Chinese Cutters

Almost all Chinese vinyl cutters will work with Direct COM (Serial and USB cables) or Direct USB when using Future Corporation Software. Most vinyl cutters will work out of the box, however, you may have to set or alter settings in the Software to match the cutter you have in front of you because factory settings and firmware does change from time to time.

The following outlines both setup methods and even though you may have a USB cable around 90% of Chinese cutters work correctly using Direct COM in the Software with only a few brands such as Saga (Titan) using Direct USB.

Direct COM (most common with a USB cable)
First make sure the cutter is switched on, has vinyl loaded and ready to cut a test file.

Next install the cutter driver that came with the cutter or download it from the manufacturer’s website (if you haven't already done so) and open the Vinyl Spooler.

You can open the Vinyl Spooler from the File (menu) > Cut/Plot > Vinyl Spooler.

In the Vinyl Spooler, click on the:

1. Connection tab (top right corner).
2. Click Add and follow through the Setup Wizard or Gateway to add the make and model you have.
3. Once installed restart the Vinyl Spooler and click on the Connection tab.
4. Then in the Connection Method > Port Type, select Direct COM Port from the drop down.
5. Next in the section directly below this click the Port Name dropdown and select the available COM Port
• Note: You may have to unplug the USB cable and plug it into a different USB Port in your computer to see the COM Port appear in the list (refresh the connection).
6. Alternatively click Detect and follow the instructions in the wizard.

Note: Occasionally the Flow Control and Emulation may need to be adjusted, to see how this is adjusted click Emulation and Flow Control.

Direct USB
This is easy to set up in the Vinyl Spooler.

First: Make sure the cutter is switched on, has vinyl loaded and ready to cut a test file.

Second: Install the driver that came with the cutter (if you haven’t already done so) and open the Vinyl Spooler.

You can open the Vinyl Spooler from the File (menu) > Cut/Plot > Vinyl Spooler.

In the Vinyl Spooler, click on the: 

1. Connection tab (top right corner).
2. Click Add and follow through the Setup Wizard or Gateway to add the make and model you have.
3. Once installed restart the Vinyl Spooler and click on the Connection tab.
4. Then in the Connection Method > Port Type, select Direct USB Port from the drop down.
5. Then in the USB Port below you should see the Port automatically selected.

Notes:

• If you have more than one virtual USB Port then click Detect (below) and select the cutters USB Port.
• Occasionally the Emulation may need to be adjusted, to see how this is adjusted click Emulation.

Problems? Check the USB driver isn’t reporting any errors in Device Manager and is the most up-to-date driver. You can access Device Manager from the System (menu) in the Vinyl Spooler.

Note: Updating the Port's driver via Device Manager may require that you restart your computer.