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Laser Cutting & Engraving Solutions

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FAQ
Updated: 18 January 2015
Quick Guide to Laser Specifications and File Information
Below is a basic guide to help you with the information that we require to provide you with an accurate and timely quotation for laser cutting and engraving.
If you are using Adobe Illustrator you can find additional guidance here which will also be useful to users of other graphics software.
Laser Bed Size - Maximum Laserable Area 1200mm x 800mm (48" x 31")
Rise and Fall Table - Tallest Objects That Can Be Accommodated 260mm (10.5")
Rotary Engraving/Cutting Maximum Size 100mm dia x 300mm (4" dia x 12")
Laser Beam Kerf Size (Width of Cut), Divide by 2 for fitting.
See http://www.makercase.com, a very useful online website which can assist you with this aspect of design.		 3mm material 0.2032 mm (0.008 inch)
Half kerf = 0.1016mm, for joints and accurate hole cutting
The kerf is a crucial dimension if drawing something to be laser cut that requires a snug, interference fit into another component. For example: Finger joints for a box.
Maximum Practical Material Thickness 12mm
   
File Types  
Vector Cutting
  
Drawing Software (CorelDraw, Illustrator etc)
 CDR, SVG, DXF
Native Files
 CDR, DXF
Convertible Files
  SVG, PDF (If saved by the drawing software - See Below)
 AI (older - Pre 2010 versions)
CAD Files  (TurboCad, AutoCad etc)
  
Native Files
 DXF
Convertible Files
 SVG, PDF (If saved by the drawing software - See Below)
DWG (older - Pre 2010 versions)
 AI (older - Pre 2010 versions)
Important Note ~ Remember That Laser Cutting is a 2D process so 3D Drawings are Not Suitable
  1. Check for, and delete, multiple underlying lines. The laser will cut whatever it comes across and if there are multiple underlying lines in the drawing, they will be cut. At best, the consequence of these lines will be that the process takes longer and therefore cost  more. At worst, the end product could be messy or will not be quite as envisaged.
  2. Multiple underlying lines are more often generated when the original drawing has been produced in 3D, from which the 2D laser files have been extracted.
  3. We do check your files for multiple underlaying lines but if we do find some, it is not always obvious which lines to delete. Fixing this problem can delay the work and in some cases result in additional costs.
Please Turn Off 'Construction Layers' before saving and sending the file. These can cause random lines anywhere within the drawing when it is converted to the cnc machine file.
  1. Please place a 25mm x 25mm square, as a scale check, just outside the cutting area of your drawing so that we can check the x - y (horizontal - vertical) scale.
  2. Both SVG and DXF conversions can produce an anomaly of scale so placing the 25mm scale check in the drawing allows us to check and rectify any scaling problem that may occur.
Vector Engraving, Etching or Metal Marking
When producing vector drawings, please ensure that all areas that are to be engraved or marked, including text logos etc., are enclosed within a fully closed path.
The laser will detect any paths that are not closed as cut lines.
We Offrer A Drawing Service To Produce Vector Drawings Files For You From Your Anotated Sketch
 
Raster Engraving/Etching
 CDR, SVG, All Image Bitmap Files
Combined Vector Cutting and Raster Engraving/Etching
 CDR, SVG
PDF Files ~ IMPORTANT  
Due to the extraction and conversion processes, it is more efficient and less prone to errors if vector files are saved and sent in CDR, SVG or DXF format.
However,  if you are sending vector drawing files in PDF format, the files should be saved from within the software that created them and they should be unlocked.
If a vector drawing is saved as a bitmap or bitmapped within a PDF file we will not be able to extract the vector drawing and we will be unable to calculate a price for you.
 
You can find information about working with different materials here
You can also read more about laser cutting here and laser engraving here or laser metal marking here.
For more detailed information about file types and quotations, please click here
 
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