Design Guidelines
How to prepare your file, what to expect from laser cutting, and how pricing and delivery work. Everything you need before you order.
Units: millimetres
Always draw in mm. Files in inches or other units will produce incorrect pricing and cutting dimensions, we don't auto-detect or convert units.
DXF
DXF is the best and easiest format for flat parts, and the one our online tool works with directly.
STEP / STP / other vector files
We can also work with STEP files, as well as other vector formats such as .ai, .pdf, and similar. Send us your file through the Contact page and we will process it for you.
Closed contours
A path with a small gap may still be processed by the laser, but the gap itself is not cut, which typically results in a part that does not match your design. All cutting paths should be fully closed.
Minimum feature size
Thin bridges, slots and holes should be at least as wide as the material's thickness. Thinner features may not survive cutting.
No duplicate lines
Overlapping or duplicate lines make the laser cut the same path twice, burning or warping material. We detect this automatically and can remove duplicates for you at upload.
Maximum sheet size
Our cutting bed handles parts up to 1600 × 1000mm. Larger parts will be rejected at upload, split them into sections if needed.
Tolerances
Actual cutting tolerance depends on the size of your part. See the table below for typical figures.
Burrs
A thin ridge of re-solidified material can form along cut edges, especially on thicker plastics. Usually removable with a light sand or scrape.
Heat marks / scorching
Some materials, especially wood and some plastics, darken slightly right along the cut edge from the laser's heat. This is normal, not a defect. The underside of the material typically shows more marking than the top.
Draw your design with the best/visible side facing up, this side will show the least marking.
Protective film
PMMA typically ships with a protective film. You can ask us to remove it before cutting, look for the checkbox when selecting PMMA at checkout.
Our cutting dimensions generally follow ISO 2768-1, class Coarse (c). Class Medium (m) is achievable and available on request. Class Fine (f) is possible for specific projects, always in consultation with us beforehand.
| Dimension range | Fine (f), in consultation | Medium (m), on request | Coarse (c), standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 to 3mm | ± 0.05mm | ± 0.1mm | ± 0.2mm |
| 3 to 6mm | ± 0.05mm | ± 0.1mm | ± 0.3mm |
| 6 to 30mm | ± 0.1mm | ± 0.2mm | ± 0.5mm |
| 30 to 120mm | ± 0.15mm | ± 0.3mm | ± 0.8mm |
| 120 to 400mm | ± 0.2mm | ± 0.5mm | ± 1.2mm |
| 400 to 1000mm | ± 0.3mm | ± 0.8mm | ± 2.0mm |
| 1000 to 2000mm | ± 0.5mm | ± 1.2mm | ± 3.0mm |
These figures apply to the cut dimensions (length and width) of your part. They do not cover the thickness of the raw sheet material itself, this is a factory tolerance set by the material manufacturer, varies by material and brand, and is outside our control.
Note: sheet thickness is not covered by this table. If your design has specific thickness requirements, please contact us before ordering.
Upload your DXF
We measure your part's exact bounding-box area and total cutting length automatically.
Pick material, thickness, and color
Material cost is based on your part's area times the price per m² for that material and thickness, plus a small allowance for unusable offcut around your part. Some colors carry their own per-m² surcharge.
Machine time
Based on your part's total cutting length and the material's cutting speed.
Quantity discounts
Ordering more of the same part automatically reduces the per-piece price. Larger batches unlock better tiers.
| Package size | Shipping cost |
|---|---|
| Letterbox, up to ~35×25×2.8cm, under 2kg | €4.95 |
| Small, up to ~90×65×53cm, under 100dm³, under 22kg | €9.95 |
| Small, up to ~90×65×53cm, under 200dm³, under 22kg | €19.95 |
| Small, up to ~90×65×53cm, up to 30kg | €26.95 |
| Large, up to ~160×90×45cm, up to 30kg | €39.95 |
| Pallet, up to ~200×100×180cm, up to 500kg | €80.00 |
Orders are automatically packed to use the cheapest combination of the above that fits, splitting across multiple smaller packages where that works out cheaper than one larger one. Larger or heavier orders than any of these are handled individually, please contact us for a quote.
At checkout you also choose a delivery timeframe, from Sprint (fastest, small surcharge) down to Economy or Long term (slower, small discount), so you can balance speed against cost.
If the calculated shipping cost looks unusual or high, especially for a regular or repeat order, please contact us before ordering. We are happy to check it and, where possible, arrange a better rate.
We offer a range of additional services on request. Contact us with your requirements and we will advise on feasibility and pricing.
Gluing
Bonding parts or assemblies together.
Countersinking
Recessed holes for flush screw heads.
Thread tapping
Internal threads cut directly into your part.
Bending
Forming flat sheet into folded shapes.
Milling
CNC milling for features laser cutting cannot produce.
Assembly
Putting together multi-part products for you.
Post-processing
Finishing existing parts, for example injection-molded components.
Engineering
Design and engineering support for your project.
Drafting
Technical drawing work, converting sketches or ideas into cuttable files.