Nesting sign letters for VCarve and Aspire
VCarve and Aspire are where many shops make toolpaths. NestSigns can do the nesting step before that: open the letter artwork, pack it onto your sheets and leftovers, then import the nested DXF into VCarve or Aspire.
Start free: 20 runs, no credit cardVCarve already nests. Why another tool?
VCarve Pro and Aspire include their own nesting, and for many jobs that is all you need. Shops that cut a lot of letters use NestSigns for the parts around the nesting:
- Stock and leftovers. Keep full sheets and leftover pieces for each material. NestSigns uses the smallest leftovers first and takes the used stock out when you mark the job done.
- Gap check. Every layout is measured after nesting, and the smallest gap and edge distance are shown before you download.
- Sorting after cutting. Every part is numbered on the sheets and on the original artwork, in one summary PDF.
- Material cost. Enter a price per sheet to see what each job costs.
- Starts from the design file. It opens Illustrator, CorelDRAW, PDF, DXF and SVG artwork directly.
The workflow
| Step | Where |
|---|---|
| 1. Open the artwork and pick the sheet or leftover | NestSigns |
| 2. Nest and check the gaps | NestSigns |
| 3. Download DXF, one file per sheet or all sheets together | NestSigns |
| 4. Import the DXF and make profile toolpaths | VCarve or Aspire |
| 5. Cut | Your router |
The DXF is R12 with true arcs on one layer, so letter curves stay smooth when you import them.
Set the spacing for your bit
Type your bit diameter and NestSigns sets the part spacing from it, a little more than the bit so the cutter never touches the next letter.
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
Does NestSigns make toolpaths?
No. NestSigns nests the parts and exports the layout. Toolpaths are made in VCarve, Aspire or the CAM software you already use.
Do I have to stop using VCarve's nesting?
No. Use whichever fits the job. NestSigns is most useful when you want leftover stock, a measured gap check and numbered parts for sorting.
Is NestSigns made by Vectric?
No. NestSigns is separate software and is not affiliated with Vectric. VCarve and Aspire are trademarks of their owner.
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