Tutorial · Multilingual
How to weld Arabic and multilingual names
Arabic and accented Latin names weld the same way as English ones — once the letters are shaped correctly. This guide covers shaping, dot and accent attachment, right-to-left direction, and the counter check that protects multilingual customer orders.
6 minute read · Free to follow · Two free Production Exports included
Short answer
Arabic and other complex scripts must be shaped before they are welded, so the letters take their correct connected forms right to left. Use a tool that shapes the text properly, keep dots and accents attached, check every joined form on screen, and export at true size.
What you need
- Arabic or multilingual fonts with the right glyphs
- A shaping engine (HarfBuzz) for correct letter forms
- Laser software that imports SVG or DXF
- Optional: WeldWords, which shapes and welds automatically
Step by step
Step 1
Let the shaping engine connect the letters
Arabic letters change shape depending on their position in a word, and most forms connect to the next letter automatically. Use a shaping engine rather than typing isolated letterforms, or the connections will be wrong. WeldWords uses HarfBuzz for shaping, so the joined forms are computed correctly.
Step 2
Weld the connected forms into one outline
Once the letters are shaped into their connected forms, weld them into a single outline the same way as Latin script. The welding joins the outer boundaries; the internal holes and dots stay as their own paths.
Step 3
Keep the dots above and below Arabic letters
Arabic has dots above and below the letters that distinguish them (ب ت ث, ج ح خ). These dots must stay attached or the meaning changes. WeldWords detects them and keeps them attached wherever the geometry allows.
Step 4
Keep accents on Latin multilingual names
For names in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and other Latin scripts — Sofía, Zoë, André, São — accents and diacritics are separate shapes that must stay attached. The maker detects and attaches them, which matters most for customer lists where each name may carry a different accent.
Step 5
Handle right-to-left direction correctly
Arabic reads right to left. The maker renders the shaped word in the correct direction, so you see it on screen exactly as it should cut. Do not reverse the word manually — that produces a mirrored, unreadable piece.
Step 6
Check every counter and dot before exporting
Zoom into each letter. Arabic counters (the loops in ع, ه, د) and Latin counters (a, e, o) must remain as inner paths; dots must sit attached above or below their letter. Catching a merged hole on screen saves a spoiled sheet.
Step 7
Set the real finished size in millimetres or inches
Enter the target height or width the same way as for Latin names. The true-millimetre export applies to every script, so Arabic and accented names cut at the exact size you set.
Step 8
Cut a one-name test before the batch
Multilingual orders are where a wrong dot or mirrored letter hides most easily. Cut one Arabic name and one accented Latin name on scrap, confirm the dots, accents and direction, then run the rest of the batch.
Tips that save material and time
- Never reverse an Arabic word manually — the shaping engine handles right-to-left direction.
- Arabic dots above and below letters change meaning; keep them attached.
- Accented Latin names (Sofía, André, São) need accents kept as separate attached shapes.
- Zoom in on every counter — merged holes are the most common multilingual failure.
- Cut one Arabic and one accented Latin name before the full batch.
- True-millimetre sizing applies to every script equally.
Questions people ask
Do Arabic letters connect for laser cutting?
Yes. Most Arabic letter forms connect to the next letter automatically when shaped correctly; the welding then joins those connected forms into one outline.
Why did the dots on my Arabic name disappear?
The dots are separate shapes that must stay attached to their letter. If they were lost, the weld treated them as loose parts; the maker keeps them attached automatically.
Does WeldWords handle accents like ë and ã?
Yes. Accents and diacritics are detected and kept attached to their letter, which matters for customer lists in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German and other Latin scripts.
Do I need to reverse Arabic for right-to-left?
No. The shaping engine renders the word in the correct direction. Reversing it manually produces a mirrored, unreadable piece.
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