Last Updated: August 6th, 2014

The subtitle to this should exist: A Cautionary Tale!  How I Broke My Cameo, But Then Fixed Information technology.

Yous see, I accept lots of Print-and-Cut projects that I want to do, but I wanted to calibrate my Cameo to ensure that the cuts were every bit accurate equally possible.  I headed over to the official website for support on how to practice the calibration.  I didn't empathise the instructions very well, but I forged on anyhow.  I shouldn't have!  Long story brusque, I ended upward making my Cameo cut parallelograms instead of squares, but I stock-still it.  Then, of grade, now I accept to share my newly found knowledge to help you non make the aforementioned mistakes every bit me!

 Earlier You Begin

You should calibrate when:
  1. You have fabricated sure you've done all other things necessary for Print-and-Cut correctly.
    • Registration marks are checked to show on your paper.
    • Your pattern is not in the areas that cannot be cutting in during a Print-and-Cut.
    • Your printer has printed accurately what is on the screen.  (Some HP printers, in particular, are known to requite inaccurate Print-and-Cuts.)
    • You've placed your paper onto the cut mat the same way every bit shown in Silhouette Studio.
    • You've loaded the cutting mat with proper alignment to the rollers and chose the correct load pick.
    • Your Cameo is in a well lit area.  The machine uses what is called an "optical eye" to see the registration marks.  (You may need to put a lamp over the Cameo to ensure enough lighting.)
  2. The distance that the cut is off is the same across the newspaper.  If information technology is 2cm off on the far left side, but only 1cm on the far correct side, Silhouette America recommends that you don't calibrate.

If you run into these two requirements, you may proceed to the instructions!

WARNING: Do not endeavor to do this while yous are distracted. Do not attempt if you're not willing to read all the instructions before starting.  You can break your machine's ability to do Print-and-Cuts if not careful!!

AngeliCutsDOTcom_silhouettestudiocalibration
I have taken a screenshot of the calibration window and made some notes on it and symbols that I will refer to in the instructions.  This screenshot was taken in V2.viii.xvi, simply V3.1.417 looks very similar.

Part 1

  1. Plow your Cameo or Portrait on.
  2. Open up Silhouette Studio.
  3. Get to File->Cut Settings.  Lower your thickness to make shallow cuts instead of cut all the way through your menu stock.*
    • *I normally have a thickness of 15 for my card stock, and so I lowered the thickness down to ten.  This will brand the paper easier to remove later and allow y'all to brand double cuts.
  4. Go to File->Scale.  What I have shown in the screenshot will appear.
    • ***Silhouette Studio V3 users volition demand to admission Calibration this manner!***
  5. Impress the Calibration Test Page with your card stock.
  6. Place the printed out test page on your cut mat as shown in Silhouette Studio.
  7. On your Cameo/Portrait, utilize the pointer keys to choose Load Cut Mat, marshal your cutting mat against the machine's rollers, and printing the Enter central.

Part 2

  1. In Silhouette Studio, employ the blue arrows to move your blade to the inside of the first green box.  (I have marked the kickoff one with a 1. in my screenshot.)
  2. Click Calibrate in Silhouette Studio and wait for it to finish reading the registration marks and cut the two cutting lines.  (Calibrate is labeled with a ii. and a cherry-red outline.)
    • Watch the area that I have starred in the screenshot.  Notice that when you press "Calibrate", it goes from "Fix" to "Working".  This is important.
  3. Unload your cutting mat from your Cameo/Portrait.

Role 3

  1. Starting with the horizontal test line, apply a ruler to measure the distance in millimeters between the cut line to the the eye of the test line and write it down.
    • The scale will accept as modest as a .05 millimeter change for V2.
    • If the cut line is closer to the orange arrow in my screenshot, your measurement will exist positive.
    • If the cut line is closer to the greenish pointer in my screenshot, your measurement will be negative.
  2. Now with the vertical test line, utilize a ruler to measure the distance in millimeters betwixt the cut line to the the heart of the test line and write information technology down.
    • The calibration will accept as small-scale as a .05 millimeter change for V2.
    • If the cut line is closer to the blue arrow in my screenshot, your measurement will exist positive.
    • If the cut line is closer to the purple pointer in my screenshot, your measurement will be negative.
  3. Reload your cutting mat into your Cameo/Portrait.

Role iv

  1. In Silhouette Studio, apply the blue arrows to move your blade to the next green box.
  2. Click Calibrate and later on the cut is complete, click and drag the arrows in the area of Silhouette Studio that I have marked as iii. in my screenshot.
    • This is time sensitive!   You need to do this while the Status is still "Working"!
    • If Silhouette Studio reverts your adjustment dorsum to what it was earlier, it was not accepted and so your calibration has not been inverse.
      • Wait until the Status says "Ready" and try to Calibrate again.
        • Movement your blade to a new green box first, if needed.
  3. Once Silhouette Studio has accepted your adjustments, you can printing the X to leave the calibration.
  4.  Unload your cut mat from your Cameo/Portrait.

Did It Piece of work?

You should exercise a exam Print-and-Cutting to endeavor out your new scale settings.  You can use the 1 that I made.  Download it here.

You're Done!

If you have done the calibration correctly, the Print-and-Cutting examination should be perfect or very, very close!