Why DXF and DWG are ideal

A laser cuts a vector path — a set of lines, arcs and curves with real-world coordinates. DXF and DWG carry exactly that, so we can quote from your true cut length and drive the machine straight from your file. PDF and STEP work too (we extract the geometry), and we'll happily start from a clear photo, sketch or sample part via our CAD service — but a clean DXF is the fastest route to a price. A JPEG or a screenshot is not cuttable: it's pixels, not paths.

The six things to get right

Units in millimetres. DXF has no universal unit, so a part drawn in inches or "drawing units" can arrive 25× too big or small. Set your file units to mm before exporting, and tell us the overall size as a sanity check.
Draw at 1:1 scale. Model the part at its real size — never to a paper scale like 1:2. If your only source is a scaled PDF drawing, give us one known dimension so we can verify the scale.
Close every contour. Each profile the laser cuts must be a single, fully closed loop with no gaps and no double lines sitting on top of each other. Open ends and overlapping duplicates are the number-one cause of a file bouncing back. Most CAD has a "join" or "close polyline" tool — run it before export.
One layer for cut geometry. Put everything to be cut on a single, clearly named layer. If you want some lines etched/engraved rather than cut through (logos, part numbers, fold lines for reference), put those on a separate, clearly labelled layer and tell us.
Strip out everything that isn't cut. Delete construction lines, dimensions, hatching, title blocks, centre-marks and stray points. If it's in the file, we have to ask whether you meant to cut it. A bare profile is unambiguous.
Convert text to paths. Live text relies on a font that may not exist on our system, so it can reflow or vanish. Explode or "convert text to outlines/curves" so every letter becomes a closed vector you can see. Then check the result against the minimum stroke widths for your thickness.

Line colours and layers — a quick convention. If your CAD lets you, use one colour/layer for cut-through profiles and a different one for etch/engrave. We don't insist on a specific colour scheme — just keep cut and etch separate and named, and we'll map them correctly.

How to export from common software

AutoCAD / DraftSight: PURGE to clear unused junk, OVERKILL to remove duplicate lines, then Save As → DXF (R12 or 2018). R12 DXF is the most universally readable.
Fusion 360 / SolidWorks / Inventor: open the flat face or sketch and Export / Save As DXF. For sheet-metal parts, export the flat pattern, not the folded model — and note the bend lines if you want us to fold it.
Illustrator / Inkscape / CorelDRAW: set the document to mm at 1:1, outline all strokes and text, then export DXF (Inkscape: Save As → Desktop Cutting Plotter DXF). Watch the scale — vector art apps love to default to points or pixels.

Pre-flight checklist

Before you upload, run down this list:

File is DXF or DWG (or PDF/STEP), in millimetres, at 1:1 scale
Every cut profile is one closed loop — no gaps, no duplicates
Cut geometry on one named layer; any etch lines on a separate layer
Construction lines, dimensions, hatching and title block deleted
All text converted to outlines/paths
Smallest hole and slot are sensible for the thickness
You've noted the material, thickness and quantity in the quote form

Not sure? Send it anyway. Every file gets an engineering review before cutting, and if something's open, mis-scaled or ambiguous we'll tell you exactly what to change — nothing is committed until you approve. No clean file at all? Our CAD service builds one from a sketch, an old print or a sample part.

Keep reading

Designing for laser cutting → Material selection → Secondary operations →

Preparing your DXF or DWG file