CorelDRAW Registration Marks for Roland Plotters

Contour cutting with Roland plotters using CorelDRAW relies on specific optical registration mark systems to align printed graphics with cutting paths. This guide details the supported registration marks for Roland cutting plotters within CorelDRAW, focusing on the proprietary Roland CutStudio mark system and Roland VersaWorks crop marks, while explaining how to properly set them up for accurate contour cutting.

Roland CutStudio Registration Marks (Quadralign)

The primary method for sending contour cut data directly from CorelDRAW to standalone Roland vinyl cutters (such as the CAMM-1 GS-24 or GX-24) is the official Roland CutStudio Plug-in for CorelDRAW.

When using this plug-in, the software generates proprietary Roland optical crop marks:

  • 4-Point Alignment Marks: CutStudio places four distinct corner marks around the perimeter of the artwork. These marks consist of crosshairs or corner angle marks that the cutter's optical sensor scans to adjust for paper feed skew, scaling, and rotation.
  • 3-Point Alignment Marks: Available on certain legacy Roland models and drivers, a 3-point mark system can be utilized for smaller media formats, though 4-point marks remain the standard for maximum accuracy.

The CutStudio extension automates the placement of these marks directly inside the CorelDRAW workspace, setting appropriate margin spacing so the plotter's carriage pinch rollers do not interfere with the sensor reading area.

Roland VersaWorks Crop Marks

If your contour cutting workflow uses a Roland print-and-cut machine (such as the TrueVIS or VersaSTUDIO series) or outputs through Roland VersaWorks RIP software, mark handling differs slightly:

  • RIP-Generated Crop Marks: CorelDRAW does not generate the physical optical marks directly in this workflow. Instead, you design the cut line in CorelDRAW using a designated 100% Magenta spot color named CutContour. When exported as an EPS or PDF to VersaWorks, the RIP software automatically generates Roland's standard 4-point crop marks along the outer bounding box of the media or file during the print phase.
  • Combined Print-and-Cut Operations: For jobs that are printed and then laminated before cutting, VersaWorks inserts standard high-contrast rectangular corner marks. Once the laminated sheet is reloaded into the Roland plotter, the optical sensor detects these RIP-placed marks to align the CutContour vector paths.

Technical Requirements for Roland Marks in CorelDRAW

To ensure Roland plotter sensors detect marks placed via CorelDRAW:

  • Clearance Margins: Leave at least 15 mm to 20 mm of white space between the edge of the printed artwork and the registration marks, and at least 25 mm between the marks and the physical edge of the material.
  • Contrast and Color: Marks generated by the CutStudio plug-in must always print in 100% solid Black (K) with no halftones, gradients, or color mixing.
  • Vector Path Separation: Contour cut lines must remain vector strokes placed on a separate layer from the artwork, utilizing hairline thickness (0.001 in / 0.076 mm).