Print&Cut Birthday Card

The laser parameters may vary depending on the type of laser machine and available laser power.

Laser Parameters

Laser Parameters	Colour	Process	Power (%)	Speed (%)
RegMark	Black	RegMark	-	-
Creasing	Red	Cut CO2	3,5	2
Cutting	Blue	Cut CO2	7	1
Cutting	Desert blue	Cut CO2	15	4

ppi/Hz	Passes	Air Assist	Z-Offset	Advanced
-	-	-	-	-
1000	1	on	+1.5 mm	-
1000	1	on	-	-
1000	1	on	-	Correction 20

Connect JobControl^® with the laser.

Move the job from the queue on the plate and place it in the print position in the machine. To do so, move the laserpointer to the middle of any registration mark and the drag the corresponding one to the crosshairs in JobControl^®.

Tip:

Use the “What you see is what you get” function (WYSIWYG) in JobControl^® for easier positioning.

First adjust the focus on the paper. To calibrate the camera, go to Settings - Options - Hardware - Vision. The goal is to have the registration mark stand out from the background.
Next, move the camera to any registration mark on the print. With the ideal settings of Exposure, Gamma and Threshold, the circle around the registration mark will be green. The bar below the preview will also be green. You may adapt these parameters accordingly.

Tip:

For compensation choose fully nonlinear. With this selection the software can adjust the job to scaled and rotated prints.

After you set up the camera you can start your job.

If position and orientation of the laser job in JobControl^® fits to the position of the material on the working area, JobControl reads all registration marks automatically and cuts the job.

If the positions do not fit together, you will need to manually assign the position by placing the camera at the first registration mark. If the bar below the camera preview is green, 
confirm with Enter. If the print is distorted, assign the second registration mark to the correct position. The remaining registration marks will then be read automatically.

For the outer part of the card we decided to go with double-page printed paper.
In this case we are not using registration marks because we don't need any contour cutting.

Next, send your design to the laser with the parameters below.

Tip:

For an even more sophisticated finishing for your card, you can add an engraving with a pattern or the name of the recipient.

Print settings

Process mode	Resolution	Cut line
Standard	500 dpi	none

Halftone	Others
Color	enhanced geometries inner geometries first

Take our parameters for the outer part. The laser parameters may vary depending on the type of laser machine and available laser power.

Tip:

If you use another type of paper, test the right parameter settings on a small, not needed part.

Laser Parameters

Laser Parameters	Colour	Process	Power (%)	Speed (%)
Creasing	Red	Cut CO2	5	2
Cutting	Desert blue	Cut CO2	20	3,8

ppi/Hz	Passes	Air Assist	Z-Offset	Advanced
1000	1	on	+1,5 mm	-
1000	1	on	-	Correction 20

The next step is folding the card. This is the tricky part. Start with the middle fold. Then work your way up by folding the cake tiers.

Then put the inner part in the outer card. Use either adhesive dots or tape or glue.

Tip:

You want to play it safe and fold the card beforehand? For the first try, you can cut the job on normal, unprinted paper (80 g/m²) with less power for the creasing. Just change the process of the Black parameter to "Skip."