Why DXF is the format you want
Laser, plasma, waterjet and CNC routing are 2D profile operations, and they follow vector paths. DXF stores geometry as lines, arcs and splines, which is exactly what the machine reads. A PNG or JPG is only pixels, and a PDF is for human eyes, so neither can drive a cut directly. The same vector DXF feeds a CNC plasma table from a photo of a flat steel part, covered in making a DXF for plasma cutting.
How to get a clean DXF
- Start from a high-contrast image of the shape, the cleaner the outline the better.
- Let the tool vectorize the outline into closed paths, then export
DXF. - Check that the scale is right by setting one real dimension, since a cut path at the wrong size is scrap.
Pair it with a drawing when it matters
For a plain flat cut, a DXF alone is enough. The moment the part has tolerances, bends or finish notes, send a PDF drawing alongside it. The full logic of which file to send for each process is in DXF, DWG, STEP or PDF: which file to send. And to take the DXF into 3D CAD, our CAD workflow guides cover importing it into Fusion 360, Onshape and more.