Sharpcut Digital Cutting System

5 x 10-ft Flatbed Cutter
Operating Manual

For Technical Support:​ Submit a service request at ​www.colex.com/​service

or Email: service@colex.com

To Order Bits/Blades/Mats/Tools:​ Visit our shop page at​ www.colex.com/shop

or Email: orders@colex.com

or call: 201-265-5670

55-57 Bushes Lane, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407

Telephone: 201-265-5670 Fax: 201-265-7093
 Table of Contents

COLEX SHARPCUT SET-UP AND OPERATION 5

COLEX CNC SOFTWARE MANUAL 7

Start-up Procedures: Homing Cycle and Measuring the Tools 8

Homing the Machine 8

MEASURING THE TOOLS 9

Measuring Devices and Tools Automatically 9

Measuring the Router 9

Measuring Tool Station 2 9

Measuring Tool Station 3 10

Measuring the V-Cut Tool 11

Measuring the Tools Manually 13

OPERATING THE MACHINE 14

Setting the Origin and Using the Laser Pointer 14

Warming Up and Activating the Router 15

Activating Tool Station 2 15

Activating Tool Station 3 15

Activating Table Vacuum 16

Activating Dust Collection Vacuum 16

Advancing Conveyor Belt 16

Activating the Board Loader 16

Machine Reset 16

Manually Moving the Cutting Head 17

Cutting Speed/Feed Adjustments 18

COLEX REMOTE SUPPORT 19

TUTORIALS: OPTISCOUT 20

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 How to set the speeds and other parameters to run the job on the Sharpcut 20

Optiscout: Setting up the cutting parameters for router profiles 20

OPTISCOUT. SETTING UP THE CUTTING PARAMETERS FOR KNIVES PROFILES (INCLUDING

ROTARY, CREASING AND PERFORATING WHEELS, DRAWING TOOL AND KISS CUT) 27

STEPS THAT LEAD TO START CUTTING THE JOB ON COLEX SHARPCUT 31

TUTORIALS 32

How to Adjust Router Depth. Tutorial 32

How to Adjust Tool Station 2 Depth. Tutorial 36

How to Adjust Tool Station 3 Depth. Tutorial 40

How to Use Creasing Wheel. Tutorial 43

Cutting From the Reverse Side of the Media. Tutorial 44

COLEX VISION REGISTRATION SYSTEM PRINT & CUT WORKFLOW 48

RIP Workflow: from artwork to finished job 48

Streamlined Workflow 49

How to set up your print & cut file for Colex VRS in Illustrator or any other design software 50

Reg-mark size and placement 51

Examples of registration marks placement for multiple objects 52

Maintenance Manual 53

Colex SharpCut Daily Maintenance: 54

Colex Sharpcut Monthly Maintenance​​: 54

Cleaning the Sharpcut 55

Greasing the “Y” and “X” Axis 56

Greasing the “Z” axis 57

Maintaining the rails and rack and pinion assembly 58

Oiling fittings of the Stations #2 and #3 59

Daily Maintenance while Routing 60

Daily Maintenance while Using the Conveyor 61

Conveyor Belt Alignment Procedure 61

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 Weekly Maintenance while Using Knives, Drawing Tool, Scoring or Perforating Wheels 61

Unit Conversion Table 62

Colex SharpCut metric/inches (decimals and fractions) conversion chart 63

List of Tools 64

List of Blades/Bits/Mats 66

Notes: 68

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COLEX SHARPCUT SET-UP AND OPERATION
Start-up Sequence:

1. Turn the Computer ON.

2. Open Colex CNC Software.
3. Turn the machine ON. Make sure
that breaker is ON, red power switch is ON as well
and the emergency button is released.
Colex recommends to turn the breaker on first, and only then turn the red power
switch on.
IF THE CUTTER SWITCHES ARE UP BEFORE THE COMPUTER IT MIGHT CAUSE ISSUES
WHILE RESTARTING THE COMPUTER on certain machines configuration and the year
of manufacturing.

4. Press “Seek Home” in Colex CNC software.

5. Hit “Tool Change” in Colex CNC software to move machine to a
convenient position to install necessary tools, blades, cutting,
perforating or creasing wheels and router bits.
6. Place measuring plate on the table. Make sure it’s perfectly flat and
there is no debris on the measuring device and underneath the
measuring plate.
7. Measure the tools you want to use. Use buttons “Rout. Meas”, “Tool2
Meas”, “Tool3 Meas”, “V-Cut Meas” and “Score Meas” to measure the
necessary tools automatically. To measure the tools manually use the
buttons “Set Z Zero” and the green/red indicators next to it.
8. Proceed ahead with opening Optiscout visual registration (VRS) software, importing or
opening the files with the shapes needed to be cut.

Shut-down Sequence

1. Turn the machine OFF.

2. Close CNC Software.

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 3. Turn the Computer OFF.

Shut down procedure is the exact opposite of the startup sequence. IF CUTTER IS NOT TURNED OFF
BEFORE the COMPUTER, THE PC may NOT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ​on a machines configuration
depending on the year of manufacturing​.

The picture on the left shows the power switches in

an ON position, on the right - the machine is OFF.

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COLEX CNC SOFTWARE MANUAL
The view of the Colex CNC software for versions 3.0.0 and newer:

Communication bar can be used to

send the commands to the software
manually.

The screen below the communication

bar demonstrates how the software
executes different commands
automatically or which have been sent
manually.

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Start-up Procedures: Homing Cycle and Measuring the Tools

Homing the Machine

- The Colex SharpCut finds the position for each axis on the machine.
Before proceeding to “Seek Home” process, make sure:
▪ ​Colex SharpCut is on.
▪ Emergency button (located on the left side of the computer
desk) is released.
▪ There are no errors on the status indicators next to all the
motors and air switch.

Operators MUST run this procedure if they have just turned the
machine on or re-opened the Colex CNC Software. The ONLY way to
move the head or the bridge after turning the SharpCut on is with the “Seek Home” process.
Tip:​ The tool head moves up/down first locating the Z limit sensor. Then it finds sensors Y, X1, X2
and W (and U in case the Big Creasing Wheel in station 1 is used).
By the end of the procedure, the Colex Sharpcut has moved the tool head to coordinates X0, Y0, W0.
Coordinates on the Z axis are also shown, however it is necessary to measure the tools (automatically
with the measuring device or manually) to set the actual coordinates on the Z axis.

- Moves the tool head to a

convenient position to access the
tools.
Tip:​ This is the easiest and quickest
way to bring the tool head to the
front of the machine (from
wherever the tool head is
positioned).
Afterwards, the W axis will be at
W0 position which makes it easier
to install the tools into stations 2
and 3. The black line indicates which direction the tool should be oriented. The line will be at the 12
o’clock position after the machine finishes the “Tool Change” procedure.

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MEASURING THE TOOLS

Measuring Devices and Tools Automatically

Measuring the Router

- The automatic measuring process for the router.

Before proceeding with the “Router Measure” process, make sure:
▪ The router bit is installed and tightened properly with the wrenches;
▪ The proper size collet is used - the shank of the router bit and the collet have the same diameter;
▪ Zone 1 vacuum switch is ON;
▪ The measuring device is placed on the table and the alignment pins are aligned with the
corresponding holes in the table;
▪ Make sure there is no debris on the cutting mat in the area where the measuring device is placed.
Debris underneath of the measuring device could affect the accuracy of the measuring process,
resulting in the router not cutting all the way through the media.
The machine finds the physical position of the router bit tip and sets the traveling distance for the
Router.
Tip:
▪ After running the measuring process for the router, the operator should lower the router bit all the
way down to Z0 position. The tip of the router bit should be barely touching the surface of the table.
▪ Adjust the height of the router brush so that the very tip of the router bit is visible to the operator.
▪ Keep an eye on the tip of the router bit during measuring process until it finishes the procedure.
During the measuring process the router bit jumps exactly above the measuring device and slowly
starts moving down. The router bit should just slightly touch the surface of the measuring device
and then jump all the way up.

Measuring Tool Station 2

- The automatic measuring process for the tool installed into station #2.
Before proceeding with the “Tool 2 Measure” process, make sure:
▪ The blade is properly installed into the tool and the cutting edge of the blade is facing the slot on the
tool holder;
▪ The tool’s slot is aligned with the black mark on the station #2 pulley;
▪ The tool is locked correctly in station #2 - make sure the locking lever is facing up, not down!

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 ▪ Zone 1 vacuum switch is ON;
▪ The measuring device is placed on the table and the alignment pins are aligned with the
corresponding holes in the table;
▪ Make sure there is no debris on the cutting mat in the area where the measuring device is placed.
Debris underneath of the measuring device could affect the accuracy of the measuring process,
resulting in the blade not cutting all the way through the media.
The SharpCut finds the physical position of the tip of the tool installed into station #2. It can be creasing
or perforating wheels, the drawing tool, or any type of the knives ​except the V Cut Knife​.
Tip:​ After running the measuring process for Tool 2, the operator should lower the blade (or any
other tool) to the surface of the mat. The tip of the knife should be slightly inside (not more than
0.020”) of the surface of the mat.
Tips:
▪ Keep an eye on the tip of the tool during measuring process until it finishes the procedure;
▪ Make sure the tool slides down smoothly when activated;
▪ It jumps exactly above the measuring device and slowly starts moving down;
▪ The tool installed into station #2 should just slightly touch the surface of the measuring device and
then jump up.

Measuring Tool Station 3

- The automatic measuring process of the tool installed into station #3.
Before proceeding with the “Tool 3 Measure” process, make sure:
▪ The blade is properly installed into the tool and the cutting edge of the blade is facing the slot on the
tool holder;
▪ The tool’s slot is aligned with the black mark on the station #3 pulley;
▪ The tool is locked correctly in station #3 - make sure the locking lever is facing up, not down!
▪ Zone 1 vacuum switch is ON;
▪ The measuring device is placed on the table and the alignment pins are aligned with the
corresponding holes in the table;
▪ Make sure there is no debris on the cutting mat in the area where the measuring device is placed.
Debris underneath of the measuring device could affect the accuracy of the measuring process,
resulting in the blade not cutting all the way through the media.
The SharpCut finds the physical position of the tip of the tool installed into station #3. It can be creasing
or perforating wheels, the drawing tool, or any type of the knives ​except the V Cut Knife​.

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Tip:​ After running the measuring process for Tool 3, the operator should lower the blade (or any other
tool) to the surface of the mat. The tip of the knife should be slightly inside (not more than
0.020”) of the surface of the mat.
Tips:
▪ Keep an eye on the tip of the tool during measuring process until it finishes the procedure;
▪ Make sure the tool slides down smoothly when activated;
▪ It jumps exactly above the measuring device and slowly starts moving down;
▪ The tool installed into station #3 should just slightly touch the surface of the measuring device and
then jump up.

Measuring the V-Cut Tool

- The automatic measuring process of the V-Cut Knife.

Before proceeding to the “V-Cut Measure” process, make sure:
▪ The knife is installed into the tool and the cutting edge of the blade is facing the slot on the tool
holder;
▪ The tool’s slot is aligned with the black mark on the station #3 pulley;
▪ The tool is locked correctly in station #3 - make sure the lock is facing up, not down!
▪ Zone 1 vacuum switch is ON;
▪ The measuring device is placed on the table and the alignment pins are aligned with the
corresponding holes in the table;
▪ Make sure there is no debris on the cutting mat in the area where the measuring device is placed.
Debris underneath of the measuring device could affect the accuracy of the measuring process,
resulting in the blade not cutting on the selected height.
The machine finds the physical position of the tip of the V Cut Knife and sets the traveling distance for
Tool 5, which is the V-Cut Knife.​ It can ONLY be installed into station #3.
Be aware​ that for the Colex CNC software the ​V-Cut Knife is Tool # 5​.
Tip:​ Make sure Tool #5 is active in the software! After measuring, if the operator brings the head all the
way down to Z0 position, the tip of the V Cut Knife should be slightly inside (not more than
0.020”) the surface of the table.
Tips:
▪ Keep an eye on the tip of the tool during measuring process until it finishes the procedure;
▪ Make sure the tool slides down smoothly when activated;

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▪ It jumps exactly above the measuring device, make an adjustment for V-Cut blade offset and slowly
starts moving down;
▪ The V-Cut Knife should just slightly touch the surface of the measuring device and then jump up.

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Measuring the Tools Manually

and - Used to manually set the

depth of the router bits, tips of the blades and cutting or creasing wheels. Additionally, this is also used
to adjust the height of the camera manually.
If the machine is cutting too deep or not deep enough, use the “Set Z Zero” button to set the correct
depth manually.
Please find the detailed step-by-step tutorials for these procedures in the files “Manual depth
adjustment for the Router" and “Manual depth adjustment for the Oscillating Knife”.
Green or Red indicators show if the soft limits on Z axis (up/down) are ON or OFF.
If the indicator ​on the left side of the button “Set Z Zero”​ is green,​ it means that the soft limits are ON
for the Z axis and the active tool cannot go below zero on the Z axis. ​Turn the green indicator OFF, ​ONLY
if there is a need to bring the active tool lower than the Z zero position.
If the indicator ​on the left side of the button “Set Z Zero”​ is red,​ it means that the soft limits are OFF for
the Z axis and it is possible to bring the active tool lower than Z zero position.
Before turning the soft limits OFF (switching from green to red), switch the speed of the manual mode
from “Fast” or “Medium” to “Slow” or even to jog (steps) mode - either 0.001”, 0.01”, 0.1” - for better
control and more accurate adjustments.

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OPERATING THE MACHINE
- Active tool on Colex CNC software. Shows which tool is currently active.
The software always shows the coordinates on XYZW axis for the active
tool.

Setting the Origin and Using the Laser Pointer

- Creates “virtual XY zero coordinates” on the table for running jobs

without registration marks. The operator can set the left bottom corner of the cutting area where
operator wants the “X0Y0” to be. Usually it is at least 1/2 inch from the left bottom corner of the media.
Useful information: I​n certain cases, operators can align the coordinates of the cutting tools and the
printed shapes and proceed to the cutting process without using the camera. This, however,
requires much more attention to the positioning of the material on the table.
If the “virtual XY zero” is set in the software, next to XY
coordinates in Colex CNC software, there will be green
indicators.

If there is no “virtual XY zero” set in the software and the

machine is running in absolute coordinates, next to XY
coordinates in Colex CNC software, there will be only
blue indicators.

- Clears the “virtual XY zero coordinates” and sets the

coordinates back to the absolute table XY zero.
Useful information: ​When clearing the “virtual XY zero” coordinates in the software, the green
indicators next to XY coordinates in Colex CNC software will disappear, and there will only be a
blue indicators.

Activating Laser Pointer

- This turns the laser Pointer Tool ON/ OFF and activates Tool #6 which
is the pointer.
Useful information: ​It is the most convenient tool to set the “virtual zero” in the software by using the
button “Set Origin”.
For advanced users:​ It is also the most convenient tool to align the materials (boards and roll media) on
the table to make sure they are perfectly straight if no registration marks printed.

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Warming Up and Activating the Router

- This warms up the Router before running the jobs. The Router will turn
ON and it will start spinning.
Recommended:​ Warming up the router will help extend the life span of the router and improve edge
quality.
The procedure lasts 5 minutes: it spins for 60 seconds at 3,000 rpm; 120 seconds at 12,000 rpm; and 120
seconds at 24,000 rpm.
Be aware​ that this procedure doesn’t switch the active tool to Tool #1 during this procedure.

- Turns the Router ON/ OFF and activates Tool #1

in the Colex CNC software. It also turns ON the vacuum table and the dust collector.
Another way to activate the Tool #1 is to type “T1” in the command line of the software and hit “Enter”
on the keyboard.
Be aware that the router will start spinning at the RPM set in the software.
Danger! ​Do not touch any moving/spinning parts when the router is spinning. Always use caution
when working with a router and router bits.

Activating Tool Station 2

- This drops the tool installed in station #2 down

or brings it up. It also turns the vacuum table ON.
Tip:​ It’s the easiest and the most convenient way to activate station #2.
Another way to activate the Tool #2 is to type “T2” in the command line of the software and hit “Enter”
on the keyboard.

- To turn OFF the Oscillating or Rotary Knives

which turn on by default while activating station #2.

Activating Tool Station 3

- This drops the tool installed in station #3 down

or brings it up. It also turns the vacuum table ON.
Tip:​ It’s the easiest and the most convenient way to activate station #3.
Another way to activate the Tool #3 is to type “T3” in the command line of the software and hit “Enter”
on the keyboard.
Attention: DO NOT use button “Tool 3 Up/Down” if you want to activate V-Cut Knife. To activate
V-Cut Knife type “T5” in the command line of the software and hit “Enter” on the keyboard.

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Activating Table Vacuum

- Turns the vacuum table suction ON and OFF.

Activating Dust Collection Vacuum

- Turns the Debris collector ON and OFF.

Advancing Conveyor Belt

- Conveyor belt manual advancing.

The feature is available only on conveyors models.
Be aware: ​During the procedure the bridge/gantry will jump almost all the way back, then the clamping
bar goes down and after a short pause the conveyor will start advancing the material all the way
forward. A 116” cycle advance is the default setting. To advance the conveyor the entire length, it is
necessary to repeat this procedure three times.

Activating the Board Loader

- Turns the board loader ON manually and it

moves the top sheet from the stack of materials loaded on the pallet behind the cutter onto the back
side of the table.
The feature is available only on conveyor models with board feeder.

While working with the board loader, ​make sure​ the board loader panel is ON and the “loader” button
on the computer desk is activated.

Machine Reset

- Cancels all the processes on the machine and

raises the head up.

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Manually Moving the Cutting Head

- Moves the machine manually on the X

axis. The direction of the movements: the gantry moves back and forth.

- Moves the machine manually on the Y

axis. The direction of the movements: tool head moves left and right.
On the computer keyboard the buttons related to Y/\ and Y\/ are
“Up” and “Down”.

- Moves the machine manually on the Z

axis. The direction of the movements: head moves up and down.
On the computer keyboard the buttons related to Z/\ and Z\/ are “Page Up”
and “Page Down”.

- Moves the machine manually on W axis. The

direction of the movements: stations #2 and #3 rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
On the computer keyboard the buttons related to “W clockwise” and “W counterclockwise” are “Home”
and “End”.

- Switches the speed of the manual mode of

the machine gantry.
If “Slow” is selected - the machine moves 30 inches per minute.
If “Medium” is selected - the machine moves 300 inches per minute.
If “Fast” is selected - the machine moves 2000 inches per minute.

- Switches the speed of

the manual mode of the machine to the steps/jog mode.

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If “0.001” selected - every hit on “Left”, “Right”, “Forward”, “Backward”, “Page Up”, “Page Down”,
“Home” and “End” or related buttons in Colex CNC Software will move the machine 0.001 towards
selected direction.

Cutting Speed/Feed Adjustments

- Sliding Bar for the speed of the machine

adjustment. It can be used to increase or
decrease the cutting speed of the machine
on the fly while the machine is executing
the job.
This feature can be used to run test cuts
on the fly to determine the optimal speed
of the cut to reach the best possible edge
quality.
100% - Speed set originally in Colex OptiScout settings.
200% - Raising the bar all the way up executes the job at the speed 2 times faster than it was originally
set in Colex Optiscout.
Lowering the bar slows the speed of the machine down. If it shows 50% - the machine will run the job 2
times slower than it was originally set in Colex
Optiscout.
- Sliding bar for Spindle RPM adjustment
allows to adjust the RPM of the Router on the
fly.
Note: when making changes to the RPM
speed on the fly, pause the machine while
making the change to avoid​ ​damaging the
router bit and/ or the material.
- ​In the left bottom corner of
the software Colex CNC shows how long the job is already running and approximate percentage of the
completed operations.
In the right bottom corner of the software - next to the active tool - Colex CNC shows in which mode the
machine is currently operating: G00, G01, G02 or G03, and G90 or G91.

G00 ​- if the selected mode is ON, the machine moves in the fastest speed
possible. Usually it happens during all the idling operations. When the
machine needs to jump after finishing cutting one shape (A) to the starting
point (B) on another shape, it goes up and jumps to point B on the fastest possible speed. During this
process the machine automatically switches from cutting modes (either G01, G02 or G03) to the idling
(G00) mode.

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 G01​ - if selected mode is ON, it usually means that the machine at this particular moment is
cutting the straight line. This speed can be set in the Colex Optiscout profiles in the Tools Settings.
G02​ or ​G03​ - if one of these modes is ON the machine, it usually means that the machine at this
particular moment is cutting the curve. While cutting the curve, the machine calculates by itself how
much to slow the tools down to execute the cuts precisely with the best possible edge quality.
The machine can be either in G90 mode or G91 mode, and the machine switches between these
modes automatically.
G90​ mode means that the machine is running in the ​coordinate’s mode​. Most of the time, the
machine is running in G90 mode.
G91​ mode means that the machine is running in the ​steps mode​. The machine switches to G91
mode less than 1% of the time when the machine is running.

COLEX REMOTE SUPPORT

- Activates the software which allows Colex Tech

Support Team member to connect to the computer and enable them
to see the screen of your monitor.
The software will generate the random password every time when
you re-open the software.

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TUTORIALS: OPTISCOUT

How to set the speeds and other parameters to run the job on the Sharpcut

This tutorial provides the information which is absolutely necessary to know for all Sharpcut operators.
The lack of knowledge about setting up the cutting parameters might result in the damage of the media,
breaking blades or router bits, or damaging the Sharpcut itself.

The Sharpcut provides more than a dozen tools to cut hundreds of various materials.

Selecting the proper tool is a critical part of the cutting process.

● Use the router for dense/ rigid material.

● Use the knife tool for soft material.

The Sharpcut has the ability to cut up to ½” thick aluminum shapes and up to 2.5” thick wood or sign
boards with the router.
The kiss cutting tool can cut the vinyl leaving the back linear material underneath untouched which will
allow you to peel the stickers off.

Because of the various materials available, setting up the proper settings for each material is an
important step to achieve good results.

Please share this tutorial with all your Colex operators.

***Depending on the version of the Optiscout software installed on your machine configuration, the
profiles for the router and knives may vary.

Optiscout: Setting up the cutting parameters for router profiles

Router profile descriptions

Before proceeding to setting the cutting parameters in the Optiscout Visual Registration software (VRS),
make sure the router was measured in the Colex CNC software.
If you move Tool 1 to the Zero position on the Z axis (it means all the way down), the tip of the router bit
will be slightly touching the surface of the sacrificial mat.

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Spindle speed (RPM):​ It controls the rpm (revolutions per minute) for the spinning speed of the router
while it’s cutting.
● The lowest recommended rpm speed used is about 2,000 rpm.
● The maximum spinning speed is 24,000 rpm.

However, while having this variety of speeds, most of the jobs run on 24,000 rpm.

Depending on the router bit used for the cut, the rpm can be changed.
For aluminum cuts, decrease the rpm to 18,000 rpm.
For drilling holes with smaller router bits, the rpm is best around 2,000 rpm.

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Material thickness (inch).​ The operator enters the thickness of the material to be cut.
● If we cut ½” plywood, enter 0.5 in this field.
● If we cut 1”media, enter 1.0.

Pass depth (inch).​ The total depth of the cut. If cutting the material all the way through, this number
should be the same as the material thickness entered in the corresponding field before.

For example:
If we want to engrave only ⅛” into the material and our thickness is 0.5, then we’ll enter 0.125 into “Pass
depth” field.

Depth per pass (inch).​ Depth of the cut the router makes on every pass.

Example 1.​ Cutting ¾” material all the way through.

If the material is not very dense (for example sintra), cut it in 2 passes. Enter 0.375 in the field.
The machine will cut the shape making two cuts on different depths one after another. The first cut will
be made on the height 0.375 from the surface of the table. On the second pass, the tip of the router bit
will go all the way through the material making the second pass on Z0 height.

Example 2.​ Cutting ¾” material all the way through.

The material is denser than in example 2 (for instance, now it’s wood). Thicker materials require more
passes than thinner substrates such as sintra.
To prevent damaging the router bit and achieve a better edge quality of the material, make every pass
less than ⅛”. Enter 0.1 into the “Depth per pass (in)” field.

This time the machine will cut the shape making seven cuts going deeper and deeper on every pass. It
will make the first cut on the height 0.6”, the second pass on 0.5, third - 0.4, forth - 0.3, fifth - 0.2, sixth.
On 0.1, The seventh pass it will finally cut all the way through.

Final pass depth (in).​ If we’re cutting the material all the way through, we can use this feature to
prevent the shifting of the shapes during the cuts.

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Tip: ​This process can also be used to remove the excess debris built-up during the cutting process while
running previous passes. This kind of workflow is usually used when cutting gator boards to remove the
foam stuck between the shape and the rest of the media.

Important information:​ This feature can be used ONLY while cutting the material all the way through.

Example 3.​ Cutting ¾” material all the way through.

The difference between example 1 and this example is that this one is cutting the small shapes smaller
than 5”.

All fields are the same as in example 1, except the “Final pass depth (inch)”. Enter 0.020”.

Now the Sharpcut will cut our shape making three cuts on different depths one after another. The first
cut will be made on the height 0.375 from the surface of the table (same as example 1). On the second
pass,the tip of the router bit will go ALMOST all the the way through, but it will leave the skinny layer of
sintra on the bottom of it (this is our 0.020 in which we set in the profile). Only on the third pass will it
cut it all the way through.

Plunge rate Z-axis (inches per minute).​ The speed the router moves down into the material.
Make sure it’s not faster than 50 in/min for soft materials (sintra) and not faster than 25 in/min for
dense materials (wood, aluminum, plywood, dense PVC, acrylic).

Tips:​ Overall, the common rule is, the denser the material, cut slower. For 1/16“ thick aluminum, we
recommend using the plunge rate 25 in/min.

Routers moving faster than recommended speeds, can result in router bit damage. The tip of the router
bit can break off or the material can be melted into the router bit resulting in bad quality cutting edge.

Feed Rate X,Y-axis (inches per minute)​. The speed of the cut. This field specifies how fast the router
moves through the material.

Tips:​ Overall, for the feed rate, the common rule is the same as the plunge rate. The denser the material
- the slower we cut. For 1/16” thick aluminum, we recommend using the feed rate 50 in/min. It will
result in better edge quality and a longer lifetime of the router bit.

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Offset to material (inches).​ When you are cutting materials the router bit will jump up at the height
above the material that you set. (Colex recommends a height of ¼”)

Tool diameter (inches).​ This value will compensate the size of the router bit diameter used for cutting
without creating additional layers in the file.

Example 4.​ If you are cutting a 7” x 5” rectangle please open the closed contour 7” x 5” shape file in the
software. If you don’t enter the router bit diameter compensation value (we have 0.000 entered into
the field) and if you use, for example, a ¼” diameter router bit, the actual shape will be. (6.75” x 4.75”)

Example 5.​ If you are cutting a 7” x 5” rectangle please have the closed contour 7” x 5” shape file
opened in the software. If you don’t enter the router bit diameter compensation value (we have 0.000
entered into the field) and if you use a ⅛” diameter router bit, the actual shape will be. (6.875” x
4.875”)

Example 6.​ If you need to cut a 7” x 5” rectangle make sure you have the closed contour 7” x 5” shape
file opened in the software. If we use, for example a 6 mm diameter router bit and you enter 0.236 in
the router bit diameter compensation value field our shape by the end of the cut will be 7” x 5”.

Example 7.​ In certain situations, the designer or the Sharpcut operator can create the cut lines to offset
the size of the router bit. In this case, enter the value 0.000 into the field because we don’t want the
software to compensate the diameter of the router bit one more time.

Tips:​ Make sure all the lines of the shapes you cut with the router are merged together. Make sure in
case of creating a rectangle it’s one shape, not four separated lines!

If the software doesn’t see the closed contour shape, it’s not going to compensate for the size of the
router bit and will make the cut right on the center of the line.

Tool diameter compensation (Drop down menu selection: Outside or Inside).​ This allows you to make
the necessary router bit size compensation whether inside or outside of the original line.

Example 8.​ If you need to cut a 7” x 5” rectangle have the closed contour 7” x 5” shape file opened in
the software. If we have compensated the size of the router bit used for this particular cut in the “Tool
diameter (in)” field, we need to select “Outside” from the “Tool diameter compensation” drop menu to
have a 7” x 5” shape by the end of the cut.

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Example 9.​ We need to cut a 7” x 5” rectangle with 1” circle inside of it. Have the closed contour 7” x 5”
and 1” circle shapes file opened in the software. We want to cut the small circle shape first to prevent
the shifting of the media during the cut, that’s why you have the first layer. The second layer will have a
7” x 5” rectangle.

If we have compensated the size of the router bit used for this particular cut in the “Tool diameter (in)”
field for the first layer. You will need to select “Inside” from the “Tool diameter compensation” drop
menu to have 1” circle hole in the material. For the second layer (7” x 5” rectangle) we’ll select
“Outside” from the “Tool diameter compensation” drop menu.

Milling orientation (Drop down menu: Clockwise or Counterclockwise).​ This is the selection of the
direction the router moves while cutting. It’s important to understand that cutting different materials
with different styled router bits (upcut, downcut, compression and other bits) might require different
direction of the cut to reach the best possible edge quality.

Generally speaking, upcut router bits will cut the cleanest (for most of the materials) on the outer edge
going counterclockwise (ccw). For downcut bits it will be opposite and we’ll have the better cut if
running clockwise (cw).

However, for aluminum or dibond we’ll have the cleaner edge for the outside cuts with upcut router bits
if we cut clockwise.

Start tool path (Drop down menu: Off or On).​ This feature allows you to start a cut path just outside of
the actual dieline and work its way in. This can be used to have a cleaner cutting material edge.

Cleaning path (Drop down menu: Off or On). ​If during the cut we use the final pass feature, we can
activate a cleaning feature.

Tips:​ This feature can be used if “Final pass depth (inches)” is not 0.000.

Cleaning path offset (in, %).​ The percentage of the size of the router bit diameter entered in “Tool
Diameter (in)” field will need the cleaning path to be done.

Example 10.​ If we cut a 7” x 5” shape from ½ inch thick acrylic in 3 passes with the final pass of 0.020.
Please take a look at the side of the acrylic piece that we just cut. On the cutting edge of the material we
notice two lines indicating all passes the machine made during the cut. We’re not really satisfied with
the result and we want to fine tune the cut.
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By using the “Cleaning path” feature the router will make all the cuts on the passes before the final pass
which is slightly bigger than 7” x 5”. Then on the final pass it will start cutting the material all the way
through. During this cut the software will adjust the position of the router bit on the X and Y coordinates
and it will cut the 7” x 5” shape shaving the edges of the material and removing possible visible lines of
all the passes which were made before. By the end of the cut there will be no noticeable signs of having
to cut the material in several passes.

Colex hopes that this tutorial was helpful and wishes you with all your routing projects!

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OPTISCOUT. SETTING UP THE CUTTING PARAMETERS FOR KNIVES PROFILES
(INCLUDING ROTARY, CREASING AND PERFORATING WHEELS, DRAWING TOOL AND
KISS CUT)
Make sure that before proceeding to setting the cutting parameters in Optiscout Visual Registration
software (VRS) the tools installed in stations 2 and 3 are measured in Colex CNC software. If you move
tools to its zero positions on the Z axis (it means all the way down) the tip of the knives or wheels will be
just slightly (less than 0.025 inch) inside the surface of the sacrificial mat which you are going to use to
cut the media on.

Tool Number (drop down menu selection: #2 or #3).​ The operator selects the tool station they are
going to use to execute the job.

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Tips:​ if there is no tool selection available, it means the tool which is selected doesn’t have the options
for using it in both cutting stations. For instance, Oscillating Knife or Rotary Wheel must always be
installed into station #2 and the V-Cut Knife must be installed into station #3.

Feed Rate X,Y-axis (inches per minute)​ This field is the speed of the cut. It specifies how fast the tool
moves through or on the material to make the cut (or crease).

Tips:​ Overall, the common rule is: the denser the material - the slower we cut. Colex can cut paper, vinyl
or banner material on the maximum X,Y-axis speed of the machine (depending on the machine
modifications it can be 1,500 in/min to 2,500 in/min). Slow your knives down when you cut thicker and
denser material. For instance, if you work with the Oscillating Knife, Colex recommends to cut the ¼ inch
foam on 250 in/min. If we are cutting ½ inch foam board we’ll reduce the speed to 150 in/min. Colex can
cut the foam board with a Single Edge Universal Knife. If you cut straight lines or wide radiuses you can
cut it almost 10 times faster (up to 2,000 in/min!) than with the Oscillating Knife.

Keep in mind that the machine slows down by itself when cutting curves. However, for certain jobs (tiny
shapes or really small radiuses) to reach the better cut quality and make the cut more accurate it’s
better to reduce the original speed set in the profile.

If the blade cuts faster than the speeds recommended by Colex it can result in blade damage or dullness.

Plunge rate Z-axis (inches per minute) ​This field specifies how fast the knife moves down into the
material.

Tips:​ For soft and thin materials it can be set on maximum Z-axis speed (up to 800 in/min). Make sure to
have the value set at a slower speed for denser and thicker material.

Lift up angle (degrees) ​This controls the sensitivity of the knife lifting up and re-adjusting positions in
regards to the angle of the curve it’s cutting. The lower the number - the more likely it is to rise up and
make the necessary rotations. Higher numbers are less likely to do this.

Example 1.​ When cutting paper the recommended value is 40 degrees. This means every time the knife
comes to a curve with an angle that is more than 40 degrees the blade will jump up to make a necessary
rotation and then will go down into the material again and will continue the cut.

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If we cut a square, the blade will jump up in every corner of the square to make the necessary rotations,
because the right angle is 90 degrees which is more than 40 degrees set in our paper cutting profile.

At the same time if we cut any circle (except very-very small ones), the blade will never jump up to make
the rotations. It will trace the cutting line created by designer staying all the way down all the time until
it completes the circle and it comes to the finishing point of the curve.

Z-Up Position (in).​ Your Sharpcut operator can control how high to raise the blade from the surface of
the table to make the necessary rotations or idle jumps to cut the next shapes.

Tips:​ Colex recommends to raise the blade at least ¼ inch higher than the thickness of the material. For
instance, if we cut paper we can enter 0.250 into the field. If we cut ¼ inch foam board we need to have
the “Z-Up Position” to be set at least at 0.500.

Sometimes when the cuts are needed to be done right next to the edge of the material the blade can
pick the material up. To prevent blade damage increase the height of the “Z-Up Position”: if it was let’s
say 0.5 in, change the height to 0.75 in. It means the possibility of the blade damage in this case is much
lower. The material will go down releasing the blade before the tool starts making the rotations or its
idle jumps. It will take a little bit longer time to complete the job, but the risks of breaking the blades are
much lower.

Z-Down Position (in).​ This field specifies how low to drop the tip of the blades while cutting the shapes
of the file. 0.000 is the surface of the sacrificial mat.

Tips:​ In most cases the material is supposed to be cut all the way through. This means a “Z-Down
Position” will be set to 0.000. However, for some materials and for the production workflow, if we don’t
cut the media all the way through (but almost all the way through), it makes the production process
more efficient. Let’s say if we cut the magnet media and set “Z-Down Position” value at 0.025”; after the
machine finishes the cut we can remove the whole sheet/roll of the material from the table, place the
next one on the cutting surface, start cutting the next set of shapes. While it’s cutting it we can start
poking the shapes out of the media that we just have finished.

Overcut compensation mode (drop down menu selection: Off or On)​. This activates or disables the
overcut mode. By default it’s disabled.

Overcut mode allows you to reduce the length or get rid of the overcuts made on the top surface of the
media by the blades during the cutting process. The overcuts are more visible while cutting thicker
media or using wide blades (for example, the blades for the Single Edge Universal Knife).

Overcut compensation distance (in).​ Sometimes while using the knives in the corners of the cuts made,
there are visible long overcuts on the printed side of the media. This can be prevented by cutting from
the reverse side of the material (please, find the step by step tutorial provided by Colex). Another way to
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prevent overcuts is to measure the length of the overcut and enter it in the “Overcut compensation
distance” field.

Detailed tutorials about the overcut mode is provided in the main Optiscout manual.

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STEPS THAT LEAD TO START CUTTING THE JOB ON COLEX SHARPCUT

Make sure the surface of the table is clean and the corresponding vacuum zones are ON, debris collector
is connected and working properly, router bit, tools and blades are properly installed.
Colex CNC:
1. Measure the tools you want to use. Make sure the tips of the router bit and the knives are just
slightly touching the surface of the sacrificial mat when the tools are at Z-axis Zero position.
Optiscout VRS:
1. File Import. Make sure the size of the file is correct and the file orientation in the software is the
same as a material on the surface of the table.
2. Assign the desired tools and the material profiles to the designated layers. Make sure the cutting
parameters are set properly.
3. If we cut not printed media and there are no registration marks make sure to set the corner of
the cutting area with the Pointer Tool.
4. Hit “Output to device” arrow. Check the settings for the output (parking position, mark settings,
sorting feature, the reference point checkbox, production mode, the number of the registration
marks to be read, copy options etc). Make necessary changes and click “Output” button.
5. If there are no registration marks, Colex will begin cutting. If there are registration marks, the
camera screen will pop up. Operator shows to the machine where the first regmark is, hits the
target button on the screen when the circle is recognized by the software (the mark is
encompassed with a red or green circle) and if the material on the table is fairly straight, the
machine will find the rest of the registration marks and will start the cutting process.

Colex wishes you good luck with all your projects!

Colex.com 31
TUTORIALS
How to Adjust Router Depth. Tutorial
Step 1: Turn on the router spindle.

Step 2: Turn Off the Debris collector and Turn Off the Spindle/Router. Make sure Tool 1 is active.

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Step 3: Select the medium speed and lower the Z-Axis to Zero.

Step 4: Select the .001” movement increment. Uncheck the Z-Axis soft limits. This will allow you to lower
the head past Zero.

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Step 5: Lower the Z-Axis to the new desired depth.

Step 6: Press the “Set Z Zero” Button. The new depth is now stored.

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Step 7: Select the Medium movement speed and raise the cutting head back to the top position.

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How to Adjust Tool Station 2 Depth. Tutorial
Step 1: Activate tool station 2

Step 2: De-activate Tool 2 Power. Make sure Tool 2 is active.

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Step 3: Select the medium speed and lower the Z-Axis to Zero

Step 4: Select the .001” movement increment. Uncheck the Z-Axis soft limits. This will allow you to lower
the head past Zero.

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Step 5: Lower the Z-Axis to the new desired depth.

Step 6: Press the “Set Z Zero” Button. The new depth is now stored.

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Step 7: Select the Medium movement speed and raise the cutting head back to the top position.

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How to Adjust Tool Station 3 Depth. Tutorial
Step 1: Activate tool station 3

Step 2: Select the medium speed and lower the Z-Axis to Zero

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Step 3: Select the .001” movement increment. Uncheck the Z-Axis soft limits. This will allow you to lower
the head past Zero.

Step 4: Lower the Z-Axis to the new desired depth.

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Step 5: Press the “Set Z Zero” Button. The new depth is now stored.

Step 6: Select the Medium movement speed and raise the cutting head back to the top position.

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How to Use Creasing Wheel. Tutorial
1. Insert creasing wheel into tool holder “2” or “3”.
2. Measure creasing wheel via measuring device.
3. In the Colex CNC program select the creasing wheel tool holder by typing “T2” or “T3”.
4. Enter "w0" in command field and hit enter.
5. With the material that you wish to crease on the table, bring the creasing wheel down over it
until it applies slight pressure.
6. Using the arrow keys move the creasing wheel from left to right on the “X” axis, adjust the depth
on the “Z” axis until you get the desired crease.
7. Take note of the coordinates on the “Z” axis when you have achieved the desired pressure for
the crease.
8. After you have noted the coordinates, check the pressure on the Y axis by entering "W90" in the
command field and enter the "Z” (insert coordinates) then hit “ENTER”.
9. After finding the mutual depth that works on both “X” and “Y” axis take note of the coordinates
on “Z”.
10. When setting up the creasing layer in Optiscout, insert the coordinates you have recorded into
the field "Z Down Position".

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Cutting From the Reverse Side of the Media. Tutorial

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Colex.com 45
Colex.com 46
Colex.com 47
COLEX VISION REGISTRATION SYSTEM PRINT & CUT WORKFLOW
The Colex Vision Registration System (Colex VRS) solution guides users step by step through the
pre-press, printing and finishing stages, regardless of the job, printer or RIP. The Colex VRS has unique
features to streamline the workflow. Colex VRS software lets users follow the same workflow from
pre-press to finishing. The operator can continue using the RIP the way he did before having a flatbed
cutter. Creating and preparing the cut data will always be performed in the same way, fostering a
consistent workflow that is familiar to all staff and easy to train on.

RIP Workflow: from artwork to finished job

Step 1: Cut data design and preparation

Cut data creation is accomplished either in the design software (Illustrator, CorelDraw, InDesign) or in
the RIP Software.
In the design software the operator designs or imports the artwork. The designer creates a cut-contour
(vector lines) around the artwork in his design application. This artwork file with the cut contour is sent
to the RIP.
In the RIP software, the operator prepares the print file for the associated printer and using the software
generates registration marks and a barcode (if it’s necessary) around the artwork. The print file with the
artwork, marks and barcode is sent to the printer. An extracted separate file with cut-contour (vector
lines), marks and barcode only (without any graphic information) is sent as e.g. an OXF or PDF file to the
Colex VRS software.

Step 2: Print and Setup

When the generated print file is processed through the RIP software, it is sent to a printer. The
cut-contour lines will not be printed. The registration marks and the barcode will be printed together
with the artwork onto the substrate. The completed print is ready for cutting. In the Colex VRS software,

Colex.com 48
the operator takes the OXF file (or any other extension file compatible with Colex VRS software) with the
cut-contour and the registration marks and sets up the cut file for the output to the cutting table.

Step 3: Automated cut finishing

At cutting time, the operator simply places the printed material on the cutting table and scans the
barcode to find the cut file for this specific job automatically. The Colex VRS retrieves the correct cut
data.
Then operator of Colex SharpCut installs the necessary cutting tool and select proper tools in the
software.
By reading the registration marks with the camera mounted on the head of the cutter, Colex VRS
compares the position of the registration marks in the data to those on the printed job. Once the
system has analyzed the exact image position, it starts cutting.
Sophisticated optical registration capabilities ensure perfect accuracy for any size or shape. The
finished, cut pieces are ready for delivery with minimal operator intervention, 100% accuracy and
reduced turnaround time.

For more information about the RIP cutting workflow, ask your local RIP supplier.

Streamlined Workflow

An important challenge in the print industry market is the “workflow”. Therefore the Colex VRS software
must be workflow capable. It needs to have automatic interfaces to existing design and RIP software
packages. In the Colex VRS software, this automatic data transfer is done e.g. by the OXF, OXX, PDF, AI,
and other file format. This file formats contains cut-contour, registration marks and barcode
information.

An automatic data transfer with OXF, OXX or PDF file format into Colex VRS containing cut-contour,
registration marks and barcode is integrated into these RIP software packages:

Caldera
PosterPrint
TexPrint
Colorgate
Wasatch
PosterJet
CADlink
MasterRip (IGEPA)
ONYX
Prepare-it
Fiery

Colex.com 49
How to set up your print & cut file for C​olex VRS in Illustrator or any other
design software
First create a new document in Illustrator or any other design software. Make sure the document size is
large enough to fit the graphic plus reg-marks outside of the image. Next create three layers in the new
document. One layer for the registration marks, at least one for the cut contour (Kiss Cut, Through Cut,
Creasing, Routing, Drawing, Perforating) and one for the artwork. Each layer should be named
appropriately. Colex VRS is able to read the layer names during the import of a file. This layer technology
will speed up the production process. The operator on the machine can easily recognize the correct
layers to assign the different output tools.

Step1:

Import or draw the artwork to be printed and place it in a specific layer. The name of this layer can be
Artwork or Print. This name is not important for the further steps on the cutter software as this layer will
not be used by Colex VRS, however this layer is a basis for creating the necessary cut lines and placing
registration marks which will be used during the cutting process.

Step2:
Draw the circles and place them into the registration marks layer. The recommendation for the size of
the registration marks is 5mm / 0.197 inch or 6.35 mm / 0.25 inch.
Circles should be black without stroke when printing on white substrate. The registration marks can
have a different color when printing on colored substrate in order to give a better contrast.

Sample: Illustrator Layers

Step 3:
Generate or draw the cut lines around the artwork and place it into a separate layer. The name of this
layer will be shown in Colex VRS after the import of the generated cut file. It is possible to set up various
layers with different cut lines. This technology is very useful when doing jobs with multiple tools, like
creasing and cutting.

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Step 4:
Lock or hide the artwork layer to make sure that only the registration marks and the cut layers are
exported in the next step. Select all parts and export the file as a PDF or AI file for Colex VRS. This file
should not contain the artwork.

Step 5:
Unlock the artwork layer and lock or hide the cut line layers. Select all parts, artwork and registration
marks and export the design to a second PDF file for printing. This PDF file should only contain the
registration marks and the artwork. The cut lines will not be printed.

Step6:
Open the PDF print file in the RIP Software and print the file. Make sure that the dimensions of the file
will not be changed in the RIP.

Step 7:

Import the PDF cut file in Colex VRS. ​The picture below shows the result after the import​. The file
contains the layers from the design software, the reg-marks are indicated with a crosshair at each circle.
Now the operator has to set the output tools to the corresponding layers and start the output procedure
to the cutter.

Reg-mark size and placement

Colex VRS reg-marks are
circles with a color fill
which should supply as
much contrast as
possible to the
background (default
black).
The size of the
reg-marks is variable. As
default value we
recommend a diameter

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of 5 mm / 0.197 inch or 6.35 mm / 0.25 inch. To align and compensate a printed object Colex VRS needs
at least 3 registration marks. The position of the marks should result in a triangle, which covers the
object in the largest possible way.

Take a look at the examples of wrong and good placement of registration marks provided in this chapter.

Examples of registration marks placement for multiple objects

In the first example, each cut path is
enclosed by respectively 3
registration marks. The
compensation will thus be done in
the relevant area for the respective
object.

This way, a different scaling of the

objects due to printing can be
compensated. But the production
time will be increased because all
registration marks must be
recognized by the camera.

In the second example, the printed

sheet has only 4 registration marks.
In this case, the positions of all
objects are calculated using the
coordinates of these 4 registration
marks (2 triangles).

Here, different distortions in the

individual objects cannot be
compensated as accurately as it was
done in the first example. That’s
why some applications require more than 4 registration marks for each printed file with several objects
on it. Depending on the required accuracy designer and cutter operators can adjust their workflow.

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 5​ ​x 10-ft FLATBED CUTTER

Maintenance Manual
 

COLEX FINISHING, INC. 55-57 BUSHES LANE, ELMWOOD PARK, NJ 0740 ​(201)
265-5670 / (201) 265-7093 FAX ​WWW.COLEX.COM

Colex.com 53
Colex SharpCut Daily Maintenance:
● Clean any dust and debris that may collect on the table surface, different parts of the Colex
cutter and underneath the machine (failure to do so could result in blown vacuum motors).
Note​: Machine must be turned “off” before cleaning.

● Check the debris collector to be sure it is not full. Dump the debris when necessary to prevent
the clogging of the debris collector hose.

● Adjust the conveyor belt rolls positions if necessary.

C​olex Sharpcut Monthly Maintenance​​:

● Clean dust and debris that has built up on the rails and racks, if necessary. See images for details.
● Grease 12 fittings with LOW VISCOSITY GREASE. See images for details.
● Oil the 2 fittings on the sides of Stations 2 (fitting is located on the left side) and 3 (fitting is
located on the right side). Place the specific material (vinyl) underneath of the tool head to
prevent the dripping of the oil on the table surface. After oiling the fittings rotate W motor
clockwise and counterclockwise to spread the oil evenly. See images for details.
● Use Teflon Lithium Spray on the racks of the X and Y axis and move the head of the machine left
and right and the bridge back and forth to spread evenly. Also, lubricate the Z axis ball screw
located behind the tool head. It will be visible if the tool head is moved down. To spread it
evenly move the head up and down.

Maintenance products are available to order at ​colex.com​.

PART # DESCRIPTION PRICE

T00850 Grease Gun (Includes 90°extender) $50.00

T00855 Low Viscosity Grease, 3 oz. $12.00

T00857 Teflon/Lithium Spray, Spray Can $9.00

T0P128 Zoom Spout Oiler $5.00

Colex.com 54
Cleaning the Sharpcut

One of the most important parts of maintaining the Colex machine is ​keeping it clean​. It will
extend the life of the machine and the quality of the jobs done by it. Make sure to always
keep the table surface clean.

It's important to keep the ​area around the machine​ clean, especially if you use a conveyor belt because
if we are advancing the conveyor the debris underneath of the machine will move onto the surface of
the table.

It is very important to make sure to ​clean the Measuring Device​ on the Colex Sharpcut. If you do not
clean the device it will affect the accuracy of all your cuts on the machine. If there is too much debris
underneath the plate of the measuring device it can be extremely dangerous so we advise always
making sure it is clean.

Cleaning the Limit Sensors​ is important part of keeping moving parts of the machine properly adjusted
and positioned. Debris and grease on the sensors might affect the machine’s operations and the quality
of the finished products.

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Greasing the “Y” and “X” Axis

Grease a total of 4 fittings on the “Y” axis. Two are located

on each side of the tool head. (See image on the left).

Grease a total of 4 fittings on “X-1” and “X-2” axis on both

sides of the bridge. (See image on the left).

Please pump the grease gun no more than two times.

(Pumping more than necessary can damage the bearings).

PLEASE USE THE LOW VISCOSITY GREASE (Part # T00855) ​MONTHLY​.​

***Maintenance can vary depending on how often the machine is used

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Greasing the “Z” axis

Grease a total of 4 fittings on the “Z” axis. Two are

located behind each side of the tool head. (See images)

Please pump the grease gun no more than two times.

(Pumping more than necessary can damage the
bearings).

PLEASE USE THE LOW VISCOSITY GREASE (Part # T00855) ​MONTHLY​.​

***Maintenance can vary depending on how often the machine is used

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Maintaining the rails and rack and pinion assembly

Clean off debris that has built up the

rails when it is necessary. (White
arrows on the image)

MONTHLY​​ ​use WHITE LITHIUM SPRAY

(Part # T00857) on the rack and pinion
assembly of the X and Y axis. (Red
arrows on the image)

Move Bridge and Tool Head back and

forth for even coverage.

Avoiding build up of debris

To avoid build up clean off debris that has built up

on the rails on Y, X1, X2 and Z axis ​when necessary​.
(See image) ​.

***Maintenance can vary depending on how often

the machine is used

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Oiling fittings of the Stations #2 and #3

Oil the two fittings beside Tool #2

and Tool #3 with
ZOOM SPOUT OILER (Part #
T0P128) ​MONTHLY.​​ (See images)

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Daily Maintenance while Routing
Clean the table surface when necessary.

FAILURE TO CLEAN THE TABLE SURFACE MAY RESULT IN THE WEAKENING OF THE VACUUM TABLE SYSTEM
AND HINDER THE ACCURACY OF THE CUTS!

If you are routing fairly

frequently you MUST check for
debris that can be built up in between the
slots of the collet. Debris that is stuck
and built up will prevent the collet
from clamping down securely on
the router bit. (See image).
Please clean the collet and spindle nut
every time you replace router bits!

FAILURE TO CLEAN THE COLLET CAN RESULT

IN DAMAGE TO THE TABLE/BIT!

Please be sure to use the proper wrenches when installing/removing the router bits.

Check your debris collector often if you are routing frequently.

Lift up on the handles located on the sides to empty. (See

image *the vacuum shown may not be the exact model)

***Maintenance can vary depending on how often the machine

is used

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Daily Maintenance while Using the Conveyor

Conveyor Belt Alignment Procedure

Step 1: Move the top two rollers as close to the machine as possible without the roller touching the
machine or the bracket mounting screws.

Step 2: Adjust the bottom two rollers so that they are parallel to the top roller. To do this measure from
the top roller support to the bottom roller support and adjust the bottom roller up/down. The goal is to
get the bottom roller as close to parallel to the top roller as possible. The belt should be loose enough to
shift the belt side to side by pulling on the unsupported web of the belt.

Step 3: At this time advance the conveyor belt several times and see which way the belt is tracking.
Standing at the feed/back side of the cutter observe if the belt is tracking to the left or the right.

Step 4: If Tracking Left: Shift the right side of the top feed/back roller away from the machine.

If Tracking Right Shift the left side of the top feed/back roller away from the machine.

Step 5: Repeat Process 3 and 4 until the belt no longer rubs against the side clamps.

Note: The belt should be loose enough to shift side to side by hand at all times. If this cannot be
achieved move the bottom rollers up to loosen the belt.

Weekly Maintenance while Using Knives, Drawing Tool, Scoring or Perforating

Wheels
Lubricate all four sides of the tools installed into stations 2 and 3 with the oil provided in your
Colex maintenance kit to prevent the tools from getting stuck in the stations. Use 1-2 drops of
oil, clean rug or paper towel.

If there are scratches on the sides of the tools, please remove them using fine sandpaper or
scotch brite. Please oil the sides of the tools after removing the scratches.

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Unit Conversion Table

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Colex SharpCut metric/inches (decimals and fractions) conversion chart
What is one thousandth of the inch (0.001”)? It’s almost impossible to see it with the human eye. We
know that thickness of the paper is about 0.004”, so one thousandth of the inch is 4 times less than the
thickness of the paper.

Millimeter, INCH, INCH, fractions Millimeter, INCH INCH fractions

MM decimals MM decimals

1mm 0.039” a little less than 3/64” 12mm 0.472” a little more than​ 15/32”

1.5mm 0.059” a little less than​ 1/16” 12.7mm 0.5” exactly 1/2"

2mm 0.079” a little more than​ 5/64” 15mm 0.591” a little less than​ 19/32”

3mm 0.118” a little less than​ 1/8" 15.87mm 0.625” exactly 3/8"

3.175mm 0.125” exactly 1/8” 19.05mm 0.75” exactly 3/4"

4mm 0.157” a little more than​ 5/32” 22.225mm 0.875” exactly 7/8"

5mm 0.197” a little less than​ 13/64” 25mm 0.984” a little less than​ 1”

6mm 0.236” a little more than​ 15/64” 25.4mm 1.000” exactly 1”

6.35mm 0.25” exactly 1/4” 31.75mm 1.25” exactly 1” and 1/4"

8mm 0.315” a little more than​ 5/16” 38.1mm 1.5” exactly 1” and 1/2"

9.52mm 0.375” exactly 3/8" 44.45mm 1.75” exactly 1” and 3/4"

10mm 0.394” a little more than​ 25/64” 50.8mm 2” exactly 2”

Colex provides this conversion chart to make it easier for machines’ operators to work with different
materials and we hope it will help you to find proper blades and router bits for your specific material
thickness.

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List of Tools

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List of Blades/Bits/Mats

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Notes:

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Notes:

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