I have just started using Inkscape (v1.0) for creating shapes for laser cutting and engraving. After converting my objects to path and saving as dxf, I can cut them on my laser cutter but those objects for engraving cannot be engraved.
A close observation reveals that the objects/shapes exported get broken into a number of segments, making them impossible to engrave.
Can the engraver take anything other than dxf? This is common behavior going from a program using bezier curves to a program that doesn't. Curves get made into polylines. It happens in many programs. If you save as DXF R14 there is an option to use ROBO spline type output which does better. Question is will the engraving software read a ROBO spline?
Yes, the engraver can take other file formats like .ai and .GERBER that Inkscape does not output. Also, checking the ROBO spline option does not make any difference.
Often, if you rename a pdf file to ai, it works. You could try that. There are many free eps to ai and pdf to ai converters. Here is one: https://convertio.co/eps-ai/
Beginners' Questions Exported DXF Objects Not Engravable
Inkscape.org
I have just started using Inkscape (v1.0) for creating shapes for laser cutting and engraving. After converting my objects to path and saving as dxf, I can cut them on my laser cutter but those objects for engraving cannot be engraved.
A close observation reveals that the objects/shapes exported get broken into a number of segments, making them impossible to engrave.
Has anyone observed this behaviour?
Can the engraver take anything other than dxf? This is common behavior going from a program using bezier curves to a program that doesn't. Curves get made into polylines. It happens in many programs. If you save as DXF R14 there is an option to use ROBO spline type output which does better. Question is will the engraving software read a ROBO spline?
Yes, the engraver can take other file formats like .ai and .GERBER that Inkscape does not output. Also, checking the ROBO spline option does not make any difference.
Often, if you rename a pdf file to ai, it works. You could try that. There are many free eps to ai and pdf to ai converters. Here is one: https://convertio.co/eps-ai/
Unfortunately the converted .ai file also did not work. The laser software threw an error when reading the rule and aborted the read operation.
What laser software are you using?
I am using Lasercut 4.3
In the tools tab there should be a option called unite lines? Select all your data and press this, that should fix it
I will give it a try. Thanks