SketchUp, Inkscape, and Ponoko Laser Cutting

Step 4 Importing into Inkscape

To check the validity of your exported SVG file, load Inkscape and open the file you just exported, it should look similar to picture 1. If you had selected the entire object instead of just the six faces, you will get something similar to picture 2. You can get around this by removing the spurious faces in Inkscape and saving the file.

Now you should download the Starter Kit for Inkscape if you haven't already. Extract the zip file and you will produce a manual (READ IT) and three templates P1 to P3 varying in size from smallest to largest (picture 3). These sizes are explained in the manual.

Open P1 in Inkscape, since we only need the smallest template (see picture 4), and then we will import the SVG file that we produced (picture 5).

The result will be a grouped object, which we need to "ungroup" by clicking with the right mouse button (picture 6). We can then layout the pieces to fit the template (picture 7).

Once layout is complete you must set the stroke thickness correctly for Ponoko (the cutting colour is already correct - see the manual). Select all of the pieces and then choose Object -> Fill and Stroke... from the menu. This will give you the dialog box as in picture 7. Select the Stroke Style tab and set width to 0.003 mm (see picture 7 once more).

See picture 8 for the expected outcome of setting the stroke width to 0.003mm.

Now the layout is complete and Ponoko requirements have been met, we must now save the file in EPS format (as that is the format that Ponoko currently use for laser cutting). See picture 9.