If you make them separate colours they will show up as separate commands in the GFUI (Glowforge User Interface) so you won’t even have to move them out of the way, you can set individual pieces to ignore while you cut other ones
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I don’t use inkscape, but I do believe that is correct. Ungroup them and they should be individual pieces you can move around. An inkscape user my better be able to verify that. EDIT: Listen to deirdrebeth. 
I actually believe the more efficient method would be to have them as separate jobs in the same file that you can ignore and “print” as you need them. But you need to check and see what the most efficient method is for YOU. Mileage may vary.
If pieces are within a box they will auto-group - or if there are bunches and bunches of them it will auto-group - but file group doesn’t seem to stick. So if you want things to group, put a box around them or make them the same colour
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Hi, even though @kanati is correct for many files, if you plan to use a file more than once, it’s usually much faster to edit your own files than try to edit within the GFUI (Glowforge User Interface).
A risk to just relying on the GFUI, at times the UI can be painfully slow (various reasons this can happen), so often when trying to move something, it may inadvertently get resized and basically best to delete and reload to ensure the scale is correct to match your other files/pieces…
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Thank you all for your responses so far. I’ll just have to wait and see what works best when I get the machine up and running. I’ll separate my pieces in the meantime…
Is there a limit to how many layers I can have in the GFUI?
Groups and layers are ignored by the GFUI. Also line thickness and clipping paths. Text will need to be converted to curves.
You can “group” items by making them the same color—the GFUI will separate them out by color and operation.
Operations are determined by artwork type. Vector outlines will default to cuts, filled vectors to engraves. Raster/bitmap will always be engraves.
Here’s a link to an SVG file I made that contains multiple steps and operations separated in this manner: Mastermind Game With Rack & Pinion Box Latching Mechanism
Does the GFUI separate by fill color, stroke color, or both?
Also, don’t skip past the “your first three prints” tutorial you’ll find linked at the end of the setup process. Most people seem to ignore that step, and spend weeks floundering because they missed getting the basic information that would have answered all their questions. 
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Both. I keep forgetting which takes precedence when a shape has both stroke and fill, since I always make mine with just one or the other. 
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A filled vector without a defined stroke color will default to engrave.
An object with defined stroke colors defaults to a cut.
You will want to ensure your paths are closed if it is a filled object.
Here is a post that talks about organizing colors in your design program to assist in the order of operations.
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Both. I keep forgetting which takes precedence when a shape has both stroke and fill, since I always make mine with just one or the other.
So it will cut a filled shape? I can’t stand having to convert to stroke only (like a .pdf) since I can’t see the lines anymore… I’m assuming there’s a way to tell the UI whether the layer is a cut or an etching?
For vectors, you have the option of specifying cut, score, or engrave.
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Don’t worry about line thickness–the GFUI ignores that. You can make all your lines 1 pt or 2 pt or whatever. Makes no difference.
Yes. The default behavior for a filled shape is engraved. A defined stroke, no fill, is cut. But you can manually change each of them to the other in the interface.
If you would like to test out some shapes and object in the user interface to see what happens in a file as you define them, post or PM them and one of us will test them out for you and show you how it appears.
What design program do you use? Inkscape, right?
Yes, I have been using Inkscape.
My design is highly sought after in the mealworm farming community (literally dozens of us), so I’m afraid to share any of my files, but I understand just about everything that you all are sharing, and will figure the rest out as soon as I’m able to get into the GFUI.
I’m assuming I get access to the GFUI once I receive my cutter and register the machine, correct?
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Right after your run the setup process.
If you’d like to take a peek and play before it arrives, you can be added as a guest user to an existing owner’s account.
It doesn’t matter if objects are grouped in Inkscape or not, if the strokes are the same color, they will be listed as one “step” in the GF UI, but you can move and scale them individually.
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Understood. I meant literally, throw some shapes into a design program, like circles and squares and ovals, whatever random thing, some with outlines, some filled.
Early in the development stage of the Glowforge, even before Beta units went out, the engineering team worked with a few forum members to do some mutual understanding of best design practices. they got to see what we might throw at the Glowforge and we got to see how they might turn out. It was immensely helpful.
But it seems you have some good experience with lasers. You’ll figure it out pretty quickly.
Not yet… I think that’s too small of a niche market. I think the future of insect farming will actually be in cricket or mealworm powder (flour) that can easily be mixed in to fish/animal feed, or even for human consumption. Imagine eating bread or cereal that is ‘protein fortified’ and just tastes a bit like hazelnuts. no disgusting legs or antennae to see at all!
But that’s years down the road for me… for now I’m focused on selling the sifting trays to farmers around the world.
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