Upgrading your cutting plotter

You can go a long way with a desktop cutting plotter or a large format plotter, whether you are making personalized t-shirts or window letters. Somewhere along your journey, you come to a point where you need to upgrade your cutter and invest in your business.

But you don't want to just buy a new cutter - you need to know if you need something. So how do you know when it's time to upgrade your cutter? The following indicators should let you know if you should buy something with more features.

Not fast enough

Once your vinyl cutting business gets off the ground, you may be struggling to keep up with the increased number of orders. There's nothing worse than watching orders flood your inbox while you wait for your cutter to complete the work.

If you often find yourself hanging around or making more cups of tea than before, it may be time to look for something with a faster cutting speed.

Not enough cutting power

For many people, when they first get into cutting machines, they assume their choices are limited to different colors of vinyl. It is exciting to discover that you can also cut cardboard, reflective vinyl, magnetic sheets, flock and a whole universe of other materials.

With such a wide variety of media available, you might be tempted to experiment with different applications. You might daydream about a hoodie with sparkly vinyl with heat transfer or an intricate packaging design. Unfortunately, if your cutter can't handle thicker media, your ambitions may be cut short

Not wide enough

"You can cut small on a big cutter, but you can't cut big on a small cutter." This adage in the graphic arts industry still rings true, and for good reason. At Dimix, we always hear from customers who wish they had simply bought a wider device. For obvious reasons, there is so much more you can do on a wider plotter.

If you find yourself saying no to customers who want to create larger graphics, such as window displays or large vehicle decals, you should probably upgrade to something with more width. This also means that you are not limited by the available media size.

You want a new printer

If you use your cutter as part of a print-and-cut workflow, you probably have a fairly reliable system to ensure that both devices are well integrated. But you may want to invest in a more modern printer or something with a wider color gamut. The last thing you want to do is mess with your finely tuned workflow.

Since you're already looking to upgrade your printing capabilities, you might as well explore your cutting options. A more advanced cutter could give you additional benefits, such as greater cutting power or better tracking accuracy. Indeed, you might look for a print-and-cut solution designed to work in harmony between the two devices.

Consider Roland's print-and-cut solution, such as the SG2-540 and VG2-540. A promo promotion is currently running on these two machines. Contact us for details.

It has seen better days

It is true that if properly maintained, these machines will provide years of profit, but any mechanical device can be subject to wear and tear.

Over time, your pressure rollers and cutting strips will deteriorate, and the rigors of constant production will take their toll. While the components are easy to replace, you might consider this a wake-up call, letting you know it's time to consider other options.

We know how easy it is to become attached to a device that has only given you 100% great results. As heartbreaking as it is, eventually everyone moves on to bigger and better things. It's up to you to look to the future and imagine the business you want, not just the one you have now. With more advanced equipment, there is less stopping you from making your dreams come true.