How to Create a One-Piece Cut File for Laser, Plasma, and CNC Cutting

• Video instruction added at the end.

Discover the solution if your favorite clipart design doesn't suit your project because the SVG, DXF, or PDF file consists of separate elements. This situation often occurs when working with vector files of different dog breeds.

• Want cut ready one piece cut files? Browse One-Piece Dog Cut Designs in the collection.

For specific design fabrication, such as metal signs or wooden medallions, this can be a real challenge. You have chosen a design, but it is built of disconnected elements. If the design is copyrighted, first check whether it is allowed to modify the details for commercial projects. If it is permitted, the solution is simple: draw "bridges" between the "islands."

While there [probably] are AI programs today that can do this automatically, it is still worth learning the basics of how to solve these situations in a graphics software.

If you don't own Illustrator or CorelDRAW, it’s not a problem—I often recommend Inkscape, an open-source vector graphics editor. It is professional enough to handle complex tasks and common design issues.

In this post, I will show you how to create bridges between separate details or make specific lines thicker to ensure a stable cut.

In the image to the left, you can see the original drawing of a Norwegian Elkhound. To the right is the result optimized for a laser cutter to create a metal wall art pattern.

14 Tips for Drawing Bridges in Inkscape 

1. Download Inkscape.
2. Go to File > New to open a new blank document (referred to as an Artboard or Workspace in other programs).
3. Go to File > Import to bring in your SVG, PDF, or PNG file. This is the most reliable way to open files and get the image you can work with. Exspecially if the file don't load correctly via double-click.
4. Place the image on the canvas.
5. Ungroup all objects. Drop out non-needed.
6. My original sample image (that you see on main image to the left) is perfect for vinyl cutting or any application using layered backgrounds, but it has a separate detail and long “legs”.
7. To create a one-piece metal sign, we need to add bridges.
8. On the left toolbar, select the Pen Tool (Bezier curves) and draw an object connecting two separate details.
   
   
9. Ensure the last point of your path matches the first point to create a closed path.
10. In the top menu, go to Object > Fill and Stroke. Choose a fill color (matching the original), but set the stroke to "None."
11. Select both the objects you are joining and the bridge you created, then go to Path > Union in the top menu.
12. Repeat this for all necessary objects—not just separated pieces, but also thin elements with long "legs" that might break depending on the material.
13. Finally, verify that all pieces are joined and all nodes connected. You can offset or thicken specific areas by moving nodes with the Node Tool.
14. Export the file in your required file format.

File

Other graphic editors have similar tools, though they may be positioned differently—however, they are all designed to be intuitive to find once you understand the basic workflow.