which cutting machine allows me to print directly from inkscape? - Using Inkscape with Cutters/Plotters

#1

2020-04-22

Hi..am going to buy a vinyl cutting machine but prefer to get one that allows me to print directly to the cutting machine from Inkscape, verses having to upload it first (ie Cricut design space).

which machine would be best for that please?

thank you

#2

danman77 @danman77

2020-05-19

yes I would like to know to

#3

Fiberartist @Fiberartist

2020-07-07

I am hoping to get this answer also. I would love to be able to cut from Inkscape to my Cricut Expression and Silhouette Cameo. I have seen several articles throughout Google on using Inkcut and CraftROBO. Neither of them have complete how-tos so I ended up confused. :)

#4

Tyler Durden @TylerDurden⚖

2020-07-08

Inkscape is not super reliable sending directly to cutters. Users often save to PDF and use Adobe Reader or similar to send to the cutter.

#5

Linda Smik @llsmik

2020-10-08

I just ran across this older post, but perhaps I can add some information to help anyone else who may have this question.

First of all, vinyl cutting machines don't print. They can cut and they can draw. You can send an image to your printer for "print then cut" but even that is going to rely on the software that comes with your machine. To my knowledge there is no vinyl cutting machine that you can bypass uploading an svg, or another file format, into the software used to control the machine to cut or to draw. Although, perhaps there is some high end, very expensive commercial cutter I am unfamiliar with that can do that.

The only machine that would come close to "printing without uploading" would be a Brother Scan N Cut. With the Scan N Cut you can print any image you want, load it into the machine to be scanned and then cut it out with or without a border around the scanned image.

#6

Mark @_mark_g_

2020-10-28

Hi everyone, until earlier this month I was able to print directly to my Silhouette SD (bought in 2001) from Inkscape using the driver and the controller downloaded from here. http://www.graphteccorp.com/support/software/craftrobo.html (For reference, my old Silhouette SD worked with the CC330L drivers).

However, the Silhouette SD suddenly stopped working with Inscape and even stopped connecting to the Silhouette Studio software, so I am assuming it's now broken. (Tried different USB cables and spend 10 hours trying to make the drivers work again).

I needed to complete a t shirt printing project so bought a Silhouette Cameo 4 and used the Silhouette Studio software which kept crashing and was a pain to use. Therefore, I'm looking out for a solution to plot directly from Inkscape again and will update here if I find any elegant solutions that already exist (I'm not a programmer, so can't make any of this happen myself).

#7

Ellen Wasbø @EllenWasbo

2020-10-28

I used to cut directly from Inkscape years ago with my good old Silhouette SD. Then I selected Print and the printer called Graphtec Craft ROBO. I still have this printer selectable now on another computer with another Windows version and another Inkscape version. The problem now is that when I select this printer and select Settings(?) (Norwegian setup - do not know exatly what it says in English - the button to the right just below where you select your printer) I will get to the cut-settings, but I have no driver(?) for the Controller. "The Craft ROBO Controller is not installed" is the message I get when I press the Controller button and I have not succeeded in making it work.

For many years I have just used Silhouette Studio (the Basic free version not able to read SVG). I am exporting from Inkscape to DXF-files. As Silhouette Studio has issues interpreting the DXF files I have been missing the option to cut directly from Inkscape again, but though I failed in getting that work I have learned a lot about how to prepare the DXF files so that Silhouette Studio read them correctly. I'm still working on Inkscape extensions to improve and make that process easier and more waterproof. (http://cutlings.wasbo.net/category/svg-to-dxf/)

I looked into https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette, but failed to figure out how to use that and it doesn't seem updated to Inkscape v1.0

I've not tried Inkcut as it is not upgraded to Inkscape v1.0+. https://inkscape.org/~frmdstryr/%E2%98%85inkcut The comments there says that upgrade to Inkscape v1.0 is coming. It seems to me that people have used this extension to cut directly from Inkscape with Silhouette machines. As far as I know it will not work with Cricut.

I had some hopes for the Robocut software http://robocut.org/ . That is not directly from Inkscape, but close enough for my wishes. I think that solution failed because I have a quite old Silhouette not working that well with newest versions of Windows. I have seen some say that my machine do not work at all with Windows 10, but it does in Silhouette Studio at least.

#8

Mark @_mark_g_

2020-10-28

I've had a break through cutting directly from Inkscape 1.0 to my new Cameo 4!

It's only a small work around that I've not fully explored yet, but it works! I'll write more once I've workshopped the smaller details.

#9

Frankmcguire @Frankmcguire

2021-03-08

llsmik
I just ran across this older post, but perhaps I can add some information to help anyone else who may have this question. First of all, vinyl cutting machines don't print. They can cut and they can draw. You can send an image to your printer for "print then cut" but even that is going to rely on the software that comes with your machine. To my knowledge there is no vinyl cutting machine that you can bypass uploading an svg, or another file format, into the software used to control the machine to cut or to draw. Although, perhaps there is some high end, very expensive commercial cutter I am unfamiliar with that can do that. The only machine that would come close to "printing without uploading" would be a Brother Scan N Cut. With the Scan N Cut you can print any image you want, load it into the machine to be scanned and then cut it out with or without a border around the scanned image.

Thank you. Indeed

#10

veganboyscout @veganboyscout

2021-10-27

> I'll write more once I've workshopped the smaller details.

@_mark_g_ I am eager to hear a detailed description of your work around. I am trying to solve the same problem.

#11

Mark @_mark_g_

2021-10-27

*

Hi veganboyscout,

I've managed to plot directly from Inkscape to my Cameo 4 with the drivers that Graphtec provide for a different model, the CE LITE-50 at the following link:

http://www.graphteccorp.com/support/software/cuttingplotters.html

I think that all you need is the driver, I used the 64-bit version http://www.graphtec.co.jp/site_download/ops662/file/OPS662(Wx64)v400.zip

I recall the orientation being out by 90 degrees and the scale to be incorrect but both of those can be altered in the printer settings and Inkscape document properties as shown in the attachments.

I haven't uninstalled all my printer drivers since I got this working last year and I'm half way through a plotting project so I don't want to risk messing everything up now, but I think it might be as simple as that.

Please let me know how you get on as we can refine this method of printing for other Inkscape users!

p.s. I did try to use the all the other various software solutions that extensive internet searching returned, like the one above but none of the solutions worked for me.

p.p.s. Just checked my drivers and I am using the OPS662v3.9. Looks like it might have been updated since I downloaded it.

#12

bmp18 @bmp18

2023-06-19

Hello,

in 2021 I have the same problem. In the Inkscape Version 1.1 has something changed. Therefor in June 2023 I found a way to sending SVG-files directly to different cutters (Refine, Vevor) without Inkcut. I wrote about this way in the german Knoppix forum, http://www.knoppixforum.de/knoppix-forum-deutsch/hardware/thread6754/wie-kann-ich-einen-schneidplotter-auf-einen-knoppix-stick-einrichten.html?s=9ecf8b19cd2a3979335576b7387ddb4d926b9fed and follow 4 themes. It is nearly the same way than in MS-OS.

Gl BmP

#13