Getting your file ready

For every file

• Say which units you used. A part drawn in inches but read as millimeters comes out 25.4 times too small. Telling us the units, or one known dimension, avoids that.
• Draw at real size. Model or draw the piece at the size you want it made.
• Mark what matters. Point out dimensions that must be exact, surfaces that will be seen, and anything that has to fit another part.
• Send the original too, if you can. The source file from your design program helps if something needs a small fix.
• Large files: paste a share link (for example Google Drive or Dropbox) instead of attaching.

Formats we accept: STL, 3MF, STEP and OBJ for 3D printing. SVG, DXF, AI, PDF and PNG for laser engraving and cutting.

3D printing files

Mesh files and CAD files

Mesh formats (STL, OBJ and 3MF are common) describe a part's surface as many small triangles. CAD formats (STEP is common) keep the exact geometry from your design program. Tell us which kind you have and which program it came from.

Make the model watertight

A printable model needs to be a closed solid with no holes in its surface, no faces pointing the wrong way, and no loose or overlapping pieces. Most CAD programs export solids this way automatically. Models from sculpting tools, games or scans often need repair first.

Mind thin walls and small details

Walls, pins and features that are very thin compared with the printing nozzle may print weak, partly or not at all. Very small text and fine surface detail can soften. If your design has thin or tiny features, mention them and we will tell you how they will come out.

Leave room for parts that fit together

Printed parts are not perfectly exact, so holes, slots and parts that slide together usually need a small clearance designed in. Tell us which dimensions have to mate with something and we can advise.

Size and orientation

Note the overall size of the part. Orientation affects strength, surface finish and where supports go, so tell us which surfaces will be seen and which direction loads come from.

Our largest printer is rated for parts up to 325 x 320 x 325 mm (about 12.8 x 12.6 x 12.8 in) in one piece. We confirm what fits on your quote. See our printers.

Laser engraving and cutting files

Vector or raster

Vector files are made of paths and shapes (SVG, DXF, AI and PDF are common vector formats). A laser can follow vector paths as cut lines or as clean engraved lines and fills. Raster files are grids of pixels (such as PNG or JPG). They work for engraving photos and shaded artwork, but cannot be used directly as cut lines. For raster artwork, send a PNG at the highest resolution you have.

Convert text to outlines

If your file uses fonts, convert all text to outlines (also called curves or paths) before sending. Otherwise the text may be replaced by a different font when the file is opened on another computer.

Clean up cut lines

• Cut shapes should be closed paths.
• Remove duplicate or overlapping lines, which are cut twice.
• Delete stray points and hidden or empty objects.
• Keep everything at 1:1 scale.

Show what cuts and what engraves

If one file contains both cut lines and engraving, separate them clearly, for example on different layers or in different colors, and tell us which is which.

Allow for kerf

The laser beam removes a thin strip of material along every cut, called the kerf. Its width varies with the material and its thickness. It hardly matters for most shapes, but tabs, slots, press fits and inlays need to account for it. Tell us which parts must fit together and how tightly.

Material and thickness

Tell us the material and thickness you want. For slot-together designs, the slots need to match the actual sheet thickness, which can differ slightly from the nominal size.

Our CO2 laser has a working area of up to 600 x 300 mm (about 23.6 x 11.8 in) and is rated to cut acrylic up to 20 mm and black walnut up to 15 to 18 mm, depending on the lens. Thin brass and stainless steel (up to 2 mm) and aluminum (up to 1 mm) are cut on our fiber laser, within 220 x 220 mm. These are manufacturer maximums; we confirm what fits on your quote. See our lasers.