Quick Guide to Cutting Vinyl

This guide will walk you through how to cut colored vinyl. This guide is intended for new or novice users of the software. This guide assumes you've already set up your cutter. For assistance on that, read: Adding New Printers and Cutters.  

This is also intended for direct cutting; hybrid print and cut jobs are not covered here.

Step 1: Create or Import your Artwork

1. Using the various design tools in Flexi, design and create your artwork. Here are a few basic tools to get you started:
   
   • Text Overview
   • Shape Tools Overview
   • Outlines
   • Swatch Tables
2. Using the Import function, import existing artwork into Flexi Design.
   1. File > Import... Or click the Import icon: 
         
   2. Locate an art file and click Import. The file must be a vector graphic. 
      • Further reading:
      • Understanding Vectors and Bitmaps
      • Importing Files
      • "File Types" in: Exporting Files and File Types
        • Typically, Vector artwork or contours are saved as .pdf, .ai, .fs, .dxf, and more.

Step 2: Prepare your Cut Job

1. Click the Cut/Plot button:
   
2. Arrange your cut job on the media
   
   
   1. Select the width of your Media from the drop down. If available, you can click the button to the right of the dropdown and it will automatically pull the width from your cutter. Not all devices support this feature. (Note: it is okay if the length is extremely long, the device won't go past the cut job)
   2. Set the size of the margins to limit where the contours will be cut on the media.
   3. Enter the distance from the margins from step 2 to arrange the job on the cut.
      3a: You can also click and drag the art to place it where you want.
   4. Select how large you want the artwork to be.
   5. Choose how many copies you want to cut, and then enter the margin between each copy.
   6. Click "Send". If the "Send mode" drop down shown between steps 2 and 3 is set to "Send now," it will send it to the cutter. "Hold in List" will cause it to wait in the Production Manager until you send it.

Step 3: Cutting your job

Production Manager will send your job to the cutter. All that's left to do is  wait for your cutter to finish your job.

Further reading:

Flexi Design Basic Elements

Production Manager Basic Elements

Cut/Plot Dialog - General Settings and Overview

Job Properties Overview