Feature
Plotter calibration: make your cutter cut true to size
The calibration wizard corrects a plotter that cuts slightly too big or too small. It cuts a 6 inch by 3 inch test rectangle, you measure the result and type in the real width and length, and the software scales every later cut on that plotter to match. You do it once per plotter.
Last checked
How to calibrate a plotter
- Open Settings → Cut Devices, edit your plotter, and click Calibrate This Device.
- Load a piece of film or scrap vinyl and click Cut Rectangle. The plotter cuts a 6 in × 3 in (152.4 mm × 76.2 mm) rectangle at its uncorrected size.
- Measure the rectangle's width and length with a ruler or calipers and enter both numbers.
- Review the correction the wizard shows, then click Save on the device. From then on, every job sent to that plotter is scaled to cut at the right size.
Each calibration is worked out fresh from an uncorrected test cut, so recalibrating never stacks on top of an old correction. You can reset a plotter to 1:1 at any time.
When to calibrate
- When you set up a plotter for the first time.
- If pieces come out consistently a little long, short, wide or narrow.
- After servicing or replacing the plotter.
Calibration is stored per plotter, so a shop with two cutters can have a different correction on each.
Common questions
Why would a plotter cut the wrong size?
Small mechanical differences, such as belt tension or roller wear, mean a plotter's real travel can differ slightly from what it was told to move. The error is usually small but it adds up over a long piece.
Does calibration fix film that drifts sideways on long cuts?
No. Calibration corrects size. Drift is a tracking problem, which comes down to how the film is loaded and the plotter's rollers. See what plotter you need for tint and PPF.