Upload issues
We're going to detail all the various error messages you may encounter when uploading files to our webshop. Buckle up, kids, 'cause this is a wild ride.
AutoCAD binary DXF:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...you've made a funny option selection in AutoCAD. Most DXF files are in an ASCII format, but AutoCAD will let you choose to export a binary format DXF, which we can't read. Good news: you've got two ways to fix it. First, make sure you've selected ASCII in your DXF export options as shown here:
Or, alternatively, you can use some free CAD software like QCAD to open and re-save your DXF, and then you should be sweet.
Multiple parts:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...you've uploaded a file with multiple parts in it like this:
We can technically read that, but there are two consequences: first, the price you see won't be nearly as accurate, and second, it creates extra work for us to split the parts out and process them. We're -really- good at nesting, so leave that to us! Please export those as two separate files and you'll be away laughing.
Nested profiles:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...it's because you've got extra stuff inside other stuff, which is a highly technical explanation. To be slightly more complete, what we expect to see is a closed outer profile with as many closed inner profiles as you want (a plate is the outer profile, and all the bolt holes in the plate are inner profiles). But those inner profiles can't have other profiles inside them (profile-ception, if you will), as we don't know what to do with that. Is it another part nested inside a hole? Is one of them meant to be a countersink designation and the other is the cut hole? We really have no idea.
Don't do that. No upload for you.
Open profile:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...then you've got a gap or a floating entity somewhere. Maybe like this:
There are some other examples of open profiles further down the page in the Part Issues section. Clean those up and all your worries will float away.
Intersecting profiles:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...then you've got some stuff intersecting. Maybe like this:
If you want that double-egg-yolk feature cut into your part, you'll need to trim the overlapping bits so it's just one funny-shaped hole, and then you'll be all good.
Empty file:
If you've received this...
If you've received this...
...you've uploaded a DXF without any CAD data in it. I'd show you a picture of an empty DXF file, but the closest thing I could find is a faint and fuzzy image of where my self-respect used to reside.
That should conclude our study of all the error messages we may throw at you, and if you keep reading, we'll explore some of these cases in a bit more detail. Very captivating reading indeed!
Drawing issues:
1) We only accept DXF files at this time. When our cut&fold functionality goes live, we'll accept STP files too. If you have a DWG, PDF, EPS, AI, SLDDRW, or other file type, please convert it to DXF.
2) You need to strip everything out of your drawing except the part geometry. Examples of this are title blocks, notes, centre marks, additional drawing views, shading, and dimensions. Just the part please!
Drawing issues:
1) We only accept DXF files at this time. When our cut&fold functionality goes live, we'll accept STP files too. If you have a DWG, PDF, EPS, AI, SLDDRW, or other file type, please convert it to DXF.
2) You need to strip everything out of your drawing except the part geometry. Examples of this are title blocks, notes, centre marks, additional drawing views, shading, and dimensions. Just the part please!
Every cardinal sin in a single drawing. This is a perfectly adequate reference drawing, but it's not what we need. Strip all the fluff out until you're left with this:
Much better. If you don't have the ability to make these changes, don't panic. You still get to be our customer; you'll just have to go through our manual quote process instead of the webshop. Visit this section to learn more about the manual quote process.
Part issues:
There's a bit more to pick apart here. The biggest issues we see with customer DXF files are artifacts that result in open profiles. We can mostly break them down into gaps, overlaps, and duplicate entities.
1) Gaps: my part looks pretty good from out here.
Part issues:
There's a bit more to pick apart here. The biggest issues we see with customer DXF files are artifacts that result in open profiles. We can mostly break them down into gaps, overlaps, and duplicate entities.
1) Gaps: my part looks pretty good from out here.
But if I zoom in a bit:
And then a bit more, I find a teensy-weensy gap that means that my square baseplate isn't closed. That's a problem!
2) Overlaps: we'll spare the zooming in exercise, but this time, I've found a little hangnail. This means that my baseplate is enclosed, but we don't have an automatic way of dealing with that hangnail. Chop it off and we're good!
3) Duplicate entities: this one can be harder to troubleshoot. Everything looks totally fine...
...but one of my edges has an extra line lurking underneath it, only visible when I start moving things around.
4) Floating entities: see that little dot at about 10:00 on the centre circle?
Zoom in, and there's a stray line segment just hanging out in space there. No good!
Of course, our team of CAD experts is well-capable of fixing all these things for you, but our quoting engine isn't able to handle these quirks in files. If you can fix them, that's all good, and if that's beyond your tools or skills, don't feel in the least bit bad, and visit this section to learn more about our manual quote process.
Scaling your parts
Sometimes, your DXF might not be scaled properly; don’t feel bad, as DXFs have no inherent scale baked in. To help you, we’ve added a widget to allow you to correct scale issues on the fly. Here's how to use it.
I've just uploaded my part, and I see the as-imported size for my part right underneath its preview image.
I've just uploaded my part, and I see the as-imported size for my part right underneath its preview image.
Hang on! My part should be a lot larger than that...that's smaller than my big toe. Oh, that's right, my CAD software was set to inches. I can simply click on the "Inches" button to change units.
I immediately see the new part size underneath the scale selection (I also see the price update instantly on the right side of the screen, but we're not showing that in this guide).
I immediately see the new part size underneath the scale selection (I also see the price update instantly on the right side of the screen, but we're not showing that in this guide).
OK, that's a lot better, but I seem to have forgotten to check that I was exporting from my CAD software at 1:1 scale. I guess I actually exported the DXF at 2:1 scale, but thankfully I can fix that too.
All I have to do is pick 2:1 from the scale dropdown menu, and once again I see my part size (and price) update immediately.
All I have to do is pick 2:1 from the scale dropdown menu, and once again I see my part size (and price) update immediately.
Whew, that's my part!
Hopefully I remember to export it correctly from my CAD next time, but I know that if I mess up again, I can fix it right here in the webshop.
You are responsible for scaling your parts correctly; we have no way of knowing if your intent is for something the size of a postage stamp or a dining table (we love and accept parts of all sizes equally, #inclusion), and we accept no responsibility for scaling errors.
Hopefully I remember to export it correctly from my CAD next time, but I know that if I mess up again, I can fix it right here in the webshop.
You are responsible for scaling your parts correctly; we have no way of knowing if your intent is for something the size of a postage stamp or a dining table (we love and accept parts of all sizes equally, #inclusion), and we accept no responsibility for scaling errors.
Designing for profile cutting
Good part design! Coming soon.
I want a manual quote
Maybe you're having technical issues with your files, and you'd like us to sort them. Or maybe you want a cut & fold job done before we launch that capability. Or maybe you think your order is really big and you think it might qualify for a sharper price. Or there's just something...weird...about your project and you think you want our skilled eyes on it.
That's all good. What's worth noting about our manual quoting is that it's a slower process, and it may require a lot of communication.
Go ahead and click here to submit a manual quote.
That's all good. What's worth noting about our manual quoting is that it's a slower process, and it may require a lot of communication.
Go ahead and click here to submit a manual quote.
There's something wrong with my order!
Uh oh, something's gone wrong. Have you received some parts but they're not yours? Or there's a part missing? Or there's a quality issue with the parts? Or perhaps you've been expecting your parcel and it's not arrived?
We stand by our work, so click here and let us know what's going on.
We stand by our work, so click here and let us know what's going on.