Tutorial · Exporting
How to export SVG & DXF for LightBurn, Glowforge and xTool
A welded name is only useful once it reaches the machine at the right size. This guide covers choosing SVG vs DXF, true-millimetre import, cut layers, hole verification, and the one-name test cut that protects the rest of your material.
5 minute read · Free to follow · Two free Production Exports included
Short answer
Export SVG for Glowforge and most browser-based software, DXF for LightBurn and CAD workflows. Export in true units, keep the cut outline on its own layer, verify the holes are still holes after import, and check the imported dimensions before sending the job.
What you need
- Welded names ready to export
- LightBurn, Glowforge, xTool or Cricut Design Space
- Material to test on
- Optional: WeldWords for true-millimetre SVG/DXF export
Step by step
Step 1
Weld and finish the name first
Do all welding, hole-keeping, sizing and keychain work before exporting. The exported file is the finished cut shape, so any fix you skip has to be redone in your cutting software — harder than doing it in the maker.
Step 2
Choose SVG or DXF
SVG is the universal vector format and imports cleanly into Glowforge, xTool and Cricut Design Space. DXF is the standard for LightBurn and most CNC software. WeldWords exports both as true-millimetre single-path files with the counters intact.
Step 3
Export the file
Click Export and choose SVG or DXF. The file contains one connected path per name, with inner counter paths for the holes, and the size written in real millimetres so it opens at the exact finished size.
Step 4
Import into your software at true size
Drag the file into LightBurn, upload it to Glowforge, or open it in xTool. A true-millimetre file imports at the exact size with no rescale dialog. If your software prompts to rescale, cancel and check the import units are millimetres.
Step 5
Set the cut layer and color
Assign the outline to a cut layer at the right speed and power for your material. If you also engraved a border or text, put that on a separate engrave layer with a different color so the machine treats it differently.
Step 6
Verify the size in the preview
Check the reported dimensions against your target before cutting. In LightBurn, select the shape and read the size; in Glowforge, read the placement numbers. They should match what you set in the maker to within beam tolerance.
Step 7
Check the cut preview for holes
Toggle the cut preview in LightBurn or the score/cut view in Glowforge. The outer outline should cut, and the inner counters should cut as holes inside each letter — not as separate loose parts.
Step 8
Cut one name, then the batch
Send one name first to confirm settings, then cut the remaining sheets. Because each sheet exports separately, you can adjust power or speed between sheets without re-exporting.
Tips that save material and time
- SVG is universal for Glowforge, xTool and Cricut; DXF is the LightBurn/CNC standard.
- True-millimetre files import at exact size — if asked to rescale, the import units are wrong.
- Put cut and engrave on separate colored layers so the machine treats them differently.
- Toggle the cut preview to confirm holes show as inner cuts, not loose parts.
- Export each sheet separately to test settings between cuts.
- If a file imports tiny, your software read it as pixels or the wrong unit — re-export as vector.
Questions people ask
Should I use SVG or DXF?
SVG for Glowforge, xTool and Cricut Design Space; DXF for LightBurn and most CNC software. Both export at true millimetres from WeldWords.
Why did my file import at the wrong size?
The software read it with the wrong import unit or as a raster. True-millimetre SVG/DXF imports at the exact size; if a rescale prompt appears, cancel and set the import unit to millimetres.
How do I separate cut and engrave in LightBurn?
Put the outline on a cut layer (red by default) and any engraving on an engrave layer (blue/black), each with its own speed and power. The color you assign in the maker maps to the layer color.
Do WeldWords files keep the letter holes?
Yes. Counters export as inner cut paths inside each letter, so they cut as holes, not as separate loose pieces.
Do it now instead of reading about it
Type the word, let it weld, export the production file. Two Production Exports are free.
Try it in the maker