Cut PPF with your Graphtec plotter
Graphtec is the most common plotter on a PPF bench in North America. The FC9000 and CE7000 handle full body kits without babysitting, and ULTRAFILMCUT drives both natively.
Set COMMAND to Auto in the plotter menu. Left on GP-GL only, a Graphtec will start a cut, drop the blade in the wrong origin, and waste a full front kit worth of film. This one setting is the cause of most first day support calls.
Graphtec setup, step by step
- 01
Set COMMAND to Auto
On the plotter panel go to Menu, then Interface, then COMMAND, and select Auto. This lets the machine accept the command language ULTRAFILMCUT sends without a manual switch.
- 02
Connect over USB or LAN
Plug in the USB cable or assign the plotter a static IP on your shop network. Confirm the machine appears in Windows Device Manager before you open the software.
- 03
Select the model in Plotter Setup
In ULTRAFILMCUT open Settings, then Plotter Setup, and pick your exact Graphtec model. The correct profile sets the origin and cutting area for you.
- 04
Set blade offset and force for film
Start at 0.30 mm offset with a 45 degree blade. For paint protection film begin around 18 to 22 force and 30 cm per second speed, then adjust from the test cut.
- 05
Run a test square and adjust
Cut the calibration square. The blade should part the film cleanly and leave a visible score on the liner without cutting through it. Raise force in steps of 2 until it does.
Write your working blade, force and speed numbers on tape and stick it to the machine. Settings are not portable between plotter brands, and the numbers you trust today are the ones you will forget next month.
Set COMMAND to Auto in the interface menu first.
Cut the calibration square before every first job of the day and after any blade change. The film should part cleanly and the liner should show a light score without being cut through.
- Models
- FC9000, CE7000, CE6000, CE LITE-50
- Connection
- USB or network, GP-GL and HP-GL
- Tint patterns
- Included
- Trial
- 14 days
Setup guides for the rest
Roland
GS2-24
Setup guide →Summa
D120
Setup guide →Mimaki
CG-60SR
Setup guide →USCutter
Titan series
Setup guide →Still choosing a machine? Read best plotters for PPF cutting.
Graphtec questions
Yes. The FC9000 is fully supported, along with the CE7000, CE6000 and CE LITE-50. Select your model in Plotter Setup and the software handles the command formatting.
Nine times out of ten the COMMAND setting is not on Auto. Set Menu, Interface, COMMAND to Auto, then reset the origin and send the job again.
A 45 degree blade suits most paint protection film. Use a 60 degree blade only for thick ten mil films, and expect to drop force slightly when you switch.
Cut a real pattern before you pay for anything
Request a trial code, install on your Windows workstation, and cut on the plotter you already own. Fourteen days, no card.