Question:

What is the Automatic Tile option in the SignCAM Cut Selected used for?

Answer:

The Automatic Tile option available in the SignCAM>Cut Selected window allows cutting large signs on smaller material.

Pressing the Tile options button opens the Tile options dialog. This dialog allows you to specify the amount of overlap between tiled sheets for accurate layout of multiple sheets on the sign. If the values are 0, cut sheets will butt to one another along the margins specified by the blue lines in the sign cut preview.

Below is an example of a 42” panel cut on 30” material. When Multi-Sheet is checked, the preview will show multiple sheets bounded by blue lines. The Geometry Y Offset is set to 2.5” to move the seam between the two lines of legend and not through one of them. The Material width shows 29.17”, which updates when Obtain Sizes is pressed. The cutter recognizes that the cuttable width of the 30” material is 29.17”. The geometry length is extensible, meaning it is as long as it needs to be to match the size of the material. The tile options show a cut overlap of .25” along the length of the material. Orientation is set to landscape and continuous roll feed will cut both sheets one after the other.

Cut Sheet Edge will cut the edge along the blue line on each tiled sheet and should be used if your cutter is sheet feed only. Cut sheet edge will cut through any objects extending over the margin. If your cutter is roll feed and can automatically advance the material to cut successive tiles, then do not use cut sheet edge. Your cutter will cut the first tile, advance the material and cut the next tile without making undesired cuts between tiles.

Cut Sheet Edge: At ends will cut along the top and bottom margins when the material orientation is portrait. It will cut along the left and right margins when the material orientation is landscape. 

Cut Sheet Edge: Along length will cut along the left and right margins when the material orientation is portrait. It will cut along the top and bottom margins when material orientation is landscape. Cut sheet edge will cut through any objects extending over the margin.

Overlap: Along length - This field specifies the amount of material you want overlapped along the length of one sheet over the adjacent sheet. The display will show the cut sheets overlapping at left and right edges when material orientation is portrait and at the top and bottom edges when material orientation is landscape.

Overlap: At ends - This field specifies the amount of material you want overlapped at the end of one sheet over the butting sheet. The display will show the cut sheets overlapping at the top and bottom edges when material orientation is portrait and at left and right edges when material orientation is landscape. 

Add Crop Marks will add horizontal and vertical cut marks at the corners of the sheet. If overlapping values have been specified, the overlapped region will be shown beyond the cut marks. The size of the crop marks will be from 1/2 the specified margin to a minimum of 0.25 inches (or 10mm) If Crop Marks are to be cut, the margin should be set to a minimum of 1 inch

Continuous Roll Feed will cut the sheets one after the other on the roll of material.