Running Two Silhouette Machines Simultaneously from Different Silhouette Studio Work Areas

If you want to literally cut your cutting time in half you can actually run two Silhouette machines at the same time - and they don't have to be cutting the same design or even cutting from the same work area.

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.

I recently got my hands on a few rolls of high gloss permanent vinyl from ProWorld. It was the first time I've used their vinyl and I was anxious to try it out.  This was a perfect excuse for cutting with two machines - I got results in half the time!
Here's how you're going to do this. First, you need Silhouette Studio Business Edition, so grab the one time paid upgrade and then let's get started.

In Silhouette Studio open up your first design in a work area.  In a second work area, open up another design from your library or that you've created. 

TIP: To open up a new work area in Silhouette Studio go to File > New. 

Do all your editing and designing and get all designs ready to cut.

Now, you'll need to get your two machines set up. These can be two CAMEOs or a CAMEO and a Portrait or two Portraits...you get the idea.  For this demo I'm using my CAMEO 1 and CAMEO 2.

Plug both machines into a power source and plug the power cord into the machine. Then run a USB from each machine and plug each into a separate USB port on your computer.  Power on each machine.

Placing the computer in the middle with each machine to one side is the easiest arrangement I've found.

Now it's time to prep the vinyl. The high gloss permanent adhesive vinyl rolls from ProWorld are 15" rolls so you can use my little trick for cutting down 15" sheets and rolls.  Trimming off 3" of vinyl (red line) to fit on the 12x12" CAMEO mat usually means you waste that three inches. So instead, roll out the vinyl roll and grab the cover sheet for your cutting mat.  Lay the cutting mat cover sheet on top of the vinyl lining up the bottom and left edge. Cut across the width of the vinyl, using edge of the cover sheet as a guide, so you're left with a 12x15" piece. This typically results in far less wasted vinyl!

Repeat for the second color of vinyl (PS: don't you just love this blue color?!).  Place each piece of vinyl on its own cutting mat and load each mat into one of the machines.

Go back into Silhouette Studio.  In the first work area, in this case the Home Sweet Home design, go to the Cut Settings and set up for a vinyl cut like you would for any other vinyl cut. Repeat in the second work area.

Double check the blade settings in both machines and adjust to a 1 or 2 for vinyl if necessary.  DO NOT send to cut from this window...you may accidentally cut on the wrong machine and waste all that awesome adhesive vinyl from ProWorld.

Instead, open up the Send to Silhouette window from along the top tool bar in Silhouette Studio.  I'm cutting the Home Sweet Home design on the white vinyl which is loaded into my CAMEO (1) so I want to click 'START' in the CAMEO pane. The cutting will begin.

Once that gets started, I can click into the next work area where my anchor is by clicking the tab at the bottom of Studio. From there I click "Start" on the CAMEO 2 pane.  Now, both designs are cutting at the same time. 

At this point both designs are cutting simultaneously.

Both vinyl designs cut and weeded like butter on the high gloss vinyl from ProWorld.

In just a matter of a few minutes I had both of my designs weeded and ready to be applied to their surface.

As for my first experience with ProWorld's vinyl - I'm a fan!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

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