Introduction
Laser cutting jigsaw puzzles is satisfying — but only if the SVG is set up correctly. The two things that decide whether pieces fit are material and kerf, so plan around those before you generate anything.
Step 1: Start from the material, not the art
Different materials tolerate different piece geometry:
- 3 mm plywood: forgiving, best for first prototypes
- 4–5 mm plywood / MDF: stronger, but needs larger tabs
- Acrylic: crisp edges, but fragile with tiny connectors
- Cardboard / chipboard: low kerf risk, good for print-and-cut
If the material is thick or brittle, reduce the piece count and avoid narrow necks in the tabs.
Step 2: Set canvas size and piece count
Match the canvas to your material (e.g. 300 × 200 mm for a plywood sheet) and leave a small margin so the frame isn't clipped. More pieces mean smaller tabs and tighter tolerance. Practical starting points:
| Use case | Size | Pieces | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| First prototype | 300 × 200 mm | 120–160 | Grid |
| Gift puzzle | 350 × 250 mm | 180–260 | Voronoi |
| Small-batch sale | 400 × 300 mm | 220–320 | Grid |
| Display piece | 450 × 300 mm | 250–350 | Voronoi |
Grid cuts faster and validates fit more easily; Voronoi gives a more handcrafted look. See grid vs Voronoi for the trade-offs.
Step 3: Export the SVG
Use the puzzle generator to export. Before importing into your laser software, confirm the units (mm or in) are explicit, paths are clean with no duplicates, and the outer frame is present if you need it for handling.
Step 4: Calibrate kerf once per material
Most lasers remove 0.1–0.2 mm of material, which makes pieces fit loosely if you don't compensate. Calibrate once and document the value:
- Generate a small 20–30 piece sample
- Cut with default settings
- Test fit: too tight / ideal / too loose
- Adjust kerf compensation in small increments (0.02–0.05 mm)
- Repeat until pieces lock smoothly without force
A 15-minute calibration saves hours of recutting on a production run.
Step 5: Test cut before full production
Cut a small corner or 10–20 pieces first. Assemble pieces from different zones and check tab strength at corners and narrow necks, look for overburn on fine curves, and confirm the outer dimensions match. Only run the full job once the sample passes — then save your working settings (material, kerf, speed, power, piece count) as a preset for next time.
Common mistakes
- High piece count on thick material (weak tabs)
- Forgetting to set units before export
- Skipping the test cut
