Preparing your file for laser cutting
Before you start:
The information on this page is designed for people who have some experience with the relevant software or are comfortable with doing most of it without help. If you don’t already know how to do this, don’t be scared off. Just come in on one of our open times and we will help you, it really isn’t as complicated as it looks.
Software
Our laser cutter workstation has Inkscape, Affinity and Corel Draw. You can prepare your file in any other vector based program, export it and then open it from one of these programmes on our computer to laser cutter it.
Commonly used file types: SVG, DXF, Ai (Adobe Illustrator), EPS, PDF
What programme should I use?
Inkscape is a free vector based graphic program, we recommend using it. If you have a suitable programme that you already use, you can use that instead.
Graphic design software: Inkscape, Affinity, Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw
CAD software: Fusion360 and AutoCAD
Basic settings for preparing your file
- Laser cutting area: 726 mm x 432 mm
- Use RGB not CMYK
- Set your colours to:
Red (#ff0000) = cutting
Black (#000000) = engraving - Cut lines must be paths/vector lines.
- Engraving can be paths or bitmap (you can engrave from a JPG or PNG).
- It’s generally safer to turn your text into paths to avoid any font compatibility issues with our computer.
- It’s ok to have vector lines overlapping each other, you will just need to make sure you use the setting to remove overlapping cut lines when you laser cut it, otherwise it will cut them twice.
Keep reading for some specific advice for Inkscape.
Inkscape
Line width for cutting
Your stroke width can be any width between these values:
Minimum: 0.0283pt / 0.01mm / 0.038px
Maximum: 0.5pt / 0.176mm / 0.66px
Check for duplicate lines and remove
In Inkscape, you will likely see duplicate lines as being a darker to the other lines on screen (thin strokes tend to show this best). If you have three or more sets of duplicate lines you will need to repeat this process several times to get all the extra lines.
Before you begin: Select All and use the Path > Object to Path command.
- Select the Edit Paths by Nodes tool.
- Click on an object that contains a double line and then select a node on one side of the double line to be removed.
- With the node highlighted dark grey, click the Break Path at Selected Nodes button
- Click on the node on the other side of the double line, and use the Break Path button again.
- Click on the line between the two nodes so that both nodes are highlighted dark grey and a larger size to the rest of the nodes in the object, and press delete. A paler blue line should be left behind.
- Select the nodes on each side of the next line, and repeat the above process.
Save files as SVG
When you bring your file into TAP lab you can open it from Inkscape to send it to the laser cutter software.