Can you convert a PNG or a photograph into a cut file?

Yes, though it is redrawing rather than repair. An automatic trace of an image produces thousands of tiny segments that cut badly; I redraw the shapes as clean paths so the result cuts smoothly.

How do I know whether my file needs repair or redrawing?

Send it. Diagnosis is free and you will get a straight answer, including when redrawing would cost you less than repairing.

Will you add kerf allowance to a file I already own?

Yes, and it is one of the most common requests. Tell me the material, the thickness and the machine, and the joints come back dimensioned to close on that combination.

Can you improve how parts are laid out on the sheet?

Nesting is included. On production runs the material saved usually covers the cost of the work within a few sheets.

How much does laser cut file repair cost?

Diagnosis is free: you hear what is wrong, and whether repairing or redrawing is cheaper, before you commit to anything. The repair is then quoted on how much of the geometry needs work.

How quickly can you fix my file?

One to three days for most files. Redrawing a traced image or a large production set takes longer, and you are told how long before work starts.

Laser cut file repair and preparation

Laser cut file repair: artwork that will not cut, fixed and returned ready.

Open paths, doubled lines, the wrong scale, no kerf allowance, cut and engrave on one layer — the usual reasons a job fails on the bed. Send the file; I fix the geometry.

Get a quote in one business day Questions first

What actually stops a file cutting

Files bought cheaply, exported from the wrong software, or traced from an image usually carry the same faults. Paths that look closed are open by a fraction, so the machine treats them as engraving. Shapes that share an edge have two lines stacked, so the laser cuts the same line twice and scorches it. Scale is off because the file was drawn in the wrong units.

Any of these will cost you material and time before you work out which one it was. Repairing the geometry once is cheaper than discovering it one sheet at a time.

Who commissions this

Anyone who bought a file that will not cut cleanly
Shops with legacy artwork drawn before kerf mattered
Makers converting a logo or an image into a cuttable file
Production runs wasting material on poor nesting

What you receive

Open paths closed and duplicate lines removed
Scale corrected to real-world dimensions
Kerf allowance added for your material and thickness
Cut, score and engrave separated onto labelled layers
Nesting optimised to reduce material waste
A note explaining what was wrong, so it does not recur

How it runs

From brief to a file that cuts.

01
Send the file

Any format you have — SVG, DXF, AI, PDF, even a photograph of the cut result. Tell me the material, thickness and machine.
02
Diagnosis

I check the geometry and tell you what is wrong and whether it is worth repairing or faster to redraw. Sometimes the honest answer is redraw, and I will say so.
03
Repair

Geometry corrected, layers separated, kerf applied, parts nested to waste less of the sheet.
04
Return

You get the repaired file in every format you need, plus the list of what was wrong with the original.

The practical detail

Specification

Accepts: SVG, DXF, DWG, AI, EPS, PDF, CDR, PNG, JPG
Returns: SVG, DXF, CDR, AI, EPS, PDF
Turnaround: One to three days for most files
Diagnosis: Free — you hear what is wrong before committing
Tracing: Raster images converted to clean vector paths

Questions people ask first

Before you commission

Can you convert a PNG or a photograph into a cut file?: Yes, though it is redrawing rather than repair. An automatic trace of an image produces thousands of tiny segments that cut badly; I redraw the shapes as clean paths so the result cuts smoothly.
How do I know whether my file needs repair or redrawing?: Send it. Diagnosis is free and you will get a straight answer, including when redrawing would cost you less than repairing.
Will you add kerf allowance to a file I already own?: Yes, and it is one of the most common requests. Tell me the material, the thickness and the machine, and the joints come back dimensioned to close on that combination.
Can you improve how parts are laid out on the sheet?: Nesting is included. On production runs the material saved usually covers the cost of the work within a few sheets.
How much does laser cut file repair cost?: Diagnosis is free: you hear what is wrong, and whether repairing or redrawing is cheaper, before you commit to anything. The repair is then quoted on how much of the geometry needs work.
How quickly can you fix my file?: One to three days for most files. Redrawing a traced image or a large production set takes longer, and you are told how long before work starts.

Read before you brief

Guides from the journal

Also available

Laser cut file design

You describe the product; I design a layered SVG and DXF file that assembles exactly as rendered — kerf-compensated for your material and test-cut on a real laser before it reaches you.

Signmaking artwork

Shopfronts, wayfinding, dimensional letters and logo panels — drawn to real-world dimensions with mounting allowances and fabrication notes included.

All four services · Browse the catalogue

Commissions are open

Tell me what you want to make.

Send the material, the dimensions and the machine. You get a quote and a timeline within one business day.

Start a commission

Laser cut file repair: artwork that will not cut, fixed and returned ready.

What actually stops a file cutting

From brief to a file that cuts.

Send the file

Diagnosis

Repair

Return

Specification

Before you commission

Guides from the journal

Why Your Laser Cut File Won't Cut: 9 File Errors and Fixes

SVG or DXF? Choosing the Right Laser Cut File Format

Kerf Allowance: Why Your Laser Cut Joints Don't Fit

Laser cut file design

Signmaking artwork

Tell me what you want to make.