Click the Align the Head button to Align the Head into the cutting position and power up the motors in preparation of cutting a mat. Aligning the Head will only get the machine ready to cut, but not actually cut.

NOTE: The hardware photos below may slightly differ from your specific model but the steps are still the same.

Align the Head Button vs. the Cut Button

Optionally, if you click the Cut button when the motors are disengaged, it will prompt you to Align the Head. After the Head is Aligned, it will then Cut the mat.

The CMC will do an interference check to see if any of the finger-clamps are in the way of the current cut sequence.

If any of the finger-clamps are in the way, the light above the specific finger-clamp on the board will flash red and the screen will identify which finger-clamp number needs to be rotated out of the way before you cut the mat.

See Z1 Head LED Behavior and Z1 LED Clamp Behavior for information on the LED head and clamp indicators.

To rotate the finger clamp out of the way, push the indicated clamp toward the board to release the pressure.

Rotate the indicated clamps so that they are facing away from the center of the board.

When the clamps are engaged, they will be retracted flush with the board.

For the next cutting job, the clamps should be rotated back toward the center of the board to hold down the next mat.

Click Continue on the Interference screen. It will perform the interference check again to make sure that all of the finger-clamps have been correctly rotated.

If it passes the Interference check it will continue to the Alignment check. Make sure that the Pen, Vinyl and Crease tools are not in the foot block.

It will then Align the Head as described below. After aligning the head, it will immediately proceed to the Cartridge Change screen.

The Head and Gantry will now automatically move to the left side of the board, regardless of what position on the board they started.
The Head will move down until the foot block rests against the Head Alignment Stop.

The foot block will align to the home position.

If you had clicked the Align the Head button, the CMC is now aligned and ready to cut.

If you had clicked the Cut button, the CMC will prompt for the Blade Cartridge and Blade Depth.

After Aligning the Head, the user is prompted for the Blade Cartridge and to confirm the Blade Depth.

If you are using the same blade cartridge as the last mat cut, you will not need to change the cartridge. If it is different, change the current cartridge for the requested cartridge.

The screen will also prompt you with the Blade Depth that it will cut. If you wish to change the blade depth, click the minus or plus buttons on the cartridge change screen to select the desired depth.

When you click Continue, the hardware will automatically change to that blade depth.

Click Continue to cut with these settings.