THE VISUAL FILE GUIDE

Your idea.
Ready to cut.

Start with a different file in File Workshop.
Prepare suitable artwork or review drawing repairs.

Explore the file guide Already have a DXF? See what we can fix ↓
Illustrated metal mounting plate made from clean cutting outlines
ARTWORK · CUTTING PATHS · YOUR PART

01 / MORE WAYS TO START

Artwork to outlines.
Drawing problems to repairs.

Trace suitable artwork, or clean up an existing DXF.
Check the prepared drawing, then continue to quote.

01 / YOUR JPG OR PNG

Your artwork.

A solid black shape on white.
White holes are cut out.

02 / FILE WORKSHOP

Clear cutting paths.

Check the outside edge, all three holes
and the slot. Confirm the real size.

03 / WHAT THE SHAPE MAKESRealistic illustration of the matching metal plate with three through-holes and one slot

The part you intended.

The same shape, shown in metal.
Illustration of the finished part.

File Workshop prepares the cutting geometry.
It cannot recover exact dimensions from a photo or invent missing detail.

Open File Workshop
  1. 01

    Choose your file

    Upload artwork or a drawing. Select the part you want to prepare if there are several.

  2. 02

    Check every cut

    Compare the preview with your original. Review warnings and any proposed repairs.

  3. 03

    Set the real size

    Confirm millimetres, the overall size and a known hole or feature. Keep proportions locked.

  4. 04

    Continue to quote

    Choose Save and continue to quote. Review material, thickness and the quote checks.

Which file have you got?

Ready DXF, STEP and STP files can go straight to quoting. Use File Workshop for other formats or to review drawing repairs.

2D CUTTING DRAWING

DXF / DWG

Full-size 2D geometry in millimetres. Keep only the cutting paths; remove dimensions and drawing borders.

VECTOR ARTWORK

SVG / PDF

Real vector paths. Convert intended cut text to outlines. PDF must be one page, with no embedded images.

BLACK & WHITE ARTWORK

JPG / PNG

A sharp, solid black shape on white. Check the traced detail and set the finished size yourself.

See good and bad examples ↓
SHEET-METAL MODEL

STEP / STP

One sheet-metal body of consistent thickness. Suitable models are unfolded first. The editor then works on the flat drawing, not the original 3D model.

See the sheet-metal example ↓

DWG needs the conversion service to be available. AI, BMP, TIFF and STL are not accepted by File Workshop. Export suitable DXF or SVG paths from your original software instead.

02 / JPG & PNG: KEEP IT BLACK AND WHITE

A silhouette.
Not a photograph.

Export flat, front-on artwork from your software.
No shading, shadows or perspective.

✓ GOOD INPUTSolid black. Plain white. Sharp edges.

Black stays.
White is cut away.

File Workshop traces the boundaries between black and white. Every unwanted mark can become another outline.

Black = material to keepWhite inside = holes & cutouts

Show the whole part with a little white space around it. Make small holes and gaps clear enough to see.

For JPG and PNG, use a filled silhouette. A thin line drawing can trace both sides of each line. Export vector paths as DXF or SVG when you have them.

Unsuitable input: a perspective view of a metal part on paper with lighting and shadows
× DON’T USE A PHOTO

Photos & perspective

Lighting and angled edges do not describe the flat cutting shape.

× REMOVE SHADING

Greys & gradients

Faded areas can disappear or change shape when traced. Use solid black.

× EXPORT A CLEARER FILE

Blur & lost detail

If a hole or edge is unclear, File Workshop cannot reliably reconstruct it.

120 mmPART A
× REMOVE EXTRA MARKS

Borders & dimensions

Labels, page frames and stray marks can become unwanted cutting paths.

BEFORE EXPORTING FROM YOUR SOFTWARE

Send the shape.
Leave the page behind.

  • Export just the part. Remove backgrounds, borders, dimensions, logos and notes you do not want cut.
  • For images: black on white. Use a filled, front-on shape with crisp edges. Check that every hole remains visible.
  • For vectors: actual paths. Close outlines, remove duplicates, and convert text intended for cutting to curves or outlines.
  • Check scale after export. Use 1:1 in millimetres for CAD. Images need a real finished dimension set in File Workshop.

PDF: WHAT’S INSIDE MATTERS

Saving as PDF
doesn’t make it a drawing.

Export one page of real vector outlines from your design software.

PDF
✓ VECTOR OUTLINES
PDFUnsuitable PDF containing an embedded photograph instead of vector paths
× PHOTO OR SCAN

Multi-page PDFs and PDFs containing embedded images are rejected, even if some vector lines are present.

SAME IMAGE. DIFFERENT FINISHED SIZE.

Pixels aren’t millimetres.

Enter a known width or height. Keep proportions locked so circles stay round. Unlocking proportions stretches the part and changes its features.

Illustration only. This slider does not edit your file.

Illustrative plate scaled proportionally to 200 millimetres wide and 125.9 millimetres high.

03 / ALREADY HAVE A DXF?

See the issue.
Review the fix.

File Workshop can help repair cutting geometry.
Compare every proposed change with your original.

Close a small gap.

× ORIGINALSMALL GAP · ENLARGED
Broken outline
✓ PREPAREDREVIEW THE NEW JOIN
Reviewed join

The editor can join suitable small, local gaps. Review the new segment before accepting it. Large gaps need a design decision; an intentional slit should not be closed automatically.

Cut each edge once.

× ORIGINALTWO PATHS · SAME POSITION
Two overlapping paths
✓ PREPAREDONE PATH · ONE PASS
One cutting path

Verified duplicate paths can be removed while keeping the intended edge. Duplicate cuts can add unnecessary cutting length and cost. Intersecting parts need a closer look.

Replay shows the same outside edge twice on the left and once on the right.

Keep only the part.

× ORIGINAL120 mmPART A
Border, notes and stray marks
✓ PREPARED
Just the cutting geometry

Hide drawing-aid layers or remove unwanted marks. If the file contains several parts or views, choose the part you actually want. Keep every intended hole.

Restore a real curve.

× ORIGINALSTRAIGHT SEGMENTS · ENLARGED
Short straight segments
✓ PREPAREDTRUE CIRCLE
Reviewed circle or arc

File Workshop can suggest restoring suitable segmented circles and arcs. Compare Original and Prepared before applying the change; some faceted shapes are intentional.

Keep inner details attached.

Why bridges matter ↗
× NO CONNECTIONMetal stencil with its unattached centre fallen below the opening
The loose centre falls out.
✓ BRIDGES REVIEWEDMatching stencil with two blue metal bridges holding the centre in place
Uncut connections hold the centre.

Review suggested bridges only where a centre should stay attached. Bridges change your design; their placement and width must suit the material and use. Leave intended holes open. Blue highlights identify uncut metal; dimensions are illustrative.

SOME ISSUES NEED YOUR DECISION

A repair still needs a review.

  • Missing detail or unclear artwork: return to the original design. File Workshop cannot know what was intended.
  • Material and size limits: a clean drawing still needs to meet the cutting requirements.
  • A STEP file that cannot unfold: correct the original sheet-metal model. The editor repairs the prepared flat drawing, not the 3D source.

04 / BACK TO YOUR QUOTE

Review. Save. Continue.

Check the prepared drawing before using it for an order.

Check the design & cutting rules ↗

Personal reminders. The file and quote checks still apply.

ONE LIBRARY. ONE ORDERING JOURNEY.

Fix the drawing.
Carry on with your quote.

From a quote warning, choose “Fix in file editor” when offered.
In File Workshop, choose “Save and continue to quote”.

Open File Workshop Ready DXF, STEP or STP? Get a quote ↗

There is no need to download and upload the prepared file again. Review the new quote checks after saving, including any bend or material decisions.