MUTOH Ultima User manual

User’s
Guide

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
2 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
3 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
COPYRIGHT ©2007 Mutoh Europe N.V. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without written permission of the
copyright owner.
This document is furnished to support the MUTOH Ultima cutting plotter. In consideration of the furnishing of
the information contained in this document, the party to whom it is given assumes its custody and control and
agrees to the following:
The information herein contained is given in confidence, and any part thereof shall not be copied or
reproduced without written consent of Mutoh Europe N.V.
This document or the contents herein under no circumstances shall be used in the manufacture or
reproduction of the article shown and the delivery of this document shall not constitute any right or license to
do so.
April 2007
Published: Mutoh Europe N.V., Archimedesstraat 13, B-8400 Oostende, BELGIUM

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
4 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
5 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
Dear Customer,
Thank you for choosing a Mutoh Ultima series sign cutting plotter. The Mutoh Ultima drag knife cutting plotter
has been designed to be one of the most user-friendly and versatile cutting plotters in the market.
As a stand-alone cutting plotter, the Ultima can cut and plot designs onto PVC or paper as required.
In combination with an inkjet printer, the Ultima cutting plotter is ready for contour-cutting of preprinted signs
made with any printer capable of printing onto cutting plotter compatible media. Contour-cutting is made
possible via the integrated EPOS (electronic positioning) technology and the in-the-box software.
But even more important, it is easy to use, as the following guide will show you.

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
6 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
7 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Regulatory and safety information ............................................................................................................ 9
1.1. EMC statement for CE Marking ............................................................................................................. 9
1.2. FCC compliance..................................................................................................................................... 9
1.3. Important notes ...................................................................................................................................... 9
1.4. Safety Labels: Safety Labels, Symboles de sécurité, Sicherheitssymbole......................................... 10
2. Installation Procedures............................................................................................................................. 11
2.1. Preparing the cutting environment ....................................................................................................... 11
2.2. Parts list................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.3. Unpacking and setting up the Ultima Cutter ........................................................................................ 13
2.3.1 Unpacking the body ....................................................................................................................... 13
2.3.2. Mounting cutter body to the stand. ............................................................................................... 14
2.4. Cutter parts & components .................................................................................................................. 15
2.5. Operation panel.................................................................................................................................... 17
2.6. Connecting the cutter to the computer ................................................................................................. 19
2.6.1. Serial Interface.............................................................................................................................. 19
2.6.2. USB interface................................................................................................................................ 19
2.7. How to upgrade your ultima firmware .................................................................................................. 20
2.8. Connecting the power cable................................................................................................................. 23
2.9. Installing a tool ..................................................................................................................................... 24
2.10. Loading media.................................................................................................................................... 25
2.10.1. Loading cut sheet media............................................................................................................. 25
2.10.2. Loading roll media....................................................................................................................... 27
2.11. Straightening the vinyl edge using the auto-sheet-off utility............................................................... 29
3. Cutter Controls .......................................................................................................................................... 31
3.1. Understanding the Operation panel ..................................................................................................... 31
3.2. Direct key access ................................................................................................................................. 35
3.2.1. Force selection.............................................................................................................................. 35
3.2.2. Speed selection ............................................................................................................................ 36
3.2.3. Offset selection ............................................................................................................................. 36
3.2.4. Tool selection................................................................................................................................ 37
3.2.5. Origin selection ............................................................................................................................. 37
3.2.6. Test selection................................................................................................................................ 38
3.2.7. Presets selection........................................................................................................................... 38
3.3. Contour Cutting .................................................................................................................................... 41
3.3.1. Aligning methods .......................................................................................................................... 41
3.3.2. Which Aligning Method should I use?........................................................................................... 45
3.4. Square details ...................................................................................................................................... 46
3.5. special functions for quality .................................................................................................................. 48
3.5.1. EPOS offset fine-tune ................................................................................................................... 48
3.5.2 Print deformation............................................................................................................................ 50
4. CUTTER settings & Special functions..................................................................................................... 51
4.1. General procedure to change settings on the cutter............................................................................ 51
4.2. Overview of General settings ............................................................................................................... 51
4.2.1. Sheet Off Mode............................................................................................................................. 52
4.2.2. Sheet Off Margin........................................................................................................................... 53
4.2.3. Pre-Feed Length ........................................................................................................................... 53
4.2.4. Max Sheet length .......................................................................................................................... 55
4.2.5. Page Mode.................................................................................................................................... 56
4.2.6 Origin.............................................................................................................................................. 57
4.2.7. Laser Speed.................................................................................................................................. 57

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
8 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
4.2.8. Tool-up Speed .............................................................................................................................. 58
4.2.9. Cut Quality .................................................................................................................................... 59
4.2.10. Factory Default............................................................................................................................ 60
4.2.11. Copies......................................................................................................................................... 61
4.2.12. Smoothing................................................................................................................................... 62
4.2.13. Bézier selection........................................................................................................................... 63
4.2.14. Language selection..................................................................................................................... 63
4.2.15. Emulation selection..................................................................................................................... 64
4.2.16. Program Step selection............................................................................................................... 64
4.2.17. VS/ZF/AS Settings selection....................................................................................................... 65
4.2.18. Communication selection............................................................................................................ 66
4.3 Special key combinations...................................................................................................................... 67
5. Finetuning your cutter to obtain Mutoh quality...................................................................................... 69
5.1. Adjusting the knife depth ...................................................................................................................... 69
5.2. Setting the cutting pressure / Test squares ......................................................................................... 71
5.3. Offset principle ..................................................................................................................................... 72
5.4. Offset effect .......................................................................................................................................... 72
5.5. Offset adjustment procedure................................................................................................................ 73
5.6. Performing a test cut ............................................................................................................................ 75
5.6.1. Cut Test →SC-850 or SC-1400 ................................................................................................... 75
5.6.2. Quality check ................................................................................................................................ 76
5.6.3. Knife offset →Test ....................................................................................................................... 76
5.6.4. Settings Plot.................................................................................................................................. 77
5.6.5. EPOS Align tune (Manual)............................................................................................................ 78
5.6.6. EPOS Align tune (Automatic) ....................................................................................................... 80
5.6.7. EPOS system →check sensor..................................................................................................... 81
5.6.8. Test sheet verify epos alignment .................................................................................................. 82
6. Plotter maintenance & Troubleshooting ................................................................................................. 83
6.1. Cleaning & Daily maintenance ............................................................................................................. 83
6.1.1. Cleaning the grid rolls ................................................................................................................... 83
6.1.2. Cleaning the cutter blade.............................................................................................................. 84
6.1.3. Cleaning the cutting plotter ........................................................................................................... 84
6.2. Wear & Tear ......................................................................................................................................... 85
6.2.1. Replacing the cutting mat ............................................................................................................. 85
6.2.2. Replacing the knife blade.............................................................................................................. 86
6.2.3. Replacing the auto sheet-off knife ................................................................................................ 87
6.3. Clean sensor and E-pos laser.............................................................................................................. 88
6.3.1. Testing E-pos Laser...................................................................................................................... 88
6.4. Troubleshooting.................................................................................................................................... 89
6.5. Checking the communication settings.................................................................................................. 90
6.6. Error messages .................................................................................................................................... 91
6.6.1. Recoverable system errors........................................................................................................... 91
6.6.2. Unrecoverable system errors........................................................................................................ 92
6.6.3. Communication errors................................................................................................................... 93
6.6.4. Language errors............................................................................................................................ 93
7. Ultima cutting plotters - Media compatibility & Dimensions ............................................................... 95
7.1. Ultima cutting plotters: Media compatibility .......................................................................................... 95
7.2. Physical dimensions Ultima ................................................................................................................. 95

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
9 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
1. REGULATORY AND SAFETY
INFORMATION
1.1. EMC STATEMENT FOR CE MARKING
Important
This is a Class A product approved for industrial environments. In a domestic
environment this product may cause radio interference in which case you may be
required to take adequate measures.
1.2. FCC COMPLIANCE
This equipment complies with the requirements for a Class A computing device in the FCC rules, part 15,
subpart J.
Operation of this device in a residential area may interfere with television reception or operation of utilities.
Cutters generate weak radio signals and may interfere with television reception and utilities. If the cutter
does interfere with radio or TV reception, try the following:
¾Change the direction of your radio and TV reception antenna or feeder.
¾Change the direction of the cutter.
¾Move either the cutter or the receiving antenna so that there is more distance between them.
¾Be sure the cutter and the receiving antenna are on separate power lines.
1.3. IMPORTANT NOTES
Technical problems and maintenance, which require the cutter to be opened, can only be done by qualified
personnel who were trained to repair this type of machine.
Unauthorized removing of covers and/or overruling safety locks can be dangerous and will result in your
guarantee becoming void.

User’s Guide – Ultima cutting plotter
10 AP-75032, Rev 2.2, 20/04/07
1.4. SAFETY LABELS:
SAFETY LABELS, SYMBOLES DE SECURITE,
SICHERHEITSSYMBOLE
Safety Labels are attached to the internal and external area of the cutter to alert you to potentially hazardous
situations or conditions. The following safety labels are used in and on the cutter:
1 2