Changing PPI has no effect.

[Riki Potter]

Hi guys,

Today I decided to have a look into how the PPI can effect things. I've never fiddled with it before, always left it on the default setting of "Auto".
I went to try it out just before and lined up a bunch of squares to cut using different PPI's, ranging from the lowest to highest (30-1500). I was surprised to see that the varying PPI had absolutely no effect whatsoever. I've scoured the user manual but it says it should just work.
For reference I believe our Mercury is an older model of the GCC Explorer.

Any help is appreciated, I reckon I understand what it's meant to do alright but any info on PPI in general is also welcome.

[Joe Hillmann]

It sounds like you were vectoring, did you try rastoring?

Although I am surprised that it doesn't make a difference with both.

[Scott Challoner]

Actually, PPI only affects vectoring. DPI affects rastering.
Is your auto button still on. I have a GCC spirit, but mine doesn't have an auto setting. What are you trying to cut? One thing you can do is make a line 5 or 6 inches long and run it on a piece of engraving stock at rate fast enogh to just mark it and not cut through. Then you should see the individual pulses. Sometimes if you go slow enough you will still cut through because of a large heat affected zone. I cut leather at 30DPI.

[Joe Pelonio]

If not still on auto you have a setting communication issue. When set low you should get a dotted line, not cutting through. I use that feature to perforate paper and card stock, and the tube lasts longer when you cut at the lowest possible ppi.

[Riki Potter]

Ok I just had a go with it on some laminate, I can see a difference now so I know it's working. I thought there would be more gap between the pulses than I got on the lower settings, explains why I couldn't see a difference when cutting timber.

Thanks for the input guys!