Digital Files

FILES • SOFTWARE • INSIDE CORNERS • NESTING • COURSES • STUFF

File Types

Software details below

3D Files

Fusion 360 - Share a Public Link or Export F3D (Archive) ♥️
STEP or IGES
Rhino 3DM version 7
2D (ONLY): DXF, DWG (2013 or older); AI, SVG
Sketchup* (with caution) - 2015 version or older

2D Files

DXF - preferred
DWG (2013 or older)
AI, SVG - make sure to outline text

Best Practices

If you have a bunch of files to export (2D or 3D), combine them into one file, please.

ZIP your files (and use a provided Upload Link), por favor.

GET A QUOTE

Software

We wrote a blog on Making Files for CNC Machining that goes in depth on how to get started.

SOFTWARE FOR DESIGN

Fusion 360

Free
2D and 3D, Mac/Windows

We’re not shy, this is easily our favorite format to receive files in. F360 is a wonderful and free parametric modeling software. You can do everything from 2D drawings to 3D models, with rendering, CAM operations, and engineering simulations.

How: Share a Public link, or Export a F3D file.

Get Fusion 360 - Hobbyist Free for a Year or Get 20% off with our referral

See our Learn Fusion 360 Resources

Rhino 3D

$ Free Trial / Buy
2D & 3D, Mac/Windows

Rhino makes wonderful 2D and 3D files. One of the best software for all-around CAD making. It excels in precision modeling of all scales from jewelry to buildings. We use Rhino every day and it's a workhorse of many design and job shops.

Download our Rhino Template File

How: Save a Rhino 7 file

Sketchup

$ Free Trial / Buy
2D & 3D, Mac/Windows

Sketchup is a great tool for fast modeling. Their files… work – but not well. Something about the way they make curves is just - bad. They are always faceted. So if you send us something in Sketchup, know that we’ll probably have to spend some CAD time fixing them to make them work. Here’s a possible option for exporting without facets.

Please note: We can open 2015 or older Sketchup files.

Adobe Illustrator

$ Buy
2D, Mac & Windows

You may already have this but it's a viable way to make drawings that are machinable. Make sure to Convert Text to Outlines before sending our way. Also, we’d love it in DXF format (File Export As > DXF)

Inkscape

Free Get Inkscape
2D, Mac & Windows

A free software to draw 2D vector drawings.

USING OTHER SOFTWARE

Revit

$ Revit

Exporting usable files from Revit

Synopsis

Although there are several methods to export 3D models from Revit to Rhino. There is one that gives you the best editing options in Rhino: DWG ACIS solids

Revit Prep

Only export the part of the model you want us to focus on
Keep the level of detail as low as possible

Selecting what to Export

Exporting must be from a 3D view. The configuration of the view also determines which parts of the model are exported.

Use the Visibility/Graphics Overrides to configure which types of objects are visible.
You can use a Section Box to cut your models to specify which part of the model should be exported

More details in the PDF below.

Full Revit Export PDF Download

Inside Corners

Inside corners that result in a radius are a commonly overlooked issue when designing a part for machining. As of yet, there isn’t a magic way to cut a corner on a CNC router with a sharp 90º corner. This is because all CNC bits are round.

Read our post on this.

FIX INSIDE CORNERS

Nesting

Typically, we suggest to leave this to us. If you’re pretty experienced and know exactly what you want here are some tips:

Part to Part (P2P) and Part to Edge (P2E) Spacing
Varies based on the type of part, amount of parts, type of milling, yada yada, typically:

MATERIAL THICK	MIN. P2P	IDEAL P2P	P2E
≤ .375"	0.28"	0.33"	0.20" (ideal)
.500 - .750"	0.28"	0.33"	0.25" (ideal)
.750 - 1.00"	0.39"	0.55"	0.30" (ideal)
1.00 - 2.00"	0.56"	0.80"	0.40" (ideal)

Nominal vs Actual

Thickness is typically not a reliable metric in sheet goods. If your project is high tolerance (±.02”) keep in mind woods vary more than other materials. Plywood in particular almost always varies from its nominal thickness.

The ranges below are for imported Baltic Birch Plywood. Domestic plywood is slightly closer to nominal. Any custom veneering would invalidate these numbers.

We provide these charts as suggestions and won’t be held liable for variations in material.

Nominal	Metric	Actual Range	Suggested Design
1/4"	---	---	---
3/8"	9mm	.35-.36	.355"
1/2"	12mm	.46-.49	.49"
5/8"	15mm	.57-.59	.59"
3/4"	18mm	.68-.72	.72"
1"	25mm	.96-.98	.99"

What to do?

There are a few ways to handle this: Design your project to the thickness of each sheet of plywood (🙄). Or design with a tolerance that fits the range of expected plywoods (👍). Even with the best intentions, things get weird if you get a batch of .68” thickness and expect it to be .71” and design to .72”.

Courses

Learn the Basics of CNC & Cam

We have an online course to teach you the Basics of CNC & CAM. Try the free preview now. The course can be taken on any internet-capable device and it’s totally at your own pace.