How to cut in a format larger than a mat

Backing materials

To use the cutting option without a mat you will need a material that has its own backing. This is, for example, a self-adhesive film (Oracal) or a thermal film, with which you will create iron-on fabric (flex or flock). Load the material into the plotter with the backing face down and select settings that will cut only the top layer of the foil backing leaving it intact - it will serve as a cutting mat.

Cutting without a mat - project settings

1. Open Silhouette Studio.

2. Go to the Page Settings tab (first icon in the right side menu)

3. In the Cutting mat section, expand the list and select None.

This will let the plotter know that you are not using the mat. On the screen, the cutting border will move accordingly - the red line on the mat, beyond which you should not place any elements. Pay attention to the bottom margin - it is much larger than when cutting with a mat. The plotter needs this area so that the film does not slide out from under the rollers during cutting, so always place material in the plotter with a length that matches the one specified in Page Settings under Height.

Length of cutting material - project settings

You can specify the length of the foil you place in the plotter using the Height slider in Page Settings. Measure the dimensions of the foil you want to use and adjust the values in the program accordingly.

Unfortunately, using the slider you can only move the Height to 610mm. However, with Cameo and Portrait you can cut in materials up to 3m long. To set such a value, click in the text box next to the slider and use the keyboard to type 3000 (3m) into it. This will enlarge the working field to the specified length.