves and Straight Line (Pen Tool) .......................................................................................................... 101
Flip/Mirror and Weld to Complete Symmetrical Shapes ...................................................................................................................................103
7. EDITING................................................................................................................................................................................................ 104
7.01 SEPARATING AND COMBINING SHAPES ............................................................................................................................................ 104
Split.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................104
Break ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
Join .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................105
Layer.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
Blackout .................................................................................................................................................................................................................107
7.02 SHAPE MAGIC ADVANCE PART 1: THE SIMPLIFY FUNCTIONS............................................................................................................. 108
Auto Simplify Welds.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 108
Auto Simplify Path ................................................................................................................................................................................................108
Smooth & Simplify ................................................................................................................................................................................................108
7.03 SHAPE MAGIC ADVANCE PART 2: DETAILS....................................................................................................................................... 109
View Path Detail..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 109
Nodes on Mat.........................................................................................................................................................................................................110
7.04 SHAPE MAGIC ADVANCE PART 3: THE PATH FUNCTIONS .................................................................................................................. 110
Flatten Paths.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 110
Thin Paths..............................................................................................................................................................................................................111
Fuse n’ Weld ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................112
Reverse Paths........................................................................................................................................................................................................112
7.05 SHAPE MAGIC ADVANCE PART 4: TILER........................................................................................................................................... 113
7.06 NODE MODE TOOLBAR ................................................................................................................................................................... 115
7.07 ADD BASIC SHAPES (BASIC SHAPES TOOL) ..................................................................................................................................... 115
7.08 MEASURE SHAPE LENGTHS AND ANGLES (MEASURE TOOL).............................................................................................................. 116
7.09 SLICE SHAPES AND LINES (KNIFE TOOL).......................................................................................................................................... 117
7.10 DRAW FREEHAND LINES ................................................................................................................................................................. 118
Drawing Thin Lines ...............................................................................................................................................................................................118
Drawing Thick Lines .............................................................................................................................................................................................119
Drawing with Other Line Styles ...........................................................................................................................................................................119
7.11 ERASE SECTIONS OF PATHS (ERASER TOOL)................................................................................................................................... 120
Erasing ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................120
Inverse Erasing (Adding To An Image) ............................................................................................................................................................... 121
Eraser or Knife? .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 123
7.12 DRAW BÉZIER CURVES AND STRAIGHT LINES (PEN TOOL)................................................................................................................ 123
Drawing Straight Lines .........................................................................................................................................................................................123

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Drawing Curves..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 124
Combining Straight Lines and Curves................................................................................................................................................................125
7.13 EDIT PATHS AT NODE LEVEL (NODE EDIT TOOL).............................................................................................................................. 125
Segment Editing....................................................................................................................................................................................................125
Node Editing ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................128
Applications for Node Edit ...................................................................................................................................................................................129
8. DESIGNING ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 130
8.01 WHERE DO ISTART WITH LEARNING TO DESIGN? ............................................................................................................................ 130
8.02 SHADOW LAYER ............................................................................................................................................................................. 130
Outset Shadow ......................................................................................................................................................................................................130
Blackout Option.....................................................................................................................................................................................................131
Corner Join Option................................................................................................................................................................................................ 131
Inset Shadow .........................................................................................................................................................................................................131
8.03 WELD TOOL ................................................................................................................................................................................... 132
Designing a Balloon.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 132
Designing a Border ...............................................................................................................................................................................................132
8.04 BOOLEAN JOIN ............................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Cutting One Shape From Another .......................................................................................................................................................................133
8.05 WRAP OBJECT TO PATH ................................................................................................................................................................. 134
Creating a Wreath..................................................................................................................................................................................................134
8.06 CONICAL WARP.............................................................................................................................................................................. 135
Tumbler Wrap ........................................................................................................................................................................................................136
8.07 LATTICE......................................................................................................................................................................................... 137
Latticed Circle........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 137
8.08 RHINESTONE DESIGN ..................................................................................................................................................................... 138
Rhinestone Outline ...............................................................................................................................................................................................138
Rhinestone Fill.......................................................................................................................................................................................................139
Additional Tips on Rhinestone Designing.......................................................................................................................................................... 140
8.09 JIGSAW PUZZLE ............................................................................................................................................................................. 141
8.10 NOTES WINDOW............................................................................................................................................................................. 142
8.11 DESIGN CONTEST TUTORIALS ......................................................................................................................................................... 143
Designing a Whale by Brigit Mann ......................................................................................................................................................................143
Designing a Flower by Laury Vaden ...................................................................................................................................................................145
9. PRINT AND CUT ................................................................................................................................................................................. 151
9.01 WHAT IS A PRINT AND CUT (PNC)? ................................................................................................................................................ 151
9.02 WHAT IS A PNC CALIBRATION?....................................................................................................................................................... 151
9.03 PNC PROCEDURE PART 1: SETTING UP AND PRINTING .................................................................................................................... 152
Landscape Mode Option....................................................................................................................................................................................... 152
Portrait Mode Option............................................................................................................................................................................................. 155
9.04 PNC PROCEDURE PART 2: ALIGNING AND CALIBRATING................................................................................................................... 158
Aligning the Laser with the Registration Marks................................................................................................................................................. 158
Adjusting the Laser Offset ...................................................................................................................................................................................159
9.05 PRINT AND CUT TIPS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 160
9.06 PRINT AND CUT SCENARIOS............................................................................................................................................................ 160
Cutting Multiple PNC Images on the Same Page ............................................................................................................................................... 160
PNC With a Contour Shape Larger Than the Printed Image............................................................................................................................. 161
PNC With a Contour Shape Smaller Than the Printed Image...........................................................................................................................162
PNC With a Contour Shape Overlapping the Printed Image.............................................................................................................................164
PNC with an Inset Cut Line .................................................................................................................................................................................. 165
10. APPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 168
10.01 CARDSTOCK AND PAPER............................................................................................................................................................... 168
10.02 CHIPBOARD.................................................................................................................................................................................. 168
10.03 VINYL .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 169
10.04 FABRIC AND FELT ......................................................................................................................................................................... 169
10.05 IRON-ON TRANSFER..................................................................................................................................................................... 170
Cutting Iron-On......................................................................................................................................................................................................170
Adhering Iron-On................................................................................................................................................................................................... 170
10.06 RHINESTONE TEMPLATES ............................................................................................................................................................. 171
Designing Rhinestone Patterns...........................................................................................................................................................................171
Cutting Rhinestone Template Material................................................................................................................................................................171
Weeding and Brushing in Rhinestones .............................................................................................................................................................. 171
Heat Pressing Rhinestones..................................................................................................................................................................................172

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Extra tips on Rhinestone Applications ............................................................................................................................................................... 172
10.07 DRAWING WITH A PEN OR GLUE PEN ............................................................................................................................................. 172
Adjusting for the Difference in Diameters of Tools and Blade Holders ..........................................................................................................173
10.08 EMBOSSING AND SCORING............................................................................................................................................................ 175
10.09 ENGRAVING METAL ...................................................................................................................................................................... 176
Project: Engraving a Dog Tag.............................................................................................................................................................................. 177
10.10 USING THE PUNCH TOOL .............................................................................................................................................................. 178
10.11ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS ........................................................................................................................................................... 179
SUGGESTED SETTINGS FOR VARIOUS ACCESSORIES1.............................................................................................................................. 180
SETTINGS FORM FOR ACCESSORY TOOLS ............................................................................................................................................... 181
APPENDIX A KEY BOARD SHORTCUTS ............................................................................................................................................. 182
APPENDIX B TROUBLESHOOTING FAQ’S......................................................................................................................................... 188
COMMUNICATION ISSUES........................................................................................................................................................................ 188
OPERATING ISSUES................................................................................................................................................................................ 188
CUTTING ISSUES .................................................................................................................................................................................... 189
MY CARDSTOCK IS NOT CUTTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH.IHAVE THE BLADE ALL THE WAY OUT AND USING THE MAXIMUM FORCE.................. 191
SOFTWARE ISSUES................................................................................................................................................................................. 191
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................................................................................... 193

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1. Unpacking, Installing, and Assembling
1.01 Unpacking
Verify that you have received all contents. There is a checklist below. Please notify your KNK Zing supplier
immediately if anything is missing.
Remove all foam pieces and other packaging before turning on the KNK Zing. Currently there are two end
cap foam protectors and 3 internal smaller foam pieces.
Use the enclosed test pen as you experiment and become familiar with operating the KNK Zing. Place scrap
paper on the mat and simply draw shapes rather than cut them. This will prevent possible damage to the
blade, mat, and cutting strip as you learn where shapes will cut and the basic operating procedures.
Do not unplug the USB cable from your computer or from the KNK unless you first turn off the power.
Always turn off the Zing when not in use. Leaving the cutter turned on for extended periods of time can
possibly damage the machine.
1.02 Contents
Your KNK Zing package comes with the following:
KNK Zing digital die cutter Blade holder
Quick Start Guide 45˚blade (red cap)
Make-The-Cut! CD with activation pin 60˚blade (blue cap)
Cutting Mat 2 small springs for blades
Test Pen USB cable
2 test pen inserts and a spring Power cable
1.03 Items to Note (Please Read!)
Blades: The blades used by cutters are extremely fragile. Do not drop or even bump the blade onto any
hard surface as they can chip easily. When not in use, retract the blade into the blade holder or remove and
cover the sharp end with the soft plastic cap. Be careful to keep these small blades and their springs in a
safe place.
Warranty: The one year warranty covers Manufacturer’s Defect only and does not include normal wear and
tear. If warranty work is required, the owner is responsible for shipping costs to and from Accugraphic Sales.
If a KNK Zing is damaged during shipment, then your dealer should be notified as soon as possible. If
damages are reported later than three weeks after delivery, then it will be the responsibility of the owner to
ship the damaged KNK back to Accugraphic for repair.
Zing owners outside the USA should contact their distributor for procedures regarding warranty work or
shipping damage.
Transporting: When transporting the cutter, move the pinch wheel levers into the upward position. Remove
the accessories from the Zing and place in a separate bag. We also recommend retaining the original boxes
with the foam inserts in case you ever need to ship your KNK Zing.
Additionally:
DO NOT touch or jam the plotter’s track while it is operating. If the cutter is damaged, it is the owner’s
responsibility.

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DO NOT shake the cutter while it is operating.
DO NOT cut any materials that have staples or other embellishments attached.
DO NOT touch the cutter with a magnet.
DO NOT allow small items to fall into the cutter.
TURN OFF the cutter when not in use.
1.04 Parts of the Zing
Front
Blade Carriage: Moves the Blade Holder Seat left and right
Blade Holder Seat (Jaw): Holds the blade holder, test pen, and other tools
Cutting Strip: Protects blade from cutting metal beneath
Front Screw: Locks blade holder, test pen, and other tools into blade holder seat
Limit Switches: Provide a buffer between blade carriage and end cap
Mat/Material Guides: Keeps cutting mat aligned during cutting
Pinch Wheels: Grip mat or material so that grit shaft (beneath) will feed mat or material in and out
Pinch Wheel Levers: Lift pinch wheels up and down for loading of mat or material
Power Button: Turns cutter on or off
Press Rings: Help keep material from lifting during cutting
Back
Left
End
Cap
Power Button
Blade Carriage
Blade Holder Seat
(Jaw) and Front Screw
Pinch Wheel:
One on each side
Cutting Strip
Power Port
USB Port
Limit Switch:
One on each side
Mat/Material Guide:
One on each side
Press Ring:
Total of 3
Right
End
Cap
Pinch Wheel Lever:
One on each side

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1.05 Accessories
Test Pen Holder
The test pen should be used until you are comfortable with the operation of the KNK Zing and know, with
certainty, where shapes will cut. To assemble the test pen, remove the top cap, slip the spring over the top
half of the pen insert and then drop the pen insert into the bottom half of the pen holder. Slide the cap over
the pen insert, allowing the pen insert to fit through the hole at the top of the cap. Screw into place.
Blades Included With KNK Zing Purchase
There are two kinds of blades included with the KNK Zing. The 45˚red capped blade is suited for cutting
thinner materials such as paper and vinyl. The 60˚blue capped blade is a much longer blade and is well-
suited for cutting thicker materials, such as craft foam, chipboard, and rhinestone template material.
Additionally, there are other tools sold separately, including a fabric blade, engraving tool,
embossing/scoring tool, and pen holder. Details on these are covered in Chapter 10 and in the following
video:
Blade Installation
The blade must be carefully inserted into the blade holder. Do this over a soft surface (e.g. over a hand
towel). It’s important to protect the fragile blade!
The little springs that come with the blades are easy to lose, which is another reason to do this over a towel
so that a dropped spring doesn’t roll off the table. Remove the colored cap from the blade and slide the
spring over the sharp end of the blade:
There are different ways to install the blade. This is the method I prefer, but experiment with other methods
if you like. Again, the important thing is to just take it easy!
Tighten the main part of the blade holder by turning it clockwise until it is about half-way closed:
Step 1. Push
inwards so that
blade can be
inserted.
Spring is placed over the blade

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Place the blade into the tiny hole in the main part of the blade holder:
Gently guide the cap over the top of the blade and then begin screwing the cap on. You may need to
wiggle the cap slightly for the cap to catch the threads and screw onto the main part of the blade holder:
Screw the cap tight. Then, as you screw the main part of the blade holder (the top), the blade will begin
to show through the hole in the cap. You only need as much blade exposed as is necessary to
penetrate the material you are cutting. More blade does NOT result in better cutting. In fact the opposite
is true.
Please read Chapter 2 before cutting. There are some tips on setting the blade exposure as well as other
important information you need to know to be successful with your cutting.
Mat (Carrier Sheet)
Always use the mat to hold the material to be cut unless the material has its own protective backing. For
example, paper, fabric, and gum paste require a carrier sheet, whereas wall vinyl and iron-on transfer do
not. Also, any materials that are less than 11” wide will need to be placed on a mat so that the pinch wheels
can properly feed the material.
When placing the material you plan to cut onto the mat, you can locate the material anywhere it is sticky.
When mats begin to lose their stickiness, they can be washed. Use a mild dishwashing detergent, warm
water, and a brush to thoroughly clean the surface. Then allow to thoroughly dry. Normally, the mat will
regain its original stickiness. But if not, apply a repositionable adhesive as necessary. IMPORTANT: Do not
spray adhesives around your KNK! Not only can the adhesive get stuck to important parts of your Zing, but
these adhesives should only be used in well-ventilated areas. Breathing in the adhesive can be damaging
to your health!
If the newly-sprayed mat is too sticky, causing difficulty in removing cut items without tearing, place an old
but clean dish towel, fuzzy side down, over the surface of the mat and press with a brayer or rolling pin.
Step 1. Push
inwards so that
blade can be
inserted.
Turn top of holder until there is
about 1/8” gap
Turn clockwise to expose more
blade. Turn counterclockwise to
retract the blade. The blade depth
you want should be ~ the
thickness of the material you are
cutting.

11
Then pull up. Test the stickiness and repeat until the mat is more appropriate for your material. It should
only take a few pressings to greatly reduce the stickiness, as micro-sized fibers are pressed to the surface.
If you have cut items or scraps that you cannot easily remove from the mat, then use Un-Du or even
acetone (nail polish remover) to temporarily wet the material and disarm the adhesive. Avoid scraping the
mat while it is wet and allow to air dry.
If you need to strip your mat of the adhesive, use Goo Gone or Duck Adhesive Remover. Wet the entire
surface of the mat with the remover and allow to sit for about 30 seconds. Then use a metal or firm plastic
scraper to scrape off the adhesive until the surface is clean.
1.06 Installation of Make The Cut (MTC) Software, Zing Driver, and the Zing Plug-in
Go to the following link and register Make-The-Cut (MTC), using the Activation Pin provided with your new
Zing. If you already have a registered version of MTC installed on your computer(s), you may skip this step
and the next step. Your new Activation Pin is yours to sell, give away, or keep.
https://www.make-the-cut.com/Register.aspx
At this link, carefully enter the Activation Pin and your email address. After registering, a registration
number will appear on the screen and be sent to the email address you provide. This is what you use for
registering inside the software. You can install MTC on all of your computers and use that same registration
number you received by email. We do request that you only use MTC on one computer at a time.
Close all programs not needed and insert the MTC CD into a CD Rom on your computer. Even if you
already have MTC installed, you will want to reinstall in order to add the Zing plug-in and the Zing driver to
your computer.
Once your computer has loaded the CD, use Windows Explorer or My Computer to locate the installation file
on the CD. Double click the file to launch the installation of MTC, the Zing driver, and the Zing plug-in.
After you have successfully installed the software, an MTC icon should be present on your desktop.
If you do not have a registered version of MTC on your computer, then you will only be able to save one file
per session, plus your cuts will include a “watermark” cut consisting of a large “X” through your cut. If you
decide to register at a later time, go to Help>Register.
It’s important to be running the latest software updates. When you open MTC, go to Help>About Make The
Cut. If you are running a version earlier than 4.10, then please visit this site to download and install the
latest. Note that you will also want to download and install the latest Klic-N-Zing plug-in (scroll down on the
same page): http://www.make-the-cut.com/Download.aspx
Place the KNK Zing on a sturdy horizontal surface. Connect the power cord to the back of the cutter and
plug into a wall outlet or power strip. Turn on the power using the power switch on the top.
Connect the USB cable to the back of the cutter and into an available USB port on your computer. We do
not recommend the use of a USB hub. However, if you have no other option, then the hub must be the type
which is separately powered.
Once the USB cable is connected, the hardware manager will identify the USB connection. If the Windows
Hardware Installation window pops open, proceed and accept all defaults.
1.07 Pinch Wheel Levers
There are two pinch wheel levers, one on each side, just inside the end caps. These are used to raise and
lower the pinch wheels.
Press down on the levers. The roller bar and pinch wheels will be raised. Note that both wheels do not need
to be raised at the same time, but you do need to have both raised before inserting the cutting mat or your
backed materials.

12
After you insert the cutting mat or materials, flip the levers up to lower the pinch wheels onto the mat or
material.
1.08 Mat/Material Guides
There are two mat/material guides at the front of the cutter (refer to the parts diagram in Section 1.04). At
the time of this writing, both guides are moved to the far right when the Zings are packed. Those guides
should be repositioned with one on each side of the mat or backed material. When you unscrew a guide
counter-clockwise, it will then freely slide left or right.
If the blade carriage is preventing easy access to the guides, then turn off the Zing. Now you can manually
slide the blade carriage to the left so that you can more comfortably access these guides.
While the guides can be positioned anywhere, note that when you first turn on the Zing and the blade
carriage comes to its home origin, that position marks the beginning of the 14” cutting range. Thus, you do
not want to position your two guides too far to the left or you risk not having the full range of cutting you
might need.
Thus, move the left guide to the left side but leave loose. Now position the right where you want it, turn
clockwise to lock into place.
Now insert the cutting mat or the backed material you are cutting and move the left guide to just touch the
mat or material. Then turn clockwise to lock it into place. Note that once you have the guides in place, you
do not need to readjust them unless you insert a different sized cutting mat or cut from a backed material
with a different width.
1.09 Test Drawing Shapes
Landscape Versus Portrait: Which do you prefer?
Based on your own past experience with MTC or other cutting programs and cutters, you may have a
particular mode (landscape or portrait) that you are accustomed to using. There is no right or wrong mode,
only the mode that works best for you… or your brain, as the case may be!
Some people find it easier to work in one versus the other when visualizing where shapes will cut. For that
reason, tutorials in this user manual will be presented in both modes so that you can use whichever one
seems easier.
In MTC, the orientation is set on the Virtual Mat tab on the Main Bar. The settings on this tab are presented
in detail in Section 3.04. For now, just note the location of the Mat Configuration settings for Landscape
and Portrait:
Landscape Mode
This arrow indicates the
direction the mat will be
fed into the Zing, relative
to the orientation the
shape will be cut.
Select Landscape

13
In Landscape mode, the arrow on the virtual mat will point to the left. When you draw or cut out the “ABC”
shown on the Landscape Virtual Mat, it will be drawn or cut top to bottom as you face the Zing:
Portrait Mode
In Portrait mode, the arrow on the virtual mat will point upwards. When you draw or cut out the “ABC”
shown on the Portrait Virtual Mat, it will be drawn or cut left to right as you face the Zing:
Feed the mat this
direction into the Zing
The shape will be cut
Landscape. The exact location
will depend on other settings,
as described in Section 2.07.
Select Portrait
This arrow indicates the
direction the mat will be
fed into the Zing, relative
to the orientation the
shape will be cut.
The shape will be cut Portrait.
The exact location will depend on
other settings, as described in
Section 2.07.
Feed the mat this
direction into the Zing

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Drawing Your First Shape
New owners tend to be eager to try out their cutters. It’s also important to test your cutter to insure that data
is being sent properly from your computer to the machine and everything is operating correctly. The
following steps will allow you to do some testing with the test pen. But note that the following steps are for
drawing, not cutting. Before inserting the blade holder into the KNK Zing, please read Section 2.01.
This first test will show you how the Knife Point mode works. This is a very useful setting because it is easy
to know where your shapes will cut on your material, plus it economizes the use of your materials. Instead of
cutting shapes where they are located on the Virtual Mat, the shapes will be moved and cut where you set
the origin on the material, using the blade tip (not the laser light).
1. Place an 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper on the mat, using any of the grid lines. Place the paper onto the mat
like this:
2. Insert the mat into the cutter, with the mat snug between the material guides. Slide the mat towards the
back and use any of the horizontal markings at the front of the Zing to align the mat. Then lift the pinch
levers to drop the pinch wheels onto the cutting mat. Most of the mat and the paper should now be
behind the cutter, not in the front:
3. Before installing the test pen, make sure the pen will write by scribbling on scrap paper. Then loosen the
front screw on the blade holder seat and insert the pen tool. Make sure the pen nib is slightly above the
cutting surface so that it will not drag across the paper. Firmly tighten the screw. (Note: with the Zing
turned off, you can manually slide the blade carriage to the left so that you can check pen or blade tip
height, as necessary).
4. Select either Landscape or Portrait, on the Virtual Mat tab, depending on your personal preference
(as described at the beginning of this section):
Only the front part of the
mat and material will be
in the front of the
machine.
Feed the mat this
direction into the
Zing
Raise the pen high enough for
the tip of the pen to be above
the paper. Then tighten the
front screw.
Align the paper along one
of the grid lines on the
Zing cutting mat.

15
5. Before adding a shape to draw, double click in the gridded area on the screen to plant the Caret. This
will determine where the shape will be imported:
6. Go to File>Import>From Basic Shapes and select the category called Arrows. Double click on any of
the arrow shapes to add that shape to your screen. An arrow will help you better compare where a
shape gets drawn versus how you see it on the screen.
7. Now you will have an arrow on your virtual mat that looks like this:
Double click any of the arrow
shapes to add to your screen.
Double click to plant the
Caret (the vertical red line)
onto the virtual mat.
Select your preferred mode: Landscape or Portrait
Landscape Virtual Mat
Portrait Virtual Mat

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8. To open the cutting control window, go to Cut Project With…>Klic-N-Kut Zing. A new window will
open. This window is covered, in detail, in Sections 2.02-2.08. But for the purposes of this quick tutorial,
make the following changes to the Speed, Force and Blade Offset settings. To change a setting, hold
the left mouse button and drag the dial up or down with your mouse or click on the dial once and then
use the arrow keys on your keyboard to adjust the setting:
9. If, instead of seeing “Connected (COM X)”, you see “Not Connected”, then your computer is not
identifying the Zing. Do the following:
Turn off your Zing. Unplug and reconnect the USB cable at both the Zing and the computer to
make sure the cable is firmly plugged in.
Turn the Zing back on.
Click on the Not Connected button, select Connection (), and select Refresh Ports. Repeat by
going back to this window and then select the connection that says COMX (USB Serial Port). If
there is no option that says USB Serial Port (as shown below), then refer to Appendix B –
Communication Issues.
10. Next, set the origin by clicking on the Set Blade Origin button. The following window will open:
11. Click on the arrow keys to move the pen to the bottom right corner of the paper. You do not have to be
exactly on the corner. In fact, set the pen tip just a little ways in. Then click on Finished to set this new
origin and close the Set Blade Origin window. More details about this window are presented in Section
2.08:
Verify that this button
says Connected.
Choose Knife Point
Click on light button
to turn off Offset
This is the COM port
assigned to the Zing
This is NOT the COM port
assigned to the Zing
Adjust to move in larger
or smaller steps
Click on green arrows to move
the mat in and out of the Zing and
the blade carriage left and right.
Click on Finished to set new
origin.
Click here, after setting origin,
to cut your shape.
Open Set Blade Origin
window here
IMPORTANT: In Knife Point mode, you will use the tip of the pen (or tip of the blade) to set
the origin, not the laser light (which is used in the WYSIWYG or Print and Cut modes.
Set Speed to ~ 10
Set Force to ~50 - 60

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12. Click on Cut Project and your arrow shape will be drawn at the new origin you set. After the cut is
complete, the cut window will close. Your arrow will be drawn as shown, with the direction related to
whether you originally chose Landscape or Portrait for your virtual mat:
13. To draw again, return to the cut window and choose a different origin. Practice moving the origin to
different locations. This is how Knife Point mode works. If you want the image to draw where you have
it on the Virtual Mat, then you need to switch to WYSIWYG mode and use the laser to set the origin
versus the tip of the pen. Refer to Section 2.07 for more details on controlling where images will cut.
Move pen tip to
this corner of the
paper.
Move the pen tip
to this corner of
the paper.
Feed the mat this
direction into the
Zing
Landscape Virtual Mat:
The arrow will be pointing downwards.
Portrait Virtual Mat:
The arrow will be pointing to the right.
IMPORTANT: Please read Section 2.01 before cutting!

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2. Cutting
2.01 What You Need to Understand About Cutting
You Have To Make Mistakes
The key to becoming successful at cutting is to do a lot of it! Those who shy away from using their Zing will
never get to the stage of mastering it. It’s very normal for new owners to be intimidated by their cutter, so
remember the following key things:
You won’t break your new ZING by cutting paper, vinyl, cardstock, rhinestone rubber, and other easy-to-
cut materials. The worst thing that might possibly happen is that you’ll break a blade. That’s it! And the
likelihood of even that happening is low.
You need to start cutting so that you’ll make a lot of mistakes! We ALL do that.It’s in making these
mistakes that you start to learn. You realize that those mistakes didn’t result in a broken cutter. Plus
you’ll stop making the same mistakes as you remember more of the things you need to check before
every cut.
As you make fewer mistakes you begin to build confidence and you begin to have more cutting success!
From there, you begin to experiment more and produce more. Thus, your best course of action is to just
start cutting… a lot! But first, read the rest of this section.
The Most Common Mistakes Made by New Owners
We all make them and we all learn from them. So, please note the following most common mistakes and
then finish reading this entire Section 2.01 as the details behind these listed mistakes will be explained:
Too much blade is exposed on the blade holder
The blade tip is too close to the material
Too much force is being used for the material being cut
Forget to set the Blade Offset before cutting
Failure to do a test cut to make sure settings are optimal
Not practicing enough with the test pen and paper to know where shapes will cut
Begin with Easy Materials and Easy Shapes
You didn’t begin your first driving lesson on the freeway. You probably started driving on a farm or in a
parking lot. Then you progressed to the neighborhood and other low-traffic streets. Then you began driving
on major streets and, finally, the freeway. Think of your cutting in the same way and don’t start your first cuts
with thick difficult materials or detailed cutting files! Instead, start cutting basic shapes from inexpensive
materials or just scraps you have on hand. Work your way up to more difficult cuts after you master the easy
ones.
Record Your Successes
As you have successful cuts, take note of the settings you just used, such as cutting force, speed, blade
type, number of passes, brand of material, etc. There is a blank form at the end of this chapter that you can
print and use to record your results. There are also suggested settings for common materials at the end of
this chapter. Use these as starting guides but remember that your results may vary based on the many
factors which can affect cutting.

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Use the Correct Blade for the Material You Are Cutting
The Zing comes with a 45oblade (red cap) and a 60oblade (blue cap). An optional fabric blade (yellow cap)
is also sold. Use the following as a guide for choosing the appropriate blade for the material you are cutting:
The 45oblade (red cap) should be used to cut vinyl, paper, most cardstock, Dura-lar, iron-on transfer,
and vellum.
The 60oblade (blue cap) should be used to cut chipboard, Grungeboard, stiffened felt, craft foam,
rhinestone rubber, craft plastic, self-adhesive magnet, and Shrinky Dink.
The fabric blade (yellow cap) should be used to cut all fabrics and unstiffened felt. It is also
recommended by PhotoFrost for cutting their icing sheets.
Additional recommendations are in the suggested settings table at the end of this chapter.
Set the Blade Length To Match the Material Thickness
The blade length is how much blade is exposed at the bottom of the blade holder. You want the blade
length to match the thickness of the material for optimal cutting. It is controlled by rotating the top of the
blade holder. Rotating clockwise extends the blade (longer blade length). Rotating counter-clockwise
retracts the blade (shorter blade length).
When setting the blade length, hold the blade holder up next to the material before pressing the material to
the mat, so that you can more accurately set the length to match the thickness of the material. For really thin
materials, like vinyl and thin paper, just the very tip of the blade will be protruding from the bottom of the
blade holder. In fact, you should just barely be able to feel it with your fingertip and not be able to see it very
well, if at all.
A good way to test your blade length is to fold a piece of the material onto itself and then cut a line into the
material by hand, as shown in the video linked in this section. Press firmly but not too hard, as more force
will not determine if the blade is set to the right length. If the blade cannot cut through the material, you will
need to extend the blade. If the blade cuts through the material and cuts into the next layer, you need to
retract the blade. If the blade cuts through the material but does not cut into the layer below, you have the
perfect length.
Having the blade fully extended will never result in better cutting. In fact, it can cause skewing, tearing of the
material, damage to the blade, and damage to the mat.
When conducting the test cut, be sure to check your mat for cut lines after the test. You should be able to
set the length to get clean cuts but with no visible cuts into the mat. If you do see cut lines in your mat,
retract the blade length by turning the top of the blade holder ~¼ of a turn counterclockwise. You do not
need to remove the blade holder from the Zing. Repeat your test cut.
Set the Blade Height Above the Material
The blade height is the distance from the tip of the blade to the top of the material you are about to cut.
When you insert the blade holder into the blade holder seat, it does not necessarily have to be positioned
with the outer rim touching the blade holder seat. You have control over that height and can raise the blade
holder up a little higher before locking it into place with the white screw on the blade holder seat.
Mat
Material
Perfect Length Too Long Too Short

20
When cutting most materials using the Zing blade holder, setting the perfect height for many thin materials is
not a concern. Put the blade holder into the Zing and rest the outer ridge of the blade holder on the rim of
the blade holder seat. Tighten the screw. This will provide a good height for cutting paper and vinyl.
It is only in the cutting of thicker materials, such as cardstock, chipboard, craft foam, craft plastic, stiffened
felt, etc, that the blade tip height will need to be set higher. There are two reasons for doing this:
You do not want the blade tip to be dragging across the material when moving to the point to begin the
cut.
The dropping of the blade will invoke more downward force. This can make a big difference when
cutting thicker denser materials, such as chipboard and craft plastic, which need the blade tip a little
higher, but not too high:
One recommended method for getting the same height set for all of your cuts is to use three old credit
cards. Set the three cards in a stack on top of the material you plan to cut. With the Zing turned off you can
move the blade carriage to the left until it is over the cards. Loosen the front screw and insert the blade
holder so that the tip of the blade is touching the top card. Now tighten the front screw and remove the
cards. This distance will provide the blade some “punch room” to give the extra force and more consistent
cutting of your material. You can also use a stack of 25 Post-It note sheets or even a stack of 12 squares
cut from Georgia Pacific 100# cardstock. Label these and keep next to your Zing!
Adjust the Speed, Force, and Number of Passes Based on the Material and Shapes
Using correct cut settings is equally important as the type of blade, blade length, and blade height. Refer to
Sections 2.03 - 2.05 for details. Again, some suggested settings are located at the end of this chapter and
settings for using the various Zing accessory tools are located at the end of Chapter 10.
Perform Test Cuts!
Use the test function in MTC to make test cuts. Do not proceed with your cut until the test cut is clean. When
cutting intricate shapes, a test cut of an intricate image, such as a letter or a small portion of your rhinestone
pattern, might be a better indicator of correct settings. Refer to Section 2.09.
Know Where Your Images Will Cut
Practice with the test pen until you know, with 100% confidence, where your images will be drawn. This is
important since you do not want to be guessing when you begin actually cutting with a blade. Refer to
Section 2.07 for details and videos on the options for controlling the locations of your cuts.
Adjust Blade Offset If Needed
What is the blade offset? It is the horizontal distance from the center of the blade shaft to the tip of the
blade. A pen or engraving tool has an offset of 0 because the tip is centered with the center of the
pen/engraving tool shaft. But a blade is different:
Perfect Height Too Low Too High
Blade tip
needs to be
above the
material
But not too high or
blade tip will not
reach the material
when dropped.