Debossing Calibration: MatDesigner

There is a configuration field for each of the three debossing tools. These parameters fine tune the placement, the pressure, the size, and the timing of the debossed elements.

The standard configuration settings are reasonably close, but there are a few adjustments you will need to make to accommodate the variations between machines and the debossing cartridges themselves. This will ensure you get the results you want from the tools and that the debossed elements are registered perfectly with the openings.
There is a test mat already designed for every adjustment you will need to make.

To begin you will need to do some experimentation to determine the proper pressure. The blade depth knob sets the pressure. The setting will be approximately 15. This may be a few points more or less depending on your machine, the matboard you are using and the effect you want. You will need to this for each tool, too.

Begin with the Wide (Blue) tool. There are test mats in the program for each tool. The designs have a variety of curves and straight lines in all directions so that you will be able to see if the tool is tearing the surface in any of these situations.

Click the Load Saved Mat button in the opening screen.

Double click on the Test Mats folder, then double click on the Imperial folder, then double click on the DB Test Mats folder.

Select DB Wide Depth and click the Cut button under the thumbnail.

You are now on the Cutting Preview screen. Set the blade depth knob to 13. Disregard the prompt when it tells you to set it to 15.

Click Cut and look at the results. It will likely be debossed lightly. As you turn the blade depth knob higher, more pressure is applied and the debossing will be more pronounced.

Now set the blade depth knob to 14 and deboss the mat again on another piece of matboard. Repeat this mat, turning the blade depth knob one point higher each time, until you find the depth setting that gives you the best debossing effect without tearing the surface of the matboard.

Let us imagine that when we debossed at a depth of 16, the tool broke the matboard surface. We decided that the setting would be 15.

Enter the depth value you have found into the configurations.

Open the Configurations screen by clicking on the Configs button under Tools on the right of the cut screen.

Click the drop down arrow under Current Bevel Type and select Deboss at the bottom of the list. Click the drop down arrow beside Cartridge and select Wide-Blue.

Enter the new depth setting in the Depth Setting field.

Now the software will prompt you to change the Depth Knob to 15 whenever you use the wide tool.
Repeat this procedure for the medium and the thin tools. There are test mats in the same folder for the medium and the thin tools.

Maybe the most striking use of debossing is on suede matboard. Repeat this procedure with suede and you will find that the setting for suede will be several points higher than for paper surface matboard. There is, however, nowhere in the software to register a second setting to prompt you for different kinds of matboard. Make a note of it and remember to use this higher depth setting when you are debossing suede.

Adjust the Placement

Next you will need to make sure the debossed elements are registered precisely with the cut elements. The test mats have a 3 x 3 inch opening with a debossed line very close to the opening so that you will be able to see how evenly the line is spaced around the opening.

Begin with the wide tool. Open the mat called DB Wide Test Mat.

Find it by clicking on Load Saved Mat on the opening screen. Double click on the Test Mats folder then double click on the Imperial folder, then double click on the DB Test Mats folder. Select DB Wide Test Mat and click the Cut button under the thumbnail.

Cut the mat and measure to see if the debossed line is evenly spaced all the way around the opening.

If it is not, adjust the values in the Horizontal and Vertical Adjustment fields in the configurations screen. Click the plus buttons to move the line to the right or up. Click the minus buttons to move the line to the left or down.

Repeat the test and adjust the values until the debossed line is perfectly spaced with the opening.

Repeat this procedure for the medium and the thin tools using the test mats in the same folder.