Craft Robo Lite (CC300-20)
The latest addition to the Craft Robo family is the new pink lidded Craft Rob Lite. This new model includes an SD card reader and control panel so that you not only have the freedom of creating your design with the included software and sending it to the Craft ROBO for cutting, but you can now also save it to an SD card, which allows you the freedom of using the machine to cut in stand-alone mode, away from a computer.
It is basically the same machine as the Craft Robo II, with a few important differences: first and most importantly, it has the SD card slot and is able to work in stand alone mode without being attaced to a PC, which makes it portable. So if you are a scrapbooker and you want to take your Robo to crops you can load your designs onto an SD card and cut them at any size from the ROBO without having to be connected to a PC. The second important difference is in the latest version of the Robo Master design software, which now includes welding and matting, both used in scrapbooking and card making,and which have been frequently requested features. Finally the optical eye, used for print and cut functions, is not included on the Lites, in orde to keep the price down.
The Lite is not intended as a replacement machine for the existing Robo, but rather as a more basic (and portable version) for those who may be more technically challenged computer-wise.
SD card
The Lite has an SD memory card slot to access designs stored on such cards, which eliminates the need for the machine to be connected to your computer during cutting. An LCD control panel screen on the front of the machines allows you to select, resize or send multiple copies of a design to be cut.
Please note: it is not possible to save designs directly to a card inserted into the Lite; to do this you must have an SD card reader/writer attached to you computer. However, SD Design packs with ready made templates are available to purchase.
Software
The Lite comes with the latest version of the ROBO Master software which includes offset/matting and basic (outer) welding functions. You can weld from within the software only, you cannot weld directly from the control panel.
In addition to the grids there is a new mesh option which matches the grid printed on the new format carrier sheet, to permit easier alignment of a design.
The Robo Lite will ship with RoboMaster (v5.1 as of October 2008) only; the existing version of Design Master is compatible and may be bought separately.
Accessories
The Lite comes with a new style carrier sheet with grids for easier positioning; the grid matches the extra "mesh" option in the software.
It uses the same blade, caps, and holder as the other models; while it will not physically cut deeper, the down force has apparently been increased to help with cutting through tougher cards, such as Bazzill.
Differences in Specification
The Lite will cut only with a carrier sheet: there's not option as with the CC-200 to cut backed media without one. However you can still cut vinyl with it.
It cuts a maximum length of 300mm or 12 inches as opposed to the CC-200’s ability to cut designs up to a metre in length.
The new Carrier sheets that come with the Craft ROBO Lite are 13 inches in length and have a grid printed on them, making it easier to line up your shapes onscreen, in relation to where they will cut on the carrier sheet. So you are now able to cut a full 12" title or border. The width is basically unchanged.
The cutting speed is 10-70mm per second against the slightly faster 10-100mm per second of the CC-200.
The Lite does not come supplied with a pen holder although both the existing holders do fit the machine, and there is an pen setting in the Controller.
And as already stated, there is no optical eye provided. However if this is an issue, it's possible to do a reverse print and cut, where the shape is first cut then sent for printing.
Compatibility
The Lite is backwards compatible: you can cut existing gsd files with it, but files created with the new software won't open in the older version. However Graphtec UK have a small piece of software (available from the UK Scrappers Craft Robo forum) which will allow the Lite format files to converted.
The Lite is Vista compatible, and drivers are supplied with the software.
The Lite is also compatible with the Mac IF you run PC emulation software, or have access to Adobe Illustrator - there is a plugin to enable you to cut via Illustrator.
Designs on SD cards
Three Digital Design Packs (Christmas, Celebrations, Love) are supplied on standard SD cards that plugs straight into the NEW Craft ROBO Lite; these packs also include a CD which allows you to use these with your computer. Each card has approximately 100 designs, which can be cut as an outline or layered in different colours; also included in each pack is a different font and a selection of greetings. These are currently available from Create and Craft and the Graphtec Crafty Club web site.