How to Prepare a File for Laser Cutting

Downloadable Templates

Please find our downloadable templates for Illustrator and Rhino to help create your own files.

File Types

When preparing files for laser cutting or engraving, it’s important to understand the distinction between vector and raster images.

If your project involves cutting or precise engraving, a vector file is necessary. For engraving detailed images or photographs, a high-resolution raster file works best.

Please see more information on vector versus raster file types.

Vector for Cutting

Vector images are created using points, lines, and curves defined by mathematical equations. This allows them to be resized infinitely without any loss of quality. Common vector file formats include .3dm, .dwg, .dxf, .ai, or .eps. Vectors are ideal for logos, illustrations, technical drawings, and designs requiring precision and scalability. For laser cutting, vector files are essential because they define the paths the laser follows.

Raster for Engraving

In contrast, raster images are composed of tiny dots, or pixels, where each pixel represents a specific color. While raster images can display detailed and complex visuals, they lose quality when scaled up, often appearing blurry or pixelated. Popular raster formats include .jpeg, .png, and .tiff. Raster files are typically used for photographs or intricate images with rich color gradients and are suitable for laser engraving, though they cannot define cutting paths.

Create Your File

We will be processing your files in either Adobe Illustrator or Rhino 3D. If you are using another CAD program to create your file, you will need to export your vector file as .ai, .3dm, .dwg, .dxf, .svg, .eps, and your raster files as .jpg, .png, .tiff.

Set your file up using inches. Make your workspace or artboard 18" x 32" landscape, as this is our maximum cutting size currently. If you have something larger please reach out and we will let you know if it is feasible.

Line Weights

When preparing your files for laser cutting, the line weight (stroke thickness) and color in your design communicate to the machine how to process each element. Follow these guidelines to ensure your designs are interpreted correctly.

  • Use a stroke thickness of .001 (Illustrator) or set your lines to ‘Hairline’ (Rhino / Auto CAD) in your design software. These settings result in precise cuts and scores, ensuring clean edges and accurate detail.

  • Any stroke thicker than .001 or ‘Hairline’ will be interpreted as an etch. This is ideal for adding textures, patterns, or engraving details to your design.

  • Make sure your file is set to RGB color mode if applicable.

    Please use the colors below to properly communicate how your file should be cut/engraved.

    RED  -  CUT

    GREEN  -  FRAME/BORDER (will not cut)

    BLACK  -  RASTER/FIELD ENGRAVING

    BLUE  -  SCORING/LINE ENGRAVING

    ORANGE  -  LIGHT RASTER

    BLACK  -  NORMAL RASTER

    MAGENTA  -  STRONG RASTER

    CYAN  -  LIGHT SCORE

    BLUE  -  NORMAL SCORE

    YELLOW  -  STRONG SCORE

File Prep Check List

  • Flat Layout: Ensure all designs are laid out flat within the file. Multiple 18”x32” sheets or artboards can be included in one document, arranged side by side for clarity.

  • Remove Unnecessary Elements: Delete any unnecessary objects or layers and carefully check for duplicate lines to avoid cutting issues.

  • Artboards and Bounding Boxes: Use multiple artboards or sheets to organize your designs. Each artboard or sheet should have a designated 18”x32” bounding box to differentiate between sheets to be cut.

  • Material Outer Box: Create an outer box in your file that matches the size of your material. Layout all pieces to be cut within this box, ensuring proper organization.

  • Border Requirement: Leave a minimum of 1/4” border around all artwork.

  • Line Weight: In Illustrator, lines (vectors to be cut or scored) should be set to .001 pt. In Rhino and AutoCAD, lines (vectors to be cut or scored) should be set to hairline.

  • Color Mode: In Illustrator, make sure your file is set to RGB color mode.

  • Color Code: Please use the specified colors to properly communicate how your file should be cut/engraved.

  • Upload your File: The last step is to upload your file here and fill out all information required. We will get back to you with a quote as quickly as possible. If you do not have the ability to create your own file we also offer file preparation services.