Wizard CMC 8000 / Shapes Advice

[lexicraig94]

Hello everyone. I’m fairly new to framing in a professional setting- I used to frame part time at a craft store years ago, I now accepted a full time position and am trying to really learn everything I can about the craft.

The current machine that we use in the shop I work at is the Wizard CMC 8000 machine, partnered with the frame shop 7 software it comes with. We have a client who brought in embroidery art of multiple different hearts, and multiple sizes and all differing shapes. The problem that we keep running into is a “knick” in the left of one of the heart curves. No matter what, I cannot seem to find a resolution. One of my mentors recommended playing with the pathtrace program and trying to “trick” the machine to think that everything is one continuous line- where the Knick happens, the wizard stops then begins cutting again.

I will try and post visuals in this thread as well- but any and all help/ advice is appreciated. I feel like I’m missing something very obvious and I am so close to figuring it out, but can’t! Thank you all in advance. Looking forward to learning and being the best framer I can be.

 

[lexicraig94]

 

[alacrity8]

In theory that problem could be fixed with an emory board. I see what looks like an error in the upper left lobe as well. Likely where the cut is started.

Are you using Trace (part of Frameshop) or Path Trace (park of Mat Designer)?
Trace is much more intuitive.
Are you photographing the image, then importing it into Trace?
It seems likely from how close the design is.
It may take some time, trial, and error.
You can unlink a section of the cut, and replace it with a new curved section.

Best of Luck,
Brian

 

[Rick Granick]

Right. You have an extra node in the curve that needs to be eliminated so the head doesn't stop and reposition itself at that point.
I am more familiar with PathTrace than Trace, but it seems you could reopen the design, break the circuit, then delete that node, and drag one of the nearest ones to reshape the curve as needed.
Then reconnect the circuit, assign the bevel, and save as cut art.
Rick

 

[WizSteve]

My main question is the same too: what was the source of the heart shape? Doesn't look like 501 Heart, could be 508 Heart 2 but if it is, the problem is specific to the size and parameters you're using. Brian and Rick are correct, it's got a hard lift and replunge in the middle of the arc because the angle is probably just outside the tangent threshold (usually set to 6 degrees).

We added a new feature in the latest version of Trace - Show Tangent Cuts - a toggle on the right in Trace that not only labels the angle of the line / spline intersections but also highlights the "bad" angles:

The green circle means it's an angle within the threshold and the head won't replunge.
After I manually deform the outside path so the angle is "bad":

Any angle greater than 6 but less than 10 seems to be "bad" because the angle is outside the threshold but obtuse enough to need to lift the head prior to rotating so the blade doesn't divit the mat or worse snap. An easy fix is to click the Tangify button and smooth out the path again, but the angle needs to be below the Tangent Threshold (which is the number right next to the Tangify button) or increase the value a bit so it will auto-smooth, otherwise like Brian and Rick said you need to spackle it a bit by adding and smoothing.