All articles · 2026-09-06

Preparing vector files for laser cutting, vinyl plotters and CNC

What cutting software expects from a file — outlines, not fills — and how to export DXF or stroke-only SVG that cuts cleanly.

A cutter follows outlines. Filled shapes, overlapping layers and hidden geometry produce double cuts and wasted material. The file you hand to LightBurn, Cricut Design Space or a CNC controller should contain closed outlines only, once each.

Use the Outlines output style

In Curvora's download dialog, "Outlines" writes the SVG with no fills and a thin uniform stroke. For DXF, curves are flattened to closed polylines within a tolerance you choose (0.05–0.5 px), grouped on one layer per colour so you can assign cut and engrave operations separately.

Cut-out vs stacked shapes

The engine's "Cut-out" layer strategy produces exact, non-overlapping geometry — the right choice for cutting. "Stacked" (the default for on-screen use) lets upper shapes overlap lower ones by a hair to hide renderer seams.