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← Design guidelinesXEON NC FILE PREPARATION

From CAD to cutting

How to prepare
your CAD file.

A clean file is where a good part starts. Choose your CAD software, follow the export steps, and give your design a final check.

Find your export steps
Built to work as one. CAD rendering of a sheet metal assembly. From individual components to finished assemblies. We cut, form, finish, and bring the parts together.

01 / Export guide

Your software.
Your export steps.

Start with the CAD tool you use.
Then select the file you need to send.

Onshape

Export from the part or flat view in your Part Studio.

Onshape STEP export

Send the finished solid.

Use STEP for a solid model, including a sheet metal part in its formed shape.

  1. Choose the final part

    In the Part Studio, check the intended configuration. Keep a bent part formed so its bend geometry travels with the model.

  2. Open Export

    Right-click the part in the Parts list and choose Export. Select STEP as the format.

  3. Check the export settings

    Set a clear file name. Onshape offers custom STEP units; if you use them, match your design units.

  4. Download and verify

    Download the file, reopen it in a CAD viewer, and check its solid geometry and one known dimension.

Onshape DXF export

Export the cutting profile.

Use the flat pattern for sheet metal, or a planar face or sketch for a part that is already flat.

  1. Open the flat view

    For sheet metal, open Sheet metal table and flat view. Confirm that the intended part has a complete flat pattern.

  2. Export the flat pattern

    Right-click the flat view and choose Export DXF/DWG of flat pattern. Select DXF and export the individual part.

  3. Keep only the cut geometry

    Exclude bend centerlines, tangent lines, and other non-cutting entities. For an already-flat part, you can export its planar face or sketch instead.

  4. Check the downloaded DXF

    Reopen the DXF. Confirm its overall dimensions, closed outer profile, and internal cutouts. Remove duplicate or stray geometry.

Onshape STL export

Make a clean printing mesh.

STL represents the outside of your part with triangles. Use it for a 3D printing request.

  1. Select the printable part

    Check that the intended part is a closed solid. Exclude unrelated bodies.

  2. Choose STL

    Right-click the part in the Parts list, choose Export, and select STL.

  3. Set units and resolution

    Choose the intended units and Binary output. Use Fine or a suitable custom resolution, then inspect curved surfaces.

  4. Inspect the mesh

    Check that the mesh is closed, has no missing faces, and measures correctly. Include the intended units with your request.

Fusion 360

Choose a solid export, a sheet metal flat pattern, or a printing mesh.

Fusion 360 STEP export

Export your final design.

STEP preserves solid geometry for review, machining, and formed sheet metal.

  1. Prepare the intended part

    Check the design and configuration. Remove unrelated components from the export; keep a bent sheet metal part in its formed state.

  2. Use File → Export

    Open Export and choose STEP from the Type menu. Give the file a recognizable part name.

  3. Save the file

    Choose the destination and export. Allow the export operation to finish before using the file.

  4. Reopen and measure

    Inspect the exported solid in a CAD viewer. Check overall size, holes, and the number of parts included.

Fusion 360 DXF export

Start with the flat pattern.

For sheet metal, use Fusion’s Flat Pattern workflow to create the cutting file.

  1. Create and review the flat pattern

    Use the intended sheet metal rule and thickness. Create a Flat Pattern; a temporary Unfold operation is a different workflow.

  2. Activate the flat pattern

    In the Browser, right-click Flat Pattern and choose Activate. Select Export DXF from the toolbar.

  3. Choose units and visible geometry

    Set the export units. Exclude bend centerlines and extent lines from the cutting file. Convert splines to polylines only when required, using a suitable tolerance.

  4. Save and check the profile

    Save the DXF and reopen it. Verify full-size dimensions, closed contours, and no duplicate or non-cutting lines.

Fusion 360 STL export

Save the body as a mesh.

Export the printable body as STL for a 3D printing request.

  1. Check the solid body

    Confirm the part is a closed solid with the intended geometry. Select the individual body to avoid including unrelated parts.

  2. Open Save As Mesh

    In the Browser, right-click the body and choose Save As Mesh.

  3. Choose STL and review settings

    Select STL, confirm units, and choose a refinement that keeps curves smooth without unnecessary file size.

  4. Verify the exported mesh

    Reopen it in a mesh viewer. Check dimensions, closed surfaces, and curved edges; state the units in your request.

AutoCAD

Use clean model-space geometry. STEP export requires AutoCAD Mechanical.

AutoCAD STEP export

Use AutoCAD Mechanical for STEP.

Standard AutoCAD does not provide STEP export. These steps apply to AutoCAD Mechanical.

  1. Confirm your toolset

    Open AutoCAD Mechanical and confirm you have the final 3D solid. A 2D drawing cannot supply the missing thickness and bend geometry.

  2. Prepare the export

    Use a copy containing the intended part. Remove unrelated geometry and inspect the solid.

  3. Run STEPOUT

    Enter STEPOUT, choose the output name and location, and save the STEP file. Use this command rather than the general EXPORT command.

  4. Review the result

    Reopen the exported file in a STEP-capable viewer and check its size, shape, and contents.

AutoCAD DXF export

Save clean, full-size contours.

Build the cutting profile in model space, without the drawing sheet or annotations.

  1. Prepare one 2D part

    Work in a separate copy. Keep the outer contour and required internal cutouts on a common plane at full size.

  2. Remove drawing-only geometry

    Remove dimensions, title blocks, hatching, centerlines, and construction lines. Check for open endpoints and overlapping duplicates.

  3. Save a DXF copy

    Use SAVEAS and select DXF as the file type. Keep the original drawing and give the cutting file a clear part name.

  4. Reopen and measure

    Open the DXF and compare a known dimension with the design. Confirm the intended units and that only cutting geometry remains.

AutoCAD STL export

Export a watertight solid or mesh.

Use desktop AutoCAD with the required 3D tools. A 2D outline is not a printable volume.

  1. Check the source geometry

    Use a 3D solid or a watertight mesh. Verify that the intended part is complete and has the right dimensions.

  2. Review curved surfaces

    FACETRES controls the smoothness of the STL approximation. Increase it when necessary, keeping file size in mind.

  3. Run STLOUT

    Enter STLOUT, select the intended object, and choose Binary output when prompted. Save the STL.

  4. Inspect the saved mesh

    Reopen the file and confirm size, closed surfaces, and acceptable smoothness. State the intended units with the request.

SOLIDWORKS

Export a part model, sheet metal flat pattern, or STL from your finished design.

SOLIDWORKS STEP export

Save the finished part as STEP.

Use a solid model for machining or formed sheet metal. Keep the intended configuration active.

  1. Review the part configuration

    Open the finished part and rebuild it. For a bent sheet metal part, keep the formed configuration active.

  2. Choose File → Save As

    Select a STEP file type in the save dialog. Name the export so its part number and revision are clear.

  3. Review STEP options

    Open Options and review the geometry settings. Export the intended solid geometry and save the file.

  4. Check the exported model

    Reopen the STEP file. Verify dimensions, holes, bends, and that only the intended part is included.

SOLIDWORKS DXF export

Export the sheet metal flat pattern.

Export directly from the part so the cutting contours do not inherit a drawing-view scale.

  1. Review the sheet metal part

    Check the intended configuration, thickness, and flat pattern. Resolve rebuild errors before exporting.

  2. Use Export to DXF / DWG

    Right-click Flat-Pattern in the FeatureManager and select Export to DXF/DWG. You can also use Save As and choose DXF.

  3. Choose cutting geometry

    In the export options, keep the geometry needed to cut the part. Clear Bend lines and exclude bounding boxes or other non-cutting entities.

  4. Inspect the exported profile

    Review the preview, save the DXF, and reopen it. Check overall dimensions, cutouts, closed contours, and duplicate edges.

SOLIDWORKS STL export

Export a mesh for printing.

Save the finished solid as a closed STL mesh for a 3D printing request.

  1. Open the finished part

    Activate the correct configuration and rebuild the model. Check that the printable volume is complete.

  2. Save as STL

    Use File → Save As and select STL. Open Options before saving.

  3. Check units and resolution

    Choose the intended units and Binary output. Review the mesh resolution and preview, particularly on curved surfaces.

  4. Verify the file

    Reopen the STL and check size, surface continuity, and curved edges. State the units with your request.

Menu names and export options can vary by software version and license. Each guide links to the software maker’s documentation.

02 / Before you upload

One last
file check.

Use this list to review your export before sending it. These are manual checks; this page does not inspect your file.

Upload your part

DXF · STEP · STP
STL or additional documents? Request a custom quote

03 / Common questions

A few details
worth getting right.

Choose the file that communicates
what you actually need made.

Should I upload a formed STEP or a flat DXF?

For a bent sheet metal part, start with the formed STEP model so the intended shape and bend geometry are visible. For a flat laser-cut part, use a clean 2D DXF or a suitable solid model. A flat DXF alone does not describe bend angles or directions.

Read the STEP vs. DXF guide
What belongs in a cutting DXF?

Include the full-size outer contour and required internal cutouts. Remove duplicate edges, open gaps, dimensions, title blocks, hatching, and construction geometry. Supply nominal part geometry; do not add kerf compensation unless instructed for your job. Put engraving, marking, and bend instructions in separate, clearly identified documentation.

Can I send a PDF or a technical drawing?

A drawing is useful for tolerances, threads, finishes, and requirements that geometry cannot communicate. It supplements the CAD file. Send supporting documents through a custom quote request, and keep the drawing revision aligned with the model.

Prepare a technical drawing
Why did my file import at the wrong size?

Check the units used during both export and import, and confirm that the geometry was exported at full size rather than from a scaled drawing view. Reopen the file and measure a known dimension before sending it. STL files need particular care because a unit definition is not reliably included.

Using Inventor or another CAD application?

The same preparation principles apply: export a solid STEP for a 3D part, a clean full-size DXF for a flat cutting profile, or a closed STL mesh for printing. Verify the result in a separate viewer. If you need help with a native file or an assembly, include it in a custom quote request.

Get file preparation help
Keep learningOnshape STEP export guideDesign for formingSheet metal bending guidelinesChoose your stockExplore the material catalog