FAQ

What is ComputerCut?

ComputerCut is windows based software with a cloud database of up to date patterns that allows dealers to download patterns for automotive and architectural and send these patterns directly to a plotter to be cut on demand. Our software is designed to be one of the simplest and robust cutting software on the market.

Why should I buy ComputerCut?

To help expand your business, be more productive, and increase its value. Whether you are a one-man tint business or a multi-billion-dollar corporation, constantly re-inventing, innovating, and adding to your business is the only way to keep ahead of your competition and maximize growth.

What can ComputerCut do?

Pre-cut auto window and paint protection patterns, pre-cut flat glass and security film window templates, contoured front windshield sun strips, window decals, magnetic signs, windshield lettering, vehicle lettering, banners, auto graphics, and window lettering.

What can ComputerCut do for your business?

Increase business, increase customer satisfaction, set you apart from the competition, create other income opportunities, make your shop more productive, impress customers, appeal to auto dealerships, increase resale value, create Internet opportunities, and increase do-it-yourself business.

Can ComputerCut help with my residential and commercial tinting?

Speed up installations, increase your level of professionalism, more accurate installations, reduce waste, impress customers, cleaner installations, increase customer satisfaction and decrease film theft.

Does ComputerCut eliminate all cutting?

No. It eliminates over 95% of all cutting. While in most cases it does an acceptable micro-edge, some installers may choose to slide the film over the   edge and trim to perfection.

Does it take a long time to pull the vehicles from the Internet?

No. Once you are online and have the ComputerCut open you get the images in less than 30 seconds. A whole car can be cut in less than two minutes.

Are all cars available on ComputerCut?

We have over 95% of the most common cars and we are adding new ones every day. It is for this reason that ComputerCut is offered over the Internet. We are able to add new vehicles, decals, and images without the dealers having to download and install them. The Internet also gives us the ability to make instant changes or create graphics for our dealers, and have them available instantly.

How does it save on material?

The patterns are pre-arranged on the cut screen for optimum use of material. ComputerCut can cut patterns within a 1/8” of each other which is not easily done with a knife.

What type of savings should I experience by cutting my own paint protection kits versus purchasing pre-cut kits?

Due to the decreased costs associated with shipping, labor and packaging of pre-cut kits, you will typically experience an average 40% savings per kit

Can it cut safety and security film?

Yes. We have cut safety and security film up to 4mil successfully.

What else can ComputerCut do?

It cuts "contoured" front windshield sun strips eliminating the disliked "eyebrow" look. It can do auto graphics, decals, license plates, magnetic signs, banners, vehicle lettering and with our in-house graphic designers we can assist with custom designs for your customers.

How do I get custom graphics in ComputerCut Pro?

Simple lettering and design can be done in ComputerCut Pro. You can also import designs into ComputerCut Pro using the Vectorization Wizard or other programs such as Adobe Illustrator, or Corel Draw. We also have a professional graphic designer on staff that can assist. There is a $100 flat rate for all professional graphic design work taking less than 1 hour to complete. For any designs which take over an hour the extra time will be billed at $50/half hour.

Can I trial ComputerCut prior to purchase?

Yes. Solar Gard provides a 30-day trial of ComputerCut Pro with minimal information. You can download your free trial Here.

What is the cost for ComputerCut?

ComputerCut has a monthly cost to have access and there are various options to ComputerCut based on database selection and Dealer status. By increasing your company's income and making it more productive, ComputerCut easily covers any monthly finance payment and more. For costing, please contact your Territory Manager.

Is there a contract required?

No. ComputerCut service can be cancelled at any time. Please note, billing is the same day each month and cancellation should be requested at least 2 weeks in advance.

Do I need to purchase Solar Gard film to have access to ComputerCut software?

No, however purchasing Solar Gard film can reduce your monthly/annual access costs.

Do I have to be online to cut the images?

No. Let's say you have five cars to do and you know what type they are. You just pull up each car individually, minimize them on the desktop, go offline and you can open them up and work with them all day.

What if we have problems getting online?

Check with your Internet Provider. If you are still unhappy with your Internet Provider service, you may want to consider switching to another service. Internet connections are abundantly available. You can try searching for a local provider or a nationally recognized one.

What are the system requirements to run ComputerCut Pro?

ComputerCut Pro will operate most efficiently on a PC with the following specs:

• Windows 10 operating system or newer
• At least 8GB of RAM memory
• I5 processor or equivalent
• Monitor resolution of 1600x900 or greater
• USB or serial connector
• Use of a printer cable

ComputerCut Pro may run well on older operating systems, but lack of support from Microsoft may affect usage not to mention it will be at greater risk for viruses and malware.

Does ComputerCut Pro support MAC OS computers?

At this time, MAC OS computers are not compatible with ComputerCut Pro.

Does ComputerCut have the ability to nest patterns to optimize film use?

Yes. ComputerCut Pro has one of the fastest nesting features on the market today. With just a few clicks, patterns can be optimized to minimize film waste.

Can I create and/or import my designs from other software?

Yes. ComputerCut Pro provides many designs to work from to create custom designs for your customers. If we don’t have what you are looking for, you have the ability to import designs in various file types.

Can I create my own customized versions of patterns and save them for future use?

Absolutely. We strive to create patterns to be consistent but understand, there are some personal preferences, we simply can’t appease everyone. You can customize your tint and paint protection patterns to your preference and save for future use.

Does ComputerCut offer more than front end paint protection coverage?

Yes. ComputerCut Pro not only offers protection for the most vulnerable of areas on a car but also provides full car coverage for most high end vehicles.

Can I adjust the pattern to create a nice shaved/micro edged install?

Yes. ComputerCut Pro offers a unique overlap feature that allows you to select specific areas of the pattern to overlap.

Can I print all the patterns at once?

Yes. You can place as many patterns as you like on the cut window however we highly recommend no more than a full vehicle at one time to ensure you experience no tracking issues with the film. Better to be safe than sorry.

Does ComputerCut offer installations tip on installs?

Yes, ComputerCut Pro offers cautions such as glass coatings, difficulty ratings for paint protection and a customized note section for you to create your own advisories, pricing or any other notes worth remembering.

Does ComputerCut offer pictures of the car that I would be cutting?

Yes, it offers general picture. We always say check 3 times cut once.

How is the installation rating guide for paint protection defined?

When viewing the Clearshield product catalog or when the vehicle is pulled up on ComputerCut Pro main page, you will see an installation difficulty rating. This rating is built on a scale from 1 through 5, with a 1 rating representing the easiest installations, while a 5 rating is the most difficult. The ratings are assigned based on the following criteria:

Rating 1 This rating indicates the easiest of all possible installations. Novice and first time installers, who have watched the Clearshield installation video, will be able to perform these installations with relative ease.

Rating 2 This rating indicates a slightly more complex installation than a rating 1, requiring additional maneuvering and manipulation of the pattern.

Rating 3 This rating indicates an installation of moderate difficulty. New and/or inexperienced installers will have some degree of difficulty working these type of installations.

Rating 4 This rating indicates a difficult installation, due to a vehicle's compound curves. These installations will result in a time-consuming and tedious installation for inexperienced installers.

Rating 5 This rating indicates an extremely difficult installation, representing a vehicle with excessive compound curves. These installations are best performed only after an installer has gained adequate experience.

What size plotters are available from Solar Gard?

Solar Gard offers plotters ranging from 40-72”. Either of these will accommodate most available film widths.

What plotters is ComputerCut compatible with?

ComputerCut works with 95% of plotters on the market today. Drivers are already built into our software. If you’re unsure, its best to contact us or take advantage of the trial to test for yourself.

Does my plotter require maintenance?

Yes, just like tires on a car. Blades and cutting strips will require to be changed as needed. These parts can be purchased from Solar Gard for the plotters we offer.

How should I connect my plotter to my computer?

The recommended cable will be provided with a new plotter purchase. It is preferable to use the cable that comes with the plotter. Other cables may not work properly.

I go to cut and nothing happens.

First, make sure the program is communicating with the plotter properly by checking the Tool Options menu and ensure you have selected the correct plotter. Second, make sure the plotter has been initialized and ready to cut.

My plotter is cutting through the film, or not cutting deep enough, what should I do?

Adjust the grams of force at which your machine is cutting. If you are cutting through film, decrease the value. If you are not cutting deep enough increase the value. DO NOT ADJUST THE BLADE. REPEATED CUTTING THROUGH THE FILM AND LINER COULD DAMAGE THE WHITE PROTECTION STRIP UNDER THE CUTTING HEAD.

My film is getting "crunched" in the plotter.

99% of the time this is cause by not aligning the material properly. Be sure to take the time and load the film into the plotter per our instructions. Make sure the alignment discs are in place.

Can I connect more than one plotter to the same computer?

Yes. Keep in mind, like a printer, you will need to select the plotter you are sending the pattern to.

The plotter cuts great in spots but doesn't cut in other spots.

Chances are your protection strip may be damaged. This strip acts as the resisting force for the cutting blade. The blade being set improperly and cutting through material will cause damage. The good news is that it is easy to replace. A replacement strip can be ordered through Solar Gard.

The plotter doesn't cut one side of the pattern.

The pattern may be wider than your plotter's current measurement. Your plotter should provide a maximum width when initializing. Adjust pinch roller position to maximize width or rearrange patterns within these measurements.

The film sticks to the plotter and jams up.

There is probably an excessive buildup of static from the material. Apply transfer paper or matte vinyl to the front and rear platen (the metal covers on the front and back of the plotter). A temporary solution is to apply anti-static spray.

Do I load the film with the liner up or down?

The film side should always be up. Remember you want to cut through the film, but not the liner.

Why does the speed change on the plotter every time I send a pattern to be cut?

ComputerCut PRO provides the option of the plotter settings to be managed from the software. In some cases, it may have defaulted to this option during the set up. If you prefer to manage settings from the plotter, you will need to turn off software controls. To do this, go to the cut window, click on the “Cut” menu followed by “Plotting Defaults”. Click on “Setup” followed by “Tool Options”. Uncheck the options you do not want controlled by the software. Click “OK”.

Why does my plotter feed out excess feet of film without cutting the pattern when I send a pattern to cut?

This is likely due to the incorrect selection of plotter from the list. Go back to the adding cutting device menu and ensure you have selected a plotter labeled "HPGL" in the name. e.g. Graphtec FC8600 (HPGL) When you first open the screen, it provides the option to remove a plotter, make sure to remove the incorrect one.

Why does the software start cutting patterns at the far end first rather than the closest?

This is a "Sort" setting in the Plotting Defaults section. Most plotters will default to cut the nearest pattern first. If it does not default go to the Cut menu in the cut window. Select Plotting Defaults and check the box labeled "Sort" in the Options section. On the next screen, check the box labeled "Nearest Sort".

After setting up my Jaguar plotter through the menu, I am getting a pop up message with a port error or unable to locate. What do I do?

This is likely due to the cable being used between the Jaguar plotter and the computer. The built in driver is for a USB connection on both plotter and computer side. Some of the Jaguars have a USB to serial cable.

• Option 1: Purchase a standard USB A to USB B printer cable.
• Option 2: Look for the model number on the cable and download the driver for the specific cable. A common one is the RS232 and the driver can be found here: Prolific. Once installed, the port location can be identified and set in the Cut Window.

I have entered my activation code but receive a message that it is not valid or incorrect.

Its best to copy/paste the activation code in the field. Right click and paste does not work but CTRL+V does. If you type in, ensure the first letter is an "O" not a number.

Why do I get a blank screen after selecting a vehicle?

Some graphics cards require specific settings to display properly. Go to File and select the option "Use Software Rendering". Reopen the software.