Face to kerf-compensated DXF for laser cutting?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have an assembly of relatively complex flat pieces (extruded sketches) that I need to laser cut. The manufacturer I found require that I provide kerf-compensated drawings, and I can’t find how. Using the 2D profile tool in CAM (formerly HSM), I can specify a kerf width, but I can’t find a way to just export the computed path to a DXF. I’m reasonably certain I’m missing something obvious, but I can’t find what.

Thanks for any help 🙂

[Frederick_Law · Accepted solution]

Does it really matter?

Diameter of the laser is 0.010 in?

Without kerf it cut 0.005 smaller?

You can use Direct Edit on the flat model to offset 0.005 over size.

[Anonymous]

It shouldn’t matter too much and if there’s no solution I’ll get the model cut without compensation, but the assembly is very tight already and I’d rather avoid to add kerf error on top of laser tolerance. (Also the cutting + material isn’t cheap, so I’d rather put all the odds on my side, if possible, to avoid too many costly trial and error)

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Find another laser cutting shop, they are common enough now that you do not have to deal with that degree of incompetence. Every industrial laser made has cutter (kerf) compensation.

[Frederick_Law]

True but most of the time the profile failed to "kerf".

We have done lots of arts which only works to not "kerf".

Or spend hours or days to fix the profile.

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem with adjusting the path for laser cutting. So I wrote a small application to help with it and put it online. Hope it might help someone. It is still buggy and with limited capability, but can most parts. https://lasercutoffset.wordpress.com Hope it helps