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  |Has icon=File: Vinyl_cutter_printerIcon.png

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  |Has icondesc=Vinyl Printer

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  |Has imagedesc=The Roland BN-20 Vinyl Printer

  |Has imagedesc=The Roland BN-20 Vinyl Printer

  |Has description=

  |Has description=

  |Has certification=

  |Has certification=https://georgefox.instructure.com/courses/1258

  |Has make=Roland

  |Has make=Roland

  |Has model=BN-20

  |Has model=BN-20

  |Has ace=Moises Mañon;mmanon16@georgefox.edu

  |Has ace=Daniel Oppenlander;doppenlander18@georgefox.edu

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==Description==

==Description==

Vinyl Printing is the process of applying ink to vinyl sheets to produce graphics using a conventional inkjet printing method with solvent based inks. This is useful for making images into stickers, creating t-shirt graphics, and any task where the appearance of vinyl needs to be changed. Printers similar to this are standard in small scale custom clothing companies due to how easy it is to take a graphic from Adobe Illustrator to a piece of vinyl. The BN-20 packs everything into one, powerful, profit-producing package. With award-winning eco-solvent inks including metallic and white options, a range of material compatibility and integrated contour cutting, it is easily the most versatile print device in its class. The BN-20 is perfect for creating t-shirt graphics, poster prints, stickers and decals – all from the comfort of your desktop.  

Vinyl Printing is the process of applying ink to vinyl sheets to produce graphics using a conventional inkjet printing method with solvent based inks. This is useful for making images into stickers, creating t-shirt graphics, and any task where the appearance of vinyl needs to be changed. Printers similar to this are standard in small scale custom clothing companies due to how easy it is to take a graphic from Adobe Illustrator to a piece of vinyl. The BN-20 packs everything into one, powerful, profit-producing package. With award-winning eco-solvent inks including metallic and white options, a range of material compatibility and integrated contour cutting, it is easily the most versatile print device in its class. The BN-20 is perfect for creating t-shirt graphics, poster prints, stickers and decals – all from the comfort of your desktop.  

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6J1yLQyGNE}}

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6J1yLQyGNE}}

==Documentation==

==Documentation==

* See below for specific machine terminology.  

* See below for specific machine terminology.  

* [[File:Vinyl Printer Terms.png|none|thumb|866x866px]]

* [[File:Vinyl Printer Terms.png|none|thumb|866x866px]]

 

==== [http://support.rolanddga.com/Docs/Documents/departments/Technical%20Services/Manuals%20and%20Guides/BN-20_USE_EN_R2.pdf User Manual] ====

[[Media:BN-20 USE EN R2.pdf|Vinyl Printer+Cutter User Manual]]<br>

This user manual does a good job of visually showing the details of operating the printer.  

This user manual does a good job of visually showing the details of operating the printer.

==Training==

==Training==

====Overview====

====Operation====

Almost any file type can be used as a graphic when using the vinyl printer but they all must be brought into Illustrator or Inkscape to add a cut line. Note that a vector file such as a .pdf will work the best. The cut line tells the printer to cut out the image that is being printed so it can be weeded properly before it is applied. There are many ways to create a cut line and it is up to the user to determine which process will be the easiest for their graphic. Once a cut line has been created, the file is saved as an .eps and then opened in Versaworks to finalize any print settings before performing the print. After the print is completed it should be left to dry for 20 minutes before being applied to another object.  

Almost any file type can be used as a graphic when using the vinyl printer but they all must be brought into Illustrator or Inkscape to add a cut line. Note that a vector file such as a .pdf will work the best. The cut line tells the printer to cut out the image that is being printed so it can be weeded properly before it is applied. There are many ways to create a cut line and it is up to the user to determine which process will be the easiest for their graphic. Once a cut line has been created, the file is saved as an .eps and then opened in Versaworks to finalize any print settings before performing the print. After the print is completed it should be left to dry for 20 minutes before being applied to another object.  

Preparing Graphics:  

Preparing Graphics:  

First, it is important to understand the differences between a vector and a raster when setting up graphics to be printed. Raster images use many colored pixels or individual building blocks to form a complete image. JPEGs, GIFs and PNGs are common raster image types. Almost all of the photos found on the web and in print catalogs are raster images. Because raster images are constructed using a fixed number of colored pixels, they can’t be dramatically resized without compromising their resolution. When stretched to fit a space they weren’t designed to fill, their pixels become visibly grainy and the image distorts. This is why altered photos may appear pixilated or low resolution. Further, because a raster image is composed of many tiny pieces it is difficult to distinguish one object from another within the image. Vector images, alternatively, allow for more flexibility. Constructed using mathematical formulas rather than individual colored blocks, vector file types such as SVG, EPS, AI and PDF* are excellent for creating graphics that frequently require resizing. Also, each object within a vector file is assigned to a distinct layer within Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape which means an object can be moved, resized, and recolored without affecting the rest of the image. Having a graphic in vector format can be helpful because it is easy to remove the vinyl background from the graphic by adding a cut line around the object.  

First, it is important to understand the differences between a vector and a raster when setting up graphics to be printed. Raster images use many colored pixels or individual building blocks to form a complete image. JPEGs, GIFs and PNGs are common raster image types. Almost all of the photos found on the web and in print catalogs are raster images. Because raster images are constructed using a fixed number of colored pixels, they can’t be dramatically resized without compromising their resolution. When stretched to fit a space they weren’t designed to fill, their pixels become visibly grainy and the image distorts. This is why altered photos may appear pixilated or low resolution. Further, because a raster image is composed of many tiny pieces it is difficult to distinguish one object from another within the image. Vector images, alternatively, allow for more flexibility. Constructed using mathematical formulas rather than individual colored blocks, vector file types such as SVG, EPS, AI and PDF* ['''why the "*" on PDF.?'''] are excellent for creating graphics that frequently require resizing. Also, each object within a vector file is assigned to a distinct layer within Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape which means an object can be moved, resized, and recolored without affecting the rest of the image. Having a graphic in vector format can be helpful because it is easy to remove the vinyl background from the graphic by adding a cut line around the object.  

For Adobe Illustrator:  

For Adobe Illustrator:  

#*To import a normal picture into Adobe Illustrator, do [File] > [Place] and then click and drag to the desired size.The graphic can then be converted to vectors by clicking [Object] >[Flatten Transparency].

#*To import a normal picture into Adobe Illustrator, do [File] > [Place] and then click and drag to the desired size.The graphic can then be converted to vectors by clicking [Object] >[Flatten Transparency].

#*Next, click on the image to bring up several options at the top of the screen and select the [Trace] function. When doing this make sure to select the [Expand] option. This will break the image up into components which can be edited individually.

#*Next, click on the image to bring up several options at the top of the screen and select the [Trace] function. When doing this make sure to select the [Expand] option. This will break the image up into components which can be edited individually.

#*Note that this process works well for simple images with few colors. If the image is super complicated it will lose a lot of detail and still be difficult to work with because of the many layers that are created.

#*Note that this process works well for simple images with few colors. If the image is super complicated it will lose a lot of detail and still be difficult to work with because of the many layers that are created.

# In essence, a cut line is a 0.25 pt line (called a stroke in Illustrator) that is correctly colored and labeled so Versaworks can read it properly. The stroke can be added around specific layers (great for logos), or around the entire graphic (better for images). The advantage of adding a stroke around each layer is that it is possible to completely weed out vinyl between two parts of an image instead of leaving a piece of uncolored vinyl. For details on adding the cut line follow the steps below.

# In essence, a cut line is a 0.25 pt line (called a stroke in Illustrator) that is correctly colored and labeled so Versaworks can read it properly. The stroke can be added around specific layers (great for logos), or around the entire graphic (better for images). The advantage of adding a stroke around each layer is that it is possible to completely weed out vinyl between two parts of an image instead of leaving a piece of uncolored vinyl. For details on adding the cut line follow the steps below.

#* Select the entire graphic and add a 0.25 stroke to the graphic. The [Stroke] option can be found in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

#* Select the entire graphic and add a 0.25 stroke to the graphic. The [Stroke] option can be found in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

#* Click on the color options to the left of the [Stroke] option and then click on [New Swatch] on the bottom edge of the box. A window will open up.   

#* Click on the color options to the left of the [Stroke] option and then click on [New Swatch] on the bottom edge of the box. A window will open up.   

#* Name the new swatch [CutContour]. Make sure to use the exact capitalization or it will not work properly/.

#* Name the new swatch [CutContour]. Make sure to use the exact capitalization or it will not work properly.

#* Change the color type from [Process Color] to [Spot Color]

#* Change the color type from [Process Color] to [Spot Color]

#* Make sure that the color system is set to CMYK

#* Make sure that the color system is set to CMYK

#* First you can draw a shape around the graphic and use that as the cut line. This option works well for high quality images because there is no compromise in image detail. The downside is that it is difficult to cut out precise shapes from the graphic because it is difficult to get shapes to match up correctly.

#* First you can draw a shape around the graphic and use that as the cut line. This option works well for high quality images because there is no compromise in image detail. The downside is that it is difficult to cut out precise shapes from the graphic because it is difficult to get shapes to match up correctly.

#* The second option is to convert the graphic to a vector format using a bitmap. Do this by clicking [Path] > [Trace Bitmap] and then pressing [Okay]. There are several different options in the bitmap menu that you can experiment with to find the best results. Generally, the color option works the best. Finish the process by right clicking and selecting the [ungroup] option so that each piece of the graphic can be edited.   

#* The second option is to convert the graphic to a vector format using a bitmap. Do this by clicking [Path] > [Trace Bitmap] and then pressing [Okay]. There are several different options in the bitmap menu that you can experiment with to find the best results. Generally, the color option works the best. Finish the process by right clicking and selecting the [ungroup] option so that each piece of the graphic can be edited.   

# Create the cut line. Do this by selecting the shape that you would like to cut out, right clicking, and then selecting [Fill and Stroke]. Then add a stroke of any width (0.25 pt works well) and any color. Ideally this would be a spot color and named CutContour just like Illustrator but Inkscape does not have the same options. The downside of using a normal stroke is that the cut settings in Versaworks must be adjusted to treat the stroke as a cut line.

# Create the cut line. Do this by selecting the shape that you would like to cut out, right clicking, and then selecting [Fill and Stroke]. Then add a stroke of any width (0.25 pt works well) and any color. Ideally this would be a spot color and named CutContour just like Illustrator but Inkscape does not have the same options. The downside of using a normal stroke is that the cut settings in Versaworks must be adjusted to treat the stroke as a cut line. This can be an issue if you have several adjacent shapes creating a graphic but you only want to cut around the outside of the objects. To prevent this, select the group of objects you want to cut around, make sure there are no strokes around them, and copy/paste a new copy of them next to the old ones. Select the copy and  then go to [Path] > [Union]. This will combine the group of objects into one shape with a continuous outline that will be cut out, but notice that the new singular object will be one color. Add a stroke to the new object and make sure to turn off the fill, then use the page coordinates to place the new object in the same place as the original group. You should be able to see the stroke surrounding your original object; this will be your cut line.

# Save the file as a .EPS to be imported into Versaworks

# Save the file as a .EPS to be imported into Versaworks

# In Versaworks, click on the setting symbol next to job queue A or B.  

# In Versaworks, click on the setting symbol next to job queue A or B.  

==Certification==

==Certification==

[https://foxtale.georgefox.edu/moodle/course/view.php?id=31424 Foxtale Course]

[https://georgefox.instructure.com/courses/1258 Canvas Quiz]

==Troubleshooting==

==Troubleshooting==

Like any printer, this machine will periodically need to have its ink replaced. Additionally there are other tasks that should be completed to keep the printer fully functional.These include; keeping equipment free of dirt and grime, both manually and automatically maintaining the print head, and replacing cutting blades and print head wipers.  

Like any printer, this machine will periodically need to have its ink replaced. Additionally there are other tasks that should be completed to keep the printer fully functional.These include; keeping equipment free of dirt and grime, both manually and automatically maintaining the print head, and replacing cutting blades and print head wipers.  

====Specific Maintenance Tasks====

====Specific Maintenance Tasks====

# See user manual for procedure specifics.

# See user manual for procedure specifics.

# See user manual for procedure specifics.

# See user manual for procedure specifics.