Proper Loading Review


Since this issue most always indicates that the cutting mat was not loaded properly, we recommend to first review information on proper loading techniques.

Check the Positioning

Ensure that both white pinch rollers are gripping the material evenly and firmly. 

When using the Cameo Pro model, ensure that your pinch roller position is aligned to the left of the edge of your material. If you attempt to align the pinch roller directly with the material's edge, it can more easily fall off the pinch roller as the material is fed back and forth through the machine. 

Moving the pinch roller position inward to the left of the material's right-side edge should ensure that the material is gripped well throughout the job. 

Ensure that both of the white pinch rollers are gripping the cutting mat evenly and firmly prior to sending the job. 

Check the Roller Lock Lever

Ensure that the roller's Lock Lever is in the 'Locked' position so that the rollers are pressed down properly to grip the cutting mat on both sides.


Test the Material Track


Use the Test Cut or Feed arrows to run your cutting mat in and out of the Silhouette machine prior to the cut job as follows:

  1. Load your mat into the machine
  2. Prior to sending the cut job, use the blade position arrows (on the machine or in Silhouette Studio's SEND panel) to feed the mat into the machine
  3. Hold down the UP arrow so your mat rolls into the machine for about the length of your intended job
    NOTE: This makes sure the mat can pass through the machine properly without falling off track
  4. Once you reach the end of your desired length, use the DOWN arrow to feed the mat back to the starting point
    IMPORTANT: Do NOT unload your mat
  5. Proceed to cut your job

Multiple Passes

Multiple passes are generally used with thicker material types. As material thickness increases, the rollers may not grip as firmly on the material's surface during the cutting operation.

 

The resulting misalignment can either be the result of the roller slipping off the material's surface OR a concern with the cutting mat not holding the material in place properly.

Improving Cutting Alignment


To improve your cutting alignment for jobs that require multiple passes:


  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to the SEND panel
  3. Check the 'Track Enhancing' option
    NOTE: This feature will feed the material through the machine a few times prior to the cutting operation in order to create a "track" on the material so the machine's rollers can grab the material better.
  4. Turn the Speed setting down
    NOTE: This will slow down the cutting action which should further ensure the rollers are not slipping during the cutting operation.
  5. If using an older cutting mat, use a new cutting mat to ensure the material is being held down firmly and does not drift during the cutting operation
Rolled Material Bunching During Loading

Rolled materials may bunch during the loading process, especially if the material is curling downward. This can be especially difficult with wider rolls of 12 inches or more when using larger machines.

Proper Loading

In order to successfully load rolled materials into the machine without them bunching, you will need to ensure that:

  1. The material is held taught from side to side 
  2. The leading edge is being fed into the machine is as straight and uncurled as possible


If the leading edge of your rolled material is very curved, you can try to place it under a heavy book or other heavy object for a few minutes to try and straighten it out.


You may additionally press down on the material slightly as it is being loaded to try and prevent downward curling of the material.

Delayed Loading Method

When using larger material sizes (12 inch width and larger) with the Cameo4 series models (Cameo, Cameo Plus, and Cameo Pro), we recommend loading your cutting mat or material using the delayed loading method. This method allows you to use both of your hands to hold onto both sides of the material as you are loading it into the machine.

To use the delayed loading method:

  1. Adjust your rollers to match your material size
  2. Press the load button (UP arrow) on the machine
  3. The button will begin to flash, indicating that it is ready to load the material 
  4. Line up the left edge of the cutting mat with the left-most guide mark. The right edge of the material should be aligned with the right-hand roller.
    NOTE: Make sure the top edge of the mat or material is flush against the roller bar
  5. After the machine senses the material is in place, the machine will grip the material and load it into the machine

Check for Obstructions

Attempt to clear any potential obstructions from the roller bar as follows:

  1. Power off the machine
  2. Place the lock lever into the 'lock' position
  3. Place your palms on the roller bar
  4. Try to push the roller bar past whatever resistance you encounter while spinning
    NOTE: The roller bars should spin easily back and forth after pushing past the obstruction

This typically should resolve the issue of the roller bar so that the machine will load the mat correctly.

If the roller bar does not move, this means there is an obstruction inside the mechanism. Please repeat the steps above to clear the obstruction. You can apply more force to roll the bar in order to try to bring the obstruction to the surface.

Additionally, you can turn the machine upside-down onto your lap or knee and proceed to roll the bar. If a piece of adhesive material has been lodged between the bars, we recommend using a pair of tweezers to remove it once it can be seen.

Non-Silhouette Cutting Mats


If you are not using a Silhouette brand cutting mat, your mat may not be gripped properly. Please ensure that you are using only Silhouette supported products. We cannot otherwise guarantee proper operation of the Silhouette cutting machine.

Non-Compatible Materials


You may also need to check your material's surface properties. Some materials may be overly slick and may not be able to be properly gripped by a Silhouette cutting machine. This can be tested by attempting to use an alternate material type to see if it is simiarly encountering loading issues.

Additional Assistance


If the issue persists, please contact support@silhouetteamerica.com to provide a video of the roller bar not functioning correctly during the cutting process. 

For instructions on how to upload and share videos with common hosting services please visit:

Roller Bar Not Turning

The machine's roller bar may encounter concerns with turning. This is usually accompanied by loud noise when the machine is attempting to operate. 

This issue may involve the top roller bar (visible) or the bottom roller bar (embedded in the machine base). 

Checking the Rollers


Verify your machine rollers can move freely by hand as follows:

  1. Power off the machine
  2. Ensure the roller bar lock lever (right side of the machine) is in the locked position to keep both bars locked together
  3. Place the open palms of both hands onto the top roller bar
  4. Push down slightly and move both hands forward
    NOTE: You may feel some resistance but the bars should be able to roll manually

Rollers Not Moving

If the roller bar does not move, this would indicate that there is an obstruction inside the machine.

This is usually caused by some foreign substance or material that has come into contact with the pinch rollers and been pulled down into the machine. For example, if you had used an adhesive other than the original adhesive that comes on the cutting mat, and the rollers touched this substance, it can be pulled down into the machine and cause issues. It can also be small parts of material that were not properly cleared from the cutting mat that were pulled down into the machine.

Increased Efforts

If the roller bar is not moving, repeat the steps listed above and apply more force to roller bar. 

Doing this can clear the obstruction and bring it to the surface. Additionally, you may turn the machine upside-down onto your lap or knee and continue to manually roll the bar. 

If you are able to see any adhesive material that is lodged between the bars, we recommend using a pair of tweezers to remove it.

Assistance Needed

If the roller bar moves freely by hand, but still does not move automatically when loading, contact support@silhouetteamerica.com for further assistance.


Material Not Rolling Back After Job

If the material is not rolling out of the machine after the job has been completed, this would indicate you likely have the machine's Feed Option setting set to this behavior.

Adjust Feed Setting

To adjust this behavior:

  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to the Send panel
  3. Click on the Advanced option
  4. In the first section ('Feed Options') ensure that 'Return to Origin' is selected and not 'Feed'

The Feed option can be used when cutting Vinyl or Heat Transfer material without a cutting mat. This enables you to use your the Crosscutter tool (select machine models only) in order to cut the material and create a new leading edge for the remaining material.

Mat Ejected After Job Complete
If your cutting mat is being ejected after your job is completed, you likely have unexpected preferences selected in the Silhouette Studio software.

Adjusting Feed Option


To resolve this concern:


  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to the Send panel
  3. Click on the gear icon in the bottom right-hand corner
  4. Next to "Feed Options" make sure "Return to Origin" is selected

Resetting Software Preferences


If that does not resolve the issue, then we would recommend resetting your software Preferences as follows:

IMPORTANT: This procedure will remove all user-generated cut settings (custom materials settings, updated material settings), as well as any adjustments you have selected in your 'Preferences' settings.  

  1. Open Silhouette Studio
  2. Go to Edit > Preferences > Advanced
  3. Click on "Restore Factory Defaults"
  4. Confirm your selection
  5. Close and restart Silhouette Studio
Cameo Pro Material Drifting

The Cameo 4 Pro 24-inch cutting mat and other wide media may become misaligned in the machine if not loaded correctly. This can lead to poor feeding and inaccurate cuts.

Loading Guide


To resolve errors with drifting, please follow the steps found in our video guide on loading your Cameo Pro.


Note: We recommend using the auto-load feature of your Cameo Pro when using the cutting mat or materials 12 inches or wider.

Additional Troubleshooting


If you continue to encounter issues after following these instructions, review the following tips:


  • Make sure that the media is aligned with the appropriate guideline on the left side.
  • Check that the rollers on the roller bar are set correctly using the proper guides on the machine. When cutting

    wide media, the plastic pinch roller should line up with the center arrow on the machine (see below).

  • Ensure that the roller bar is locked into place using the lever on the right side of the machine. The lever should be pushed up when cutting media.

  • Leave enough clearance space both in front and behind the Cameo Pro so the material does not hit any surrounding objects as it passes back and forth through the machine.

  • When using a cutting mat or material without the Roll Feeder, make sure your material is not hanging directly off the edge of the table where your machine is placed. Your mat or material must be supported on a flat surface as it feeds back and forth through the machine for proper operation.

  • When cutting rolled material, use the Roll Feeder at the front of the machine and unroll the amount of material you plan to use before loading. This will reduce resistance when media is fed through (see below).

  • Ensure you are using the correct material settings in the software and blade setting for your blade. Increasing the blade length and pressure settings unnecessarily can lead to inaccurate or poor cuts. You may want to perform a test cut of your material and adjust the settings as needed.

  • If your material is curling downward when you load it into the machine, flatten the curl on the leading edge of the material so that it is loaded properly.


Material or Mat Stuck in Machine

If your material or cutting mat is stuck in your Silhouette cutting machine after the job is completed, and the 'Unload' option is not working, or is not returning the material or mat all the way to the start point, you can remove the material or mat manually as follows:

  1. Power OFF the Silhouette machine
  2. Manually pull the mat or material outward toward the opening of the machine, where it was originally loaded

This action should not typically be required. The 'Unload' button or arrow on the machine should typically eject your material or mat properly without any additional manual action needed.