Preparing your file for laser cutting

Working in TAPlab

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 Corel Draw and Inkscape. 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, Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw
CAD software: Fusion360 and AutoCAD

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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.
  • Your cut lines must be a specific width (usually called stroke). When you are using Corel Draw they must be ‘Hairline’. See below for what they should be if you are using Inkscape or Illustrator.
  • 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.
  • If you have vector lines overlapping each other it will cut twice over that line. Remove any duplicate lines before cutting.

Keep reading for some specific advice for Inkscape and Illustrator.

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.

  1. Select the Edit Paths by Nodes tool.
  2. Click on an object that contains a double line and then select a node on one side of the double line to be removed.
  3. With the node highlighted dark grey, click the Break Path at Selected Nodes button
  4. Click on the node on the other side of the double line, and use the Break Path button again.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

Adobe Illustrator

  • Use RGB colour space.
  • Line width for cut lines must be 0.001mm.
    TIP: It’s really hard to work on your design with the lines this thin. You can get your design ready with them thicker then select them all and set them to 0.001mm right before you export your file.
  • Check stroke is aligned to centre (see screenshot).
  • Check for double lines and remove.
Exporting

You should be able to open your file in Corel Draw at TAP lab as a AI file but one of our users has found exporting as PDF more reliable.