Design GuideLines

Understanding a few basic rules about our service is key to ensure that your file is ready for our cutting process.

Design guide for laser cutting

Getting Your Files Ready

Cutting process

> Supported Formats

We support most vector formats; our software is able to detect all the necessary parameters to show you a price instantly.

If you have a file with a different format from the one shown above, you need to manually introduce the height and width measures of your parts. Our technical team will check your order before manufacturing it.

Do you have any doubts about the creation of your files? Contact us

> Recommended software

All CAD software can save and export files in the formats we support in our configurator. Here is a list of our recommendations.

Adobe Illustrator™ and Inkscape™ are the most versatile ones, designed for both technical and artistic creations, with a wide range of available export formats and easy to use. Autodesk Autocad™ and QCad™ are the industry standard for 2D CAD drawing. Solidworks™ and Autodesk Fusion360™ are 3D drawing software for engineering and mechanical design.

Remember: it is necessary to upload the parts free of dimensions, measures, and drawing templates and in real scale 1:1 in millimeters.

Preparing your file

The 4 basic points to get your parts ready for our configurator:

> Scale

Your part must be the exact size you want it to be cut (1:1 scale). If you want the part in a different size than the original file you must indicate it in the configurator. The units in which you must upload your file are millimeters (mm) or inches (in).

> Content

Your file should contain only the lines to be cut. To get your parts properly quoted, your design should be free of dimensions, notes, borders, and objects that should not be manufactured.

> Strokes

Your designs must be free of open points and intersections. Our process handles all lines in your design as a cutting line, an open area will generate a non-complete cut, and a line intersection will generate an extra cut. Make sure your designs do not have any of these elements.

> Texts

We have many fonts installed in our machines but it is possible that the one you choose for your creation is not there. To avoid any mistakes, we need you to convert texts into outlines.

In most CAD programs, the tool for converting text into shapes is called “explode or “explode text”. In Adobe illustrator™ this can be done by selecting the text and clicking on the Text Menu>Create Outlines.

Laser cutting process

Useful information to understand the process and its capabilities.

> Capabilities of the laser cutting process

Our precision and maximum dimensions:

The dimensions of our sheet metal formats match the maximum dimensions we can produce for a part. If you need bigger dimensions for your creations, please contact us.

> Shape and hole limitations

Our process has some limitations according to the thickness of the material we want to cut. Find below the minimum measurements for hole diameter and space between shapes to guarantee a good cut and finish.

> Minimum size for holes

* In aluminum, the minimum diameter is equal to the value of the thickness

> Minimum dimension between shapes

Minimum space between cutting elements apart. It also applies to the minimum distance between the cutting silhouettes and the perimeter of the part.

* In aluminum, the minimum diameter is equal to the value of the thickness

It is possible to properly manufacture parts that do not comply with the Minimum Hole Sizes and/or Minimum Form-to-Form Sizes tables, however, the correct cutting result is not
guaranteed by LZR Cut if the specifications of these tables are not met.

In addition to the non-correlation between the part design and these tables, the quality of the part can be affected by factors such as the existence of areas on the part with high cutting density. You can find more information about these issues in our Terms and Conditions.