Is your silhouette troubleshooting while cutting? If yes, then you are in the right place to get your problem fixed at home without any professional help (just a blogger’s help! :P) only by going through this article.
There could be many reasons, but the most common reasons about your silhouette not cutting properly are listed below. I hope that it is as beneficial for you as it was for us when we tried it out ourselves for the first time, so I really hope that you’d be able to get your silhouette fixed by the end of this blog!
Most Common Reasons About Silhouette Not Cutting Properly
If your silhouette cameo is not cutting properly then check the blade if it is attached properly and always attach the right blade, secondly check if the project is placed properly before starting it. And thirdly, check the settings if your silhouette cameo is set to the cutting function. Always reassure the settings before giving the command.
It might be indicating a variety of things that would have gone wrong when your silhouette cameo is not cutting properly. Fortunately, most cutting issues just require a couple of simple strides to address and get your machine working appropriately. We have listed these out for you.
- Cutting too profoundly/cutting through the mat.
- Not cutting profoundly enough/just scoring the paper.
- Not cutting by any stretch of the imagination (moving as though cutting however no imprints on the paper).
- Tearing the paper during the cutting procedure.
- Cutting edge stalling out/stuck and making a “woodpecker” sound.
- Material sliding/moving during the cutting procedure.
- Cutting lines not in the correct region/not cutting straight.
- Cutting extra lines that are not commanded to the machine or are not in the file.
- Machine not moving to cut potentially and indicates ‘Cut Complete’ without development.
- Print and Cut task not understanding enlistment/not cutting accurately.
If you are experiencing any of these issues mentioned above, then keep reading the blog till the end in order to fix up your silhouette without seeking professional help.
How to Fix Your Silhouette Cameo at Home?
Some of the major Silhouette Cameo issues while cutting are associated with its blade while other issues originate from different settings in Silhouette Cameo. You don’t really have to freak out if your Silhouette Cameo is troubleshooting while cutting; just go through the user manual before setting it up and using it. The most common mistakes you can make may include:
Check Your Blade
The blade is known to be one of the most initial components of a Silhouette. Just for a head’s up, you’ll have to be extra careful while handling the blade as it is really sharp in nature and you might end up getting a few cuts if it is not handled properly, so kindly be careful with it.
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Installing an Auto Blade on Your Silhouette
To install an auto blade in your silhouette cameo, all you have to do is to remove the blade from the machine and clean it thoroughly leaving behind no dust or debris. In case if an adhesive material is stuck on your blade, then grab a pair of tweezers and try to pull it all off. Do not try to remove adhesive or any other product that is stuck on your blade with your fingers as the blade is really sharp and it might end up giving you a few deep cuts.
Right after cleaning your blade, try to find out if your blade is damaged or chipped anywhere as we don’t need a blade that is chipped (It won’t work fine and could even damage your machine, let alone your project).
Lastly, after inspecting, try loading your blade carefully by pressing it down into the compartment until it is completely adjusted. Then keeping the blade pressed down, try to press the blade holder lock with your other hand in order to secure the blade, making sure that there is no space left between the blade and its holder.
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Deep/ Premium Cut Blade
Deep cut blades do not need to be cleaned too often because they can go a long way. All you have to make sure is that the tip of your deep/ premium blade is not chipped and is still intact. After making sure that the blade has a sharp and angled tip, place it into the compartment and push it down, making sure that it is well adjusted and there is no space left between the blade and the holder.
Make Sure Your Cutting Mat/Material Is Properly Placed
The next step that I would like you to take to make a perfect cut is the placement of your material right after making sure that the blade is intact and perfectly placed. First of all, make sure that you’re using a silhouette brand cutting mat with Silhouette cameo (as other cutting mats do not work well enough for long with silhouette and also tend to damage your machine in the long run).
Just make sure that the mat you purchase has a good adhesive quality in order to hold the material properly in its place. If you have to clean the mat, I suggest the utilization of a build-up roller to remove any residue or lint and debris. The utilization of adhesive glue to gain the adhesive properties of your mat again may restore the adhesive properties of your mat but would eventually damage your machine in the long run.
Lastly, make sure that there are no marks or deep cuts on your mat that can become a hindrance in cutting the design.
The cutting mat is reusable and can be utilized for the next project if there is no huge damage, such as:
- Once the fabric has been loaded onto your cutting mat, try placing the mat on your machine.
- Then load the material along with the cutting mat onto the hard base of your machine, securing it with the snaps.
- Slide the base into the machine until the material indent passes the front of the machine.
- Then turn on the machine by pressing the power button.
- The base should then move and change in accordance with the best possible situation to start the cutting.
Check Your Settings
Settings malfunction is known to be a common cause of cutting issues. The ‘cut settings’ mainly indicates three options:
- Blade number
- Speed
- Force
These settings are found in the SEND board of the Silhouette cameo programming program. There are different settings that can be balanced that may influence the cut outcome as various brands, surfaces, or different highlights present in the material can require different setting changes.
Start off with checking your machines cut settings and performing a cut test on your material. Just in case your test is unsuccessful, you would have to try adjusting the settings of your machine to heavier cutting material or lighter cutting material depending on your material. Varying upon the intensity of your material, change the Force setting somewhat, and attempt another Test Cut. In the event that there is no change, you can modify your blade number and attempt once more.
Recheck and Confirm Your Settings
Once you are done with all the steps then try rechecking and confirming that you have fulfilled all the compulsory steps. Start off with a sample cut and then move onto your final project.
FINAL VERDICT
Most common reasons about silhouette not cutting properly, can be the improper attachment of blade, wrong settings, and the position of the cutting mat or material. Always make sure that your silhouette cameo has right settings before giving a command.
Make sure that your blade is sharp enough to make an incision and your mat meets all the requirements for a perfect cut. Make sure to get your hands on the branded cutting mat manufactured by the Silhouette Company which is specially designed for Silhouette cameo.
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