HOW TO
FABRICATION | BY JIM BELOSIC
Not-so-heavy Metal
Designing laser-cut metal signs.
1. Begin with the right file format. For your design to be cut, it will need to be in a vector-based format (.ai, .eps, .dwg, and .dxf file types or alternatively .pdf, .step, or raster). Keep in mind that your file can be created in almost any vector-based design software that allows exporting to .dxf and .eps. We highly recommend Adobe® Illustrator®, AutoDesk® Fusion 360™, Inkscape, and SolidWorks®. 16
Sign Builder uilder Illustrated
April 2020
2. Design with cutting limitations in mind. As you design, make sure that you don’t have details that may be too small to cut using a laser. Anything that is smaller than onetimes the material thickness may be too small. For example, if your design is using .060-inch stainless steel, holes and other geometry smaller than .060-inch may not cut reliably.
Basically remember that, because this is being cut on metal, anything that isn’t connected to the bulk of the sign is simply going to fall out. You can modify your design to compensate for this. (Note: One exception to this rule is if you’re planning on mounting the metal parts to a backer or substrate such as wood or acrylic.)
3. Avoid any “orphan” shapes during your design. An orphan shape is a shape that is meant to be part of the metal sign but not connected anywhere else. A common example of a nested shape is the space inside the letter “o.” If the letter “o” is cut unaltered, the small shape inside of the letter will not be in the sign; it isn’t connected to anything else. To fix this problem, you need to create bridges. Bridges are shapes that are intended to connect nested shapes to the rest of the structure.
All Photos: SendCutSend.com.
M
etal is typically difficult to work with using traditional sign-making techniques and investing in dedicated metal-cutting equipment can be a serious investment. Luckily there are resources for sign manufacturers to outsource metal design production quickly and inexpensively. Here’s a step-by-step guide on the best practices for designing metal signage in such cases.
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