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Editing the SVG files

The laser, Roland and drawing files are plain SVG. You can open and edit them in any vector editor. This page shows how to do it safely.

Which program?

Program Cost Good for
Inkscape free Everything on this page. Recommended. Ubuntu: sudo apt install inkscape
Illustrator, CorelDRAW paid Fine, if your laser software is built on them
xTool Creative Space, LightBurn Open the SVG directly to cut it. Edit in Inkscape first for bigger changes
A text editor free Change a number or a word. SVG is just text

The rules every file follows

Rule Why
1 unit = 1 mm. Size is written in mm (for example 110mm), and the viewBox has the same number. The file cuts at real size. Keep the document scale at 100%.
Red hairline = cut through. Line width about 0.1 mm. Laser software reads thin red as a cut.
Black = engrave. Text, marks and guides on the surface.
Magenta CutContour = the BN-20 cut line, with the colors on a separate PRINT layer. The Roland prints the colors and cuts along the magenta line.
Each file has named layers: CUT, ENGRAVE (and PRINT, CUT CONTOUR for stickers). Open Inkscape's Layers panel (Shift+Ctrl+L) to hide or lock them.

Edit, step by step (Inkscape)

  1. Open the file. If Inkscape asks about scale, choose the default and keep mm as the display unit (Document Properties, Shift+Ctrl+D).
  2. In the Layers panel, lock the CUT layer while you edit the ENGRAVE layer (and the other way round), so you do not move the wrong thing.
  3. Make your change. To move or resize something exactly, use the X, Y, W, H boxes in the toolbar, in mm.
  4. Convert text to outlines before it goes to the machine: select the text, then Path > Object to Path (Shift+Ctrl+C). Otherwise the machine may use a different font.
  5. Save as Plain SVG or Inkscape SVG, into projects/welcome-space/custom/ (see below).
  6. Check it before cutting:
python scripts/svg_tool.py check projects/welcome-space/custom/your_file.svg

It checks scale, colors, line width and text, and says what is wrong.

Important: where to save your edit

Most SVGs here are generated from numbers (generators/). If you save your edit over the original, the next rebuild overwrites it.

  • A one-off edit (a name engraved on one plate, a test piece): save it in projects/welcome-space/custom/ with the name <original>__custom-<what-you-changed>.svg. That folder is never overwritten.
  • A real improvement (a better slot width, a new hole): change the parameter in the generator, rebuild, and open an issue. Then every file and the 3D explorer update together.

Quick fixes in a text editor

I want to Change
Change the plate diameter The r="55" of the circle in the CUT layer (radius, in mm)
Make slots wider The height or width of the slot rectangles. The generator parameter is SLOT_W
Move a label The x and y of its <text>
Hide a layer in the machine software Delete the layer's <g> ... </g> block

Check list before you cut

  • [ ] svg_tool.py check says no errors
  • [ ] Measure the finished file's size in the machine software: 110 mm for a plate, with calipers on the first test piece
  • [ ] Text is converted to outlines
  • [ ] Red = cut, black = engrave, nothing else
  • [ ] First cut on scrap plywood