While polyvinyl chloride is one of the most important resources that we use, it is also one that generates a lot of waste. Around 910,000 tons of PVC waste is generated each year, and only 1% of that is recycled. Due to this, it is important that PVC workers like you all do their part to minimize PVC waste while still getting the best cuts possible.
Luckily, these two goals go hand in hand! Here, we are going to talk about why it is important that you get a plotter pen that makes precise cuts. Read on to eliminate waste and get the detail-oriented vinyl signs that you deserve to show off.
Why Is Plotter Pen Precision Important?
At this point, you are probably wondering how plotter pen precision correlates to the quality of your vinyl cuts. That is a really good question, and it has a few different answers! Read on to learn why both plotter pens for hand-cutting and blades that go in vinyl plotter machines need to be as precise as possible.
Quality Vinyl Cuts
Having the right plotter pen is important because it allows you to have well-made cuts of vinyl. Using a blade that is too dull will lead to something called ‘vinyl ears.’ This result basically means that the corners of your flat vinyl sheet will lift up, which makes for a trashy sign at best.
In addition to vinyl ears, you will have frayed material edges when you use a plotter pen that is too dull. These edges will be uneven and look as though someone just hacked at them (which would be an accurate assessment.) Not only is this ugly, but it also can cut your fingers if you run them along the edge of the sign!
When you have high-quality vinyl cuts, you will eliminate the need to throw them out and remake your sign. These cuts help to cut back on the PVC waste that we discussed earlier. It also helps you to save the time and energy that you could be using to make more materials (and more money).
Easier Use
Having quality cuts is important, but so is having an easy-to-use plotter pen. If you are cutting vinyl by hand, a pen that does not fit appropriately into your hand is going to be uncomfortable to use. If you are using a plotter machine, a pen that does not fit into it is not even going to work.
This reality means that having the right plotter pen is essential to keeping your plotter functional as well as precise.
Properly-Sized Pieces
When your sign has issues, like jagged edges and vinyl ears, you will likely need to cut the edges off. This option will cause your cut to become smaller than you originally had intended it to be.
Even if you do manage to get a cut that has no real problems with it, then it may end up smaller or larger than you want it to be. Plotter blades that are of incorrect angles tend to cause imprecise cuts. You may have difficulty cutting along the lines established for your project and make cut your PVC in the wrong size.
Having a precise plotter pen means that your cuts will be exactly the size that you want them to be. You will not need to worry about them fitting in the space that you need them to.
Everything Fits Together Appropriately
While our main focus today is on signs, there are vinyl items that you may want to make that are not flat planes. These can be accessories to your sign, like tubes, to hang it on walls or stands to set it on the ground.
If you are making something that is not a sign or similarly flat plane, you will need your cuts to be more precise than ever before. Jagged edges or incorrectly sized pieces could lead to a lopsided item that does not fit together appropriately. This result is also the case if you plan to use heat to bend the vinyl into another shape such as a pipe. It is bound to be uneven.
To avoid this result, it means that you will need a precise pen even more than ever if you plan to make something more complex than a single-sheet sign.
How can you ensure that your plotter pen and blade are as high-quality as they can be? Let’s take a look!
How to Choose a Precise Plotter Pen
The first aspect of choosing the right plotter pen is choosing the right blade. There are three blade angles to choose from- 30°, 45°, and 60°. The thicker your piece of PVC, the steeper the blade angle you need.
If you choose a blade angle that is too low, it will be too dull for the vinyl and result in the vinyl ears and jagged cuts we talked about earlier. However, too steep a blade angle will quickly destroy your blade and waste resources. 45° blades are generally a happy medium, but you will still want 30° and 60° blades to cut thin and thick vinyl as precisely as possible.
Once you have chosen a plotter blade that works for your needs, you can then begin the process of choosing a plotter pen!
Choose something that can hold the blade that you choose as snugly as possible. You do not want it falling out while you are working. If it does, you are going to lose your progress and have an imprecise cut. You also will probably scratch the vinyl where the blade falls on your sign.
If you are using a plotter machine, you will also need to select a pen that fits into it. As we said earlier, you will not get any use from your plotter pen if it does not work with the machine that you are trying to use.
Get Started
There are many factors that go into getting a quality vinyl cut. However, having the correct blade to seamlessly cut through the material is one of the most important.
Now that you know why plotter pen precision is important, it is time to get started! Contact us with any lingering questions that you may have on choosing the appropriate plotter pen for your needs. Our experts are happy to discuss your project with you so that you can get the most precise possible plotter blades for your individual needs.
Simple Solutions International offers a full selection of plotter blades and plotter pens as well as a variety of useful tools for use in plotting and sign making such as plotter adapters, masking film, spray mask, and other sign making tools and accessories.