Nesting routed letters from FlexiSIGN

FlexiSIGN is built for vinyl and print work. When the same letters have to be routed from acrylic, aluminum or PVC sheets, NestSigns does the sheet nesting: export the outlines from FlexiSIGN and open them in the browser.

Start free: 20 runs, no credit card

From FlexiSIGN to NestSigns

In FlexiSIGN, convert text to outlines so every letter is a closed shape.
Export the letters as DXF (or PDF). Note whether the DXF is in inches or millimeters.
Open the file in NestSigns. For a DXF, choose the units it was drawn in; the file check then shows the part count and the size of the largest letter.
Pick the sheet and spacing, run, and download the nested layout.

Spacing from your bit, checked on every sheet

Type the gap you want, or the diameter of the bit you cut with, and NestSigns sets the spacing from it. After each run it measures the smallest gap actually left between parts and the smallest distance to the sheet edge, and shows both before you download.

Send it to the router

The nested DXF is R12 with true arcs on one layer, which most router CAM software imports cleanly. PDF and AI are there too if you want to open the layout in a design program first. Every part is numbered, and the layout summary PDF shows the same numbers on your original artwork.

What else it does for letter jobs

True-shape nesting by the real letter outlines: any angle, 0/180° only, or no rotation.
Exact spacing. Type the gap or your bit diameter; every layout is checked and shows the smallest gap measured.
Parts inside letter holes. Small pieces go inside O, A, B and D, and holes stay with their letter.
Leftovers first. Full sheets and leftover pieces per material, smallest leftovers used first, stock updated when the job is done.
Oversize letters left out, divided, or divided with a 1 in joining strip, pieces labeled A1, A2…
Every part numbered on the sheets and on the original artwork in the layout summary PDF.

Questions

Can NestSigns open FlexiSIGN files directly?

Not the native FlexiSIGN format. Export the outlines from FlexiSIGN as DXF or PDF and open that file in NestSigns.

My DXF comes in at the wrong size.

When you open a DXF, choose the units it was drawn in (inches or millimeters). The file check shows the artwork size so you can confirm it before nesting.

Is NestSigns made by SA International?

No. NestSigns is separate software and is not affiliated with SAi or FlexiSIGN.

Try it on your own job. Open your artwork, pick a sheet, and see how many sheets you need. 20 free nesting runs, no credit card. After that, $14.99 per month, cancel anytime.
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