This guide walks through a job from upload to pick-up. It assumes the machine is set up and calibrated — see Calibration if not.
Prepare the file
Export your drawing as SVG with outlined text and strokes at 0.01 mm. Anything thicker is engraved rather than cut.1
// Outline text so the machine sees paths, not fonts.
export function prepare(svg: SVGSVGElement): SVGSVGElement {
for (const text of svg.querySelectorAll('text')) outline(text);
return svg;
}Save a template
Keep a template with the bed size and a safe margin already drawn in.
Choose a material
| Material | Thickness | Speed (mm/s) | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch ply | 3 mm | 18 | 70% |
| Cork | 2 mm | 40 | 35% |
| Acrylic | 3 mm | 12 | 80% |
- Kerf
- The width of material the beam removes — about 0.15 mm on birch.
- Focus
- The height at which the beam is narrowest. Set it with the gauge, not by eye.
Warning
Never cut PVC or vinyl: the fumes are toxic and corrode the machine.
Run the job
- Place the sheet against the rear fence.
- Frame the job to check it fits.
- Close the lid and start.
graph LR Upload --> Prepare --> Frame --> Cut --> Collect
Before you leave
- Extraction running
- Lid closed
- Offcuts sorted for reuse
Calibration
Run the calibration card monthly, and whenever you change the lens.
Footnotes
- Some drawing programs round hairlines up; check the exported file, not the drawing. ↩