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Dear Customer,

On behalf of the entire team at Secabo, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your purchase of the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro. It is our pleasure to present this innovative and high performing machine to you. Your trust in our brand and your decision to choose the MultiCut Pro fills us with pride.

Countless hours of hard work and dedication have gone into the development and manufacturing of this device. Our experienced team spanning multiple departments has worked tirelessly with passion to make the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro one of the first and highest performing products in its category.

We are confident that the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro will fulfil and even surpass your expectations.

Bernhard Schmidt

General Manager

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

Please make sure to thoroughly read this manual before attempting to operate the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro. Please also note:

• Any form of reproduction of this document requires the prior written permission of Nepata Vertrieb GmbH.

• Changes and errors in technical data and product features are subject to change.

• Nepata Vertrieb GmbH accepts no liability for direct or indirect damage resulting from the use of this product.

• The primary version of this manual is always the English version. Any other language version is provided as a service for convenience but does not claim to be correct.

• While every effort has been made to provide complete and accurate information, please contact your sales representative or nearest Secabo vendor if you find any unclear or erroneous information or wish to make other comments or suggestions.

Warning labels

The following warning labels are located on the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro. Please take great care to observe them to avoid hurting yourself or damaging the machine. Below is a list of explanations for each warning label.

Open	Warning: Electricity Taking care to avoid coming into contact with electricity.
Open	Warning: Sharp element Taking care to avoid injury from sharp elements (e.g. needles, blades).
Open	Warning: Crushing of hands Take care to avoid injury to hands when in the vicinity of equipment with closing or moving mechanical parts.
Open	Warning: Avoid hand entanglement with the belt drive Keep your hands and any loose clothing away from moving belts during operation to prevent injury.
Open	Warning: Mind the running rollers Keep your hands and any loose clothing away from the running rollers during operation to prevent injury.

Safety precautions

Before you start operating the machine, please read this manual carefully and make sure you observe all safety precautions. The machine must only be operated by qualified adult persons.

WARNING - In order to avoid human injury:

• During operation do not touch any moving parts like the cutting head, crossbeam or cutter holder

• Make sure no hair is near the machine while it is in operation

• When inserting media, make sure hands and hair are not in the vicinity of possibly moving parts as the machine may start moving when it receives data from the computer

• When changing tools, always make sure the machine is fully switched off to avoid injury

• When changing the blade, please note that blades are extremely sharp and can injure fingers.

• When the emergency stop button is pressed, make sure the emergency situation is fully resolved before releasing the button and that the machine is turned off with the regular power switch. 

• Be aware that the machine is strong enough to cause injury to hands and other body parts that are in the working area while the machine is in operation

• The machine is supplied with rolls that can be adjusted to become stable feet. Never place the machine on an uneven surface and always ensure that the rolls are fixed and set to foot mode before switching on the machine

• Use ear covers to protect ears from the vacuum pump noise

• When cutting harder material, protect your eyes with eye protection from small particles that may fly around.

• When cutting material that produces dust, always wear a protective mask

• Only operate the machine, when no children are present.

• In order to avoid electrical shock

• Make sure the machine is always grounded and uses a 3-pin outlet. This applies also to the vacuum pump

• Never use a different power supply than the power supply listed on the machine

• Never open the machine on your own. Always contact the manufacturer first and only open parts of the machine when fully disconnected from power and when advised to do so by technical support

• If the machine shows signs of smoke, fumes, burning smell etc. disconnect it from power immediately

• Make sure the machine is kept away from water, e.g. rain, snow or liquids being spilled over the machine. If the machine is exposed to water, disconnect it from power immediately and contact SECABO technical support. Do not use the machine anymore

• Make sure no metal parts can enter the machine 

• If the power cable shows signs of damage, do not use it anymore and have it replaced by a new power cable

CAUTION - In order to avoid damage to the machine or the area around the machine:

• Make sure the machine is only used in the indicated operating conditions with regards to temperature and humidity

• Do not use the machine in direct sunlight

• Do not use the machine in a very humid environment

• Do not use the machine in an area where it is exposed to dust.

• Never put a liquid container on the machine, even when not in operation

• Never apply lubricants to any part of the machine without prior consultation with the SECABO technical support

• keep clear of the machine with a distance of 100 cm on each side to the next object

• Do not move the cutting or crossbeam head manually

• Ensure before operation that you always do a test cut

• If you hear any unexpected sounds from the machine, switch it off immediately and contact SECABO technical support.

• Do not use the machine in an area with strong vibrations

Unboxing and setup

The Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro will be delivered to you in a protective heavy duty wooden box by a freight forwarding company. After receiving the shipment please unpack the machine as follows:

1. Unscrew the top of the box. We recommend the use of an electric screwdriver.

2. Carefully remove the side panels of the box.

3. Lift the machine out of the box using a forklift or a similar machine.

4. The machine has no additional transport protection.

Once unpacked and moved to the desired location, the machine can be set up:

1. You will find the included power cable below the roll holders

2. Connect the data cable of the included external vacuum pump to the machine

3. Connect the power cable of the included external vacuum pump to a wall socket

4. Connect the machine to a regular wall socket

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Please refer to the above image when plugging in the vacuum pump data connection. The connector is located on the underside of the machine.

Important: Always make sure the entire work surface of the machine is clear of any obstacles before turning it on!

General Information

This section covers a few basic things about how the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro operates and what the recommended workflow looks like. Please make sure to thoroughly read this section before continuing with the rest of this manual.

What is the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro?

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The Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro is a new type of flatbed cutter with an integrated conveyor belt. The advanced device is able to independently feed printed material from a roll and make precise cuts.

This reliably automates a large part of the manual work involved in cutting printed roll media, especially when working with direct-to-film (DTF).

Technical Specifications

Configuration

Performance

Environmental Requirements for Operation

We are committed to ensuring that the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro operates reliably in a wide range of environments. Please ensure your environment meets the following requirements to guarantee smooth and reliable operation.

General Operating Requirements

• Temperature: 15 °C - 28 °C

• Relative Humidity: 40% - 60%

• Power Supply: 50Hz - 60Hz AC, 230V

Environmental Light Requirements

The camera, which is used to scan mark points as well as QR codes for automatic operation, imposes additional requirements specifically for the environmental light conditions.

• Consistent lighting without light peaks (spots) across the operating area

• No changing impact from external light (e.g. windows)

Media / Print Requirements

In order for the machine to be able to recognize mark points as well as read QR codes after the transfers have been printed, powdered and cured in the oven, you also need to fulfil the following requirements:

• Only use fine-grained granulate for powdering transfers

• Maintain strict control over the amount of white ink used during printing and adjust it if mark points or QR codes become illegible after curing

What does the recommended workflow look like?

While the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro is a very versatile machine and can be integrated into almost any workflow, we recommend one that revolves around the automatic detection of QR codes on printed media and a network share (also commonly called a “Hot Folder”) containing matching cut files.

This recommended workflow can be described as follows:

1. A print file according to the specifications for the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro is created. It contains mark points for automatic orientation / alignment and a QR code referring to the matching cut file.

2. A cut file according to the specifications and matching the previously created print file is created and placed into a network folder that is accessible to the machine.

3. The print file gets printed multiple times onto a roll. Mixing and matching different print files, as long as they adhere to the specifications, is also permitted.

4. The machine operator inserts the printed roll into the machine and manually positions the cut head above the first mark point and starts the automatic processing.

5. The machine will automatically recognize the printed QR code, fetch the matching cut file from the network drive, and begin processing the printed roll on its own.

Regardless of the recommended workflow, the machine is also capable of:

• Process sheets of media which have to be inserted manually (like a flatbed cutter)

• Process sheets / rolls of media without QR code by specifying the cut file manually

Print files

Print files for the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro require additional information in the form of mark points and (optionally) other things such as QR codes. Depending on the media you would like to process the mark points will look different. For this reason the machine internally and automatically distinguishes between different operating modes.

Refer to the section “Software” for more information about how to easily create print files.

Mark Points

The machine always requires four mark points per page.

To save material when working with roll media, the machine can optionally re-use mark point [1, 2] of the following page as mark point [3, 4] of the current page. This effectively means that each page of the document contains just two mark points and it is required to have two additional mark points after the last page (otherwise material gets wasted).

Operating Modes

Standard Mode

This mode is used for cutting traditional non-transparent media, such as labels, films or any kind of paper. The mark points look like solid circles.

First Mark Point (top left) Open	Example Open
Other Mark Points Open

DTF Mode

This mode is used for cutting transparent DTF media. The grey background in the images below is supposed to represent the transparency of DTF media, as you otherwise would not be able to see the white hollow circle mark points.

Please note: When looking at print files created with this mode you might not be able to see the white mark points or the white QR code by default, as most PDF readers default to using a white background for transparency.

First Mark Point (top right because of mirroring, will be top left after printing)   Open	Example Open
Other Mark Points   Open

Cut files

Cut files for the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro contain detailed instructions for the machine so it knows exactly what operations to perform when processing a given file. Simplified, you can imagine the instructions inside the print file like a sequence of “cut head down”, “move to position x/y”, “cut head up”, and many more. Those files are usually generated automatically when setting up a print file.

Refer to the section “Software” for more information about how to easily create cut files.

User Interface

After turning on the machine the startup sequence will begin. This only takes a few seconds and includes a quick self-test to make sure the machine is in an operational state. After this is done you will end up on the following screen.

Below is a general explanation of how all user interface pages are structured and how to navigate between them. Individual pages will be explained further along in this section of the manual.

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1. The status bar offering information at a quick glance

2. The currently displayed page

3. An indicator showing on which page of the user interface you currently are

To navigate between the different pages of the user interface you have to perform a “swipe” using your finger from left to right or right to left, depending on the direction you would like to navigate. Please note that for the “swipe” to work, you have to start it on a non-interactive user element such as the background.

Dashboard

The Dashboard is the main page of the user interface. On this page you can set and modify common parameters and perform common actions. When turning on the machine this is also the page you will automatically end up on.

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1. Select force

2. Select speed

3. Move to the minimum X/Y position (bottom left)

4. Move to the maximum X/Y position (top right)

5. Belt move control (slide carefully either way to drive or reverse the belt while holding)

6. Return to location stored in memory (see “Positioning”)

7. Repeat the previous job

8. Perform a test cut

9. Toggle vacuum pump

10. Pause the currently running job

11. Stop the currently running job

12. Automatically load job by using QR code

13. Job progress and job status will be displayed here while processing a job

Positioning

The positioning page is the second page of the user interface. It allows you to manually position the cutting head and adjust various camera parameters.

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1. Joystick (middle) and arrow buttons for moving the cutting head around

2. Live camera feed

3. Move to the maximum X/Y position (top right)

4. Store the current location in memory

5. Return to the stored location in memory

6. Move to the minimum X/Y position (bottom left)

7. Belt move control (slide carefully either way to drive or reverse the belt while holding)

8. Toggle vacuum pump

9. Toggle camera light

10. Change brightness of camera light

11. Change camera exposure

12. Toggle display of mark detection on camera feed

13. Automatically load job by using QR code

Tip: The display of mark detection (12) can help you diagnose issues with your print. While enabled, the machine will show a green circle on top of any mark points it can see within the camera feed. Make sure to turn this off when moving the machine (1) or belt (2), as the additional processing required for this affects responsiveness.

File Browser

The file browser is the third page of the user interface and allows you to browse through the different types of storage accessible to the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro.

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1. Convenient on-screen explanation for all interactions on this page

2. File browser with various file management actions

By default only the internal disk is available. When you connect a USB flash drive to the machine “USB Disk” becomes available as well. Same goes for “Network Share”, which requires an active connection to a shared network drive (see Net Share Config).

Important: When scanning QR codes the machine will look for matching cut files inside a subfolder called “qrplt” (lowercase!) using all of the available storage methods.

Tip: Tapping on a file selects it. Tapping on a folder opens that folder. If you want to select a folder for file operations (eg. copying, cutting, deleting) you can tap and hold the folder to select it.

It is also possible to perform file operations across different types of storages. You can, for example, copy a complete folder from “USB Disk” to “Internal Disk”.

Important: When connecting USB flash drives make sure they only have one volume which is either formatted as FAT32 or NTFS. The machine might not be able to recognize it otherwise.

Settings

The settings page is the fourth and last page of the user interface. On this page you can set up and configure various features of the Secabo DTF MultiCut Pro. You can switch between the different sub-pages by using the navigation on the right side of the screen.

Camera Offset

The camera offset is used to compensate for the fact that the camera and tool (eg. knife or pen) cannot be in the same physical location on the cutting head. The values can either be specified manually or determined automatically by the machine.

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1. Automatically determine camera offset

2. Manually adjust offset on X-axis

3. Manually adjust offset on Y-axis

4. Apply configured offset

5. Visualisation of current offset

Please note: We take care of this calibration for every machine that leaves our warehouse. You should only need to repeat this if you are trying to troubleshoot problems or have performed maintenance on the cutting head.

Automatic calibration:

1. Position the cutting head somewhere in the middle of the working area

2. Insert the pen tool into it and place a flat piece of white paper beneath it

3. Turn on the vacuum pump to prevent the media from moving

4. Click the Auto button (1) to automatically determine the offset, then apply (4) it

Camera Config

With these settings you can influence how the machine processes visual information.

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Enables the recognition of white mark points in Standard Mode

Important: Turn this off when working with DTF media.

Enabling this allows the machine to recognize white circle mark points when working with very dark or black (non-DTF) media. It has no effect when working with transparent DTF media and should be turned off when doing so. Refer to the image below for an example of how the white (normally black) mark points look when using black media:

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X & Y Scale

In this section you can adjust the scaling of both axes individually. Adjusting this might be necessary to still guarantee perfect results even when parts of the machine have started to experience wear and tear.

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1. Manually adjust the scaling on the X-axis

2. Manually adjust the scaling on the Y-axis

3. Draw a 100 x 100 mm test shape

4. Draw a 300 x 300 mm test shape

5. Apply scaling values

Please note: We take care of this calibration for every machine that leaves our warehouse. You should only need to repeat this if you are trying to troubleshoot problems or have performed maintenance on the machine.

How to properly adjust both axes:

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1. Position the cutting head somewhere in the middle of the working area

2. Insert the pen tool into it and place a flat piece of white paper beneath it

3. Tap on either (3) or (4) to have the machine draw a square of the given size

4. Measure the physical size of the square and adjust both axes until the expected size matches the measurement
   
   

Sample Quality

You can adjust the sample quality of the machine to fit your use-case.

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1. The currently selected sample quality with arrows to adjust it

2. A visual representation of the selected sample quality

3. The currently selected sample quality is also always displayed in the status bar

Refer to the table below for an explanation of the available options.

Status Bar	Mode	Description
Open	Speed First	Operate faster with reduced quality.
Open	Balance	Default option - Balance between speed and quality.
Open	Precision First	Operate slower with increased quality.

The best mode always depends on your individual use-case. If you are primarily cutting generous contours you might safely choose “Speed First” for its increased throughput. When working with very fine contours you might appreciate the increased quality of “Precision First”.

Blade Settings

Here you can adjust various offsets that are taken into account while cutting.

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1. Enable / Disable and configure the blade offset

2. Enable / Disable and configure overcut

3. Enable / Disable and configure extended lines

4. Test your current settings

5. These icons will also be displayed in the title bar when enabled

The blade offset refers to the slight distance between the centre of the cutting blade and the blade tip that cuts the material. The required offset changes depending on which blade is inserted into the machine and the depth of cutting.

Overcut refers to the cutting blade extending slightly beyond the endpoint of each path to ensure that outlines form a complete contour.

“Extend Line” refers to the cutting blade extending slightly before and beyond the endpoint of each path, even if it does not form a complete contour.

Important: The pen tool will never require any offsets, so make sure to turn both of them off while using it. This is especially important when calibrating the Camera Offset or X & Y Scale, because the machine takes both offsets into account for ALL operations.

Please note: We take care of setting this up for every machine that leaves our warehouse, so you can begin working with the included blade right away. If the software you are using for generating cut files already includes offsets in its paths make sure to turn them off here, as you may encounter weird issues (such as “stuttering” while cutting) otherwise.

Mode Config

Here you can adjust various parameters related to the conveyor belt and advancing media.

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1. Operation Mode

2. Default feeding distance (used for test functions, eg. (5))

3. Feeding speed when advancing the belt

4. How quickly the belt accelerates to its configured feeding speed

5. Test feeding options by advancing the belt by the default feed distance (2)

6. The time after turning off the vacuum pump before advancing the belt

Please note: Every machine that leaves our warehouse will have proper default settings configured, so for most use-cases you won’t have to change anything in here.

Perforation Mode

In this section you can configure automatic perforation cutting.

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1. Select perforation mode (including “Off”)

2. The force multiplier whenever the blade is in the “up”-position for perforation

3. The distance that the blade will be “down” and cut the media

4. The distance that the blade will be “up” and either slit or not touch the media at all

5. Cut out a test shape using the configured settings

6. A diagram showing the difference between perforation modes

Perforation is an incredibly useful feature that allows you to perforate the media according to your settings instead of completely cutting through it. As a result of this your individual shapes will remain within the roll (or sheet) of media that you inserted into the machine and can later easily be separated from it by hand. Especially when cutting out different motives from a roll of material this helps to keep everything organised. In addition to that it also has the added benefit of better media retention by the vacuum pump, because there will be less “holes” in the media after cutting to pull air through. Perforation works with all cut files.

Important: Unless you are intentionally using it to test the perforation, make sure to disable perforation while calibrating the Camera Offset or X & Y Scale, because the machine takes these options into account for ALL operations

Please note: The proper settings for perforation are highly dependent on the media, speed and force you are using and might require some experimentation before you end up with satisfying results. The software you are using for generating cut files might also offer perforation with even more advanced settings. In those cases you should disable this feature on the machine.

WLAN Config

This section allows you to connect and manage the WLAN (also “Wi-Fi”) connection.

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1. Enable or disable WLAN

2. Refresh list of wireless networks

3. The list of detected wireless networks

Tapping on a network in the list of detected networks (3) will prompt you to enter the password if the network is password protected.

Upon successfully connecting to the network the machine will display the obtained IP address as well as a “wireless” icon in the right side of the status bar. From now on the machine will automatically try to connect to this network whenever powered on.

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Please note: The machine can only connect to networks which are available on the 2.4 GHz frequency band. Modern networks running on 5 GHz usually also always offer 2.4 GHz, because it offers better penetration, range and stability at reduced throughput.

Important: Do not connect the machine to networks where it will be publicly accessible over the internet. The network interfaces are not hardened against potential attacks from third parties.

IPv4 Config

Here you can set up and view parameters for the wired ethernet connection.

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1. The MAC address of the ethernet interface

2. Method for obtaining IP configuration (DHCP = Automatic, Static = Manual)

3. IP address

4. Subnet Mask

5. Default Gateway

6. DNS Server

7. Apply changes

If you plan on using the wired ethernet interface we recommend using DHCP unless your environment requires you to specify the IP configuration manually. When using DHCP the machine will attempt to obtain values for (3), (4), (5) and (6) automatically from your network.

Upon successfully connecting to the ethernet network the machine will display the obtained IP address as well as a “network” icon in the right side of the status bar.

Important: Do not connect the machine to networks where it will be publicly accessible over the internet. The network interfaces are not hardened against potential attacks from third parties.

Net Share Config

This section allows you to set up access to a shared network drive for accessing cut files over the network.

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1. IP Address of the host that provides the network share