From Sketch to Laser File

Every laser-made object starts as a drawing, but a machine needs much more precise instructions than an artist’s sketch.

Vectors for cutting, pixels for pictures

Cut and score lines are drawn as vectors — mathematical lines and curves saved in formats such as SVG, DXF or AI. The machine follows them exactly, at any size. Photos and shaded artwork are raster images made of pixels; for engraving they are usually converted into fine dot patterns (dithering) so that the laser can reproduce light and dark tones.

Colours tell the machine what to do

In laser software, colour is an instruction, not decoration. A designer might use one colour for cut lines, another for engraving and a third for scoring. Each colour gets its own power and speed settings and its own order — engraving first, cutting last, so parts do not move before they are finished.

Kerf: the width of the beam

The beam removes a thin strip of material, roughly 0.1–0.3 mm wide. This is called kerf. For a picture it hardly matters, but for parts that must fit together — boxes, finger joints, slotted models — the drawing is adjusted so that pieces slide together snugly instead of rattling.

Nesting: fitting parts on a sheet

Before a job runs, the parts are arranged on the sheet as tightly as possible, like biscuits on a baking tray. Good nesting saves material and machine time, which is why small items such as earrings or keychains are usually made in batches on one sheet.

Text and personalisation

Names and dates are converted to outlines, so the letters look exactly as designed. Very thin fonts and tiny lettering can disappear in engraving or break apart when cut, so the font and size are chosen with the material in mind. Next: how light is built into wood and acrylic.

Photo: Nikhil Mitra / Unsplash