bad cuts, short doors, wrong curves

[Guest Derek Medeiros]

Recently came from tintek to precision cut, I've called in a few times in regards to bad plots, and basically was told its my fault.

 

I'm getting lots of doors which are extremely short on both ends, forcing me to recut my doors and wasting tint, alot of back glasses are short on corners/edges.

 

A lot of difficulty with 2014 jettas, front doors are cut awful, top edge does not line up at all, both ends are short, back glass ends up being short on corners...

 

we have to older plotters, q42s both originally used with tintek, never had this severe of an issue, and getting very frustrating.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Derek Medeiros

[Tintguy1980]

The beauty of those programs is being able to enlarge or reduce a pattern to fit one's own taste and save them. The downside is who takes or has the time to make the adjustments.

 

You also must consider cutting systems may cater more to those pumping out volumes, which isn't limited to car dealerships who have an oil change guy wanting the pattern to slip in without a struggle. Hard to have such a software that can deliver both pro and semi-pro pattern sizes. One ingenious way to utilize an automated cutting system is to offer two type installation price points; one for computer cut ( and you'll find those choosing this option being less picky, including the user) and another for custom cut (a long time board member shared this concept years a go when he began using a plotter in his business).

 

Plotters and scanners used to create a pattern are known to interfere with scaling (like finely tuned machine, it needs be calibrated continuously). Patterns are cut to fit the car in front of the pattern maker and will more than likely not be as precise on the next vehicle after digitizing; not to mention glass edges have variations, internal weather-strip and decorative components shift and or do not fit the same from car to car of the same make-model, so for these reasons, those in the software and pattern making business have made sure the user could adjust the fit to their liking.

[Devinswindowtint]

Some of the long door patterns are the exact same size as the short doors also. I.m.o. there should not be any short patterns anyway. If the film doesn't go past the last gasket lip it isn't long enough in the first place. That is the one of the pluses about computer cut's software.

We also edited about 40 or so patterns in pc3 we used on a regular basis, but when pc4 came out the files would not work. The file extensions were changed so they were worthless.

Another problem I have encountered with pc4 is some door patterns are wider than the actual glass on some makes/models. Needless to say we use different cutting software now. Good luck!

[Guest Derek Medeiros]

same issue!! friday I had a silverado, which was cut to wide... 

 

we are probably going to go back to tintek, to much tint is being wasted with pc.

 

its no good for me to cut out doors realize they don't fit, resize them and recut them.. I still wasted tint and that is the problem

Edited July 7, 2014 by Derek Medeiros

[pierce8468]

You could have a setting wrong.   Baud rate maybe to high or low etc.   Iv'e used precision cut years ago and it sucked so it maybe the software.   However they could have made a lot of changes over the years and it might just be a setting.  

[Ocala]

I've got to say that the pc4 can be a PITA sometimes. It has gotten to the point to where all I use it for is to cut back glasses, windshield strips and the occasional front windshield as long as it is not a aftermarket glass. Roll up windows I cut by hand. 

[blade]

i guess i'm the lucky one here.    the only issue i have with it is the occasional top edge that doesn't line up well.    but no biggie there, slide it up, shave it, slide it down.   

[APTINT]

Eh. We have our issues too. We use the pattern manager pretty well though. You can make a note on the pattern if something doesnt cut well, and next time someome opens that car it will have the note from the last installer, "front doors way too freaking big, hand cut them and save yourself the time and energy" - usually looks somtheing like that haha. They do offer a support/pattern fix as well, I'm sure they need to rely on our mistakes in order to learn and adjust. No feedback=no fix

[Devinswindowtint]

Escalades are to wide as well and it goes on...etc. Just use a different software so you don't have to waste time editing each pattern. Our volume is way to high to waste time on this. Plus, why pay for it if you can cut it by hand right the first time. We use plotters to make us operate more streamlined and effective. Not bashing pc4, but would think it would be suited more for the professional rather than a quick lube or side biz.

[Guest Derek Medeiros]

today

 

2007 Toyota Camry 

 

both front doors, the tint actually overhung off the bottom of the window at the front a good inch, had to trim off while it was on the glass, horrible.

 

yesterday

 

2014 Lancer

 

both back doors were absolutely horrible, they were so off they just had to be hand cut.

 

also 2011+ Jettas... every door is wonky

 

it has become to a point that we are now going to ask for reimbursements for the amount of tint wasted on each awful cut, since we are locked into this software for a year.

 

not a happy camper at all

 

whats the point in this software or a plotter if I'm just going to have to hand cut everything I do? I had issues with tintek but never ever this severe

Edited July 23, 2014 by Derek Medeiros