Guidelines and Tutorials for creating files to sell

Does anyone know where I can find Guidelines and Tutorials for creating files to sell for use on the Glowforge and other laser cutters? I use illustrator.
Thx in advance!
Cindi

This is in the Glowforge support section: Become a Catalog Designer – Glowforge

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Thank you! This is good info specific to submitting to Glowforge. What I need is where to find tutorials for best practices to design files for laser cutting using Illlustrator - not just for Glowforge.
I’ve purchased a few files that include svgs, pdfs, etc. but was not sure why I would need the extra formats. I only used the SVG’s.
Thanks, again, Cindi

I think different cutters sometimes use different software which reads other types of files. Like cnc machines read dxf (I think), and the laser cutter at my kids’ makerspace uses coreldraw.

I don’t know about tutorials on how to make the files, but I would think making a file, explaining the function of each color, and checking out which formats other people sell so you can save copies in each of those formats is a good place to start. Also noting the material thickness and any kerf adjustments made (if any) in the listing is also helpful.

Sorry I couldn’t be more help! I’ve never thought about tutorials on how to prep a file for selling.

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Thank you - I’m learning something new every day!

Different designers sell files in different formats. .svg and .pdf are probably the most common for :glowforge: designs, but you certainly see some other ones. If I were selling I’d design them in the format I use (.svg in this case) and offer to modify them to other formats if possible. The majority of folks who use other formats are likely to have the ability to save as themselves.

The one thing I would say is make your art board 20"x12" - that way no matter what program they use the file will retain the dimensions you set it up for.

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Thanks so much!

Well the machines use G-Code but the CAD/CAM software is always DXF friendly. But DXF is a lowest-common denominator file format (it’s like 40 years old) and isn’t something you want to use on lasers due to the number of line segments & nodes inherent in the format (it uses approximations of curves vs real curve definitions - lots of teeny tiny lines). The math to do bezier curves needed too much compute power to make it practical to support them back at the birth of the standard. SVG’s more recent creation coincided with far more powerful (and cheap) processors so the designs are much cleaner.

All the CAD/CAM systems can use SVG now.

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That’s good to know. I learned something new.

I’ve never personally used DXF. The only file conversions I’ve ever had to do was SVG to STL for someone who wanted to 3D print one of my files. But that required me to add depth to my file too, so it’s not exactly the same.

I only know there are the versions for Adobe Suite (eps?), CorelDraw (cdr?), PDF, SVG, DXF. I only know files saved in those versions for other people to edit the files in their own program.

My friend who uses Corel has to send me her creations in PDF because I can’t open them.

I use Corel a lot. She can save as SVG to make it easier on you. There aren’t a lot of apps that will read or import a CDR file but fortunately Corel will spit out about 100 different file formats :slight_smile:

Lol, I’ll tell her. She’s got an old version, back before monthly fees.

Me too. Last unrestricted version. I refuse to update to the subscription model. :slight_smile:

Even in the old days I’d go several versions between upgrading. Incremental changes generally aren’t compelling. I look for significant feature upgrades before I’ll pony up for a software upgrade.

I do the same thing with my smartphone. I’ll go 2 or 3 versions before I get a new one of those too.

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