Laser Cutting for CAD/CAM

Definition & Context

Laser-cutting CAD prepares 2-D profiles for laser (and often plasma/waterjet) cutting: clean closed vector geometry, kerf compensation, lead-ins/outs, bridges/tabs, and common-line cutting for nesting efficiency. Files (DXF) are nested and converted to machine code via CAM.

Nesting software (SigmaNEST, Lantek, ProNest) maximises material yield, sequences cuts to manage heat, and applies kerf/lead-in settings for quality edges.

Why It Matters

Laser cutting is fast and precise but material and edge quality depend on clean geometry, kerf compensation, and smart nesting. Good preparation cuts scrap and rework dramatically.

Most quality problems originate in the CAD/CAM prep, not the machine: open or duplicated vectors confuse the cutter, geometry at the wrong scale or units yields undersized parts, and omitting kerf compensation (the material the beam removes, typically a few tenths of a millimetre) makes every profile the wrong size. Nesting and cut sequencing then trade off material yield against heat build-up — common-line cutting and micro-tabs save material and stop small parts tipping into the beam, while a good pierce/lead-in strategy protects edge quality on the finished part.

Tools & Software

• CAD (DXF export)
• SigmaNEST / Lantek / ProNest (nesting)
• laser CAM

Best Practices

• Provide clean, closed vector geometry at the right scale/units.
• Apply kerf compensation and appropriate lead-ins/outs.
• Nest efficiently and use common-line cutting to save material.
• Sequence cuts and use tabs to manage heat and part movement.

Common Pitfalls

• Open/overlapping vectors causing cut errors.
• No kerf compensation, so parts are undersized.
• Poor nesting wasting material.
• Heat distortion from bad cut sequencing.

Standards & Interoperability

• DXF is the de facto 2-D exchange format handed to nesting/CAM; export closed polylines at 1:1 scale in known units
• Cut-edge quality grades follow ISO 9013 (thermal cutting) for tolerance and squareness classes
• Set kerf offset and lead-in/out per material and thickness; keep geometry on layers the CAM can map

Sources & Further Reading

• SigmaTEK — SigmaNEST
• Lantek

Related Concepts

• Sheet Metal Design Principles — designing parts for cutting and forming
• CAM Toolpath Fundamentals — the CAM side of profile cutting
• Robotic Welding Paths — a downstream fabrication step

Enterprise Production Implementation & GstarCAD 2027 Workflow

• Database Serialization & Binary Fidelity: Ensure all entities and symbol table records associated with Laser Cutting for CAD/CAM are authored on standardized ISO 13567 layers rather than Layer 0 or Defpoints, and verify lossless round-trip persistence in native DWG (AC1032) format.