Guides

Plainly explained: from your template to a cut-ready file

Articles for anyone having a part made for the first time. No jargon, just what actually matters in practice.

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  5 min readWhat is a DXF file? The basics, plainly explainedAnyone having a sheet metal part made for the first time trips over three letters straight away: DXF. What the format is, what it does — and what it does not.Read article
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  5 min readSketch, photo or PDF: what is actually needed for a DXFThe most common question before a first order: what do I actually have to supply? A look at the usual templates — and the details none of them work without.Read article
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  5 min readDXF, DWG, STEP or PDF? Which file format for whatFour abbreviations follow you around whenever parts are to be made. What lies behind them and which format is the right one in which situation.Read article
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  4 min readWhy a photo alone is not enough: dimensions, scale and accuracyAn image shows a shape but not a size. What really happens between template and accurate part — and where it usually goes wrong.Read article
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  5 min readLaser, plasma or waterjet: what happens to your fileThe same file produces different parts depending on the process. An overview of laser, plasma and waterjet, without the jargon.Read article
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  5 min readThe most common mistakes in drawing templates — and how to avoid themMost queries arise at the same handful of places, over and over. An overview of the typical mistakes — and what prevents them.Read article