LightBurn DXF Converter. R12, Closed, mm-Unit
A DXF you can drop into LightBurn without the "unclosed paths" warning. R12 / AC1009 with closed POLYLINE entities, written in millimetres so "Use file units" lands at the correct physical size.
A LightBurn-focused image-to-DXF converter. Output is R12 (AC1009) DXF using closed POLYLINE entities written in millimetres, which is the cleanest combination for LightBurn to import. Auto-bridging keeps stencils as one piece; the bundled SVG opens in LightBurn 1.4+ as an alternative. Free up to 5 conversions per IP per day, no signup required.
R12 / AC1009
POLYLINE + VERTEX entities. the DXF flavour LightBurn imports without complaining about unsupported entities.
Closed polylines
Every path is closed explicitly so LightBurn auto-assigns the import as a Cut layer. No "unclosed shape" warnings.
mm-aware header
The $INSUNITS header is set to millimetres so "Use file units" on import lands at the correct physical size in your laser bed.
Free 5/day per IP
No card, no signup. Five conversions per IP per day. signed-in users get 30/day.
How to use the lightburn dxf converter. r12, closed, mm-unit
- 1
Upload your image
PNG, JPG, WEBP, or GIF up to 15 MB. Phone photo, scanned drawing, downloaded logo. all accepted.
- 2
Trace, close, auto-bridge
Edges traced as smooth Beziers, then resampled to closed polylines for DXF. Floating islands are bridged so the stencil cuts as one piece.
- 3
Download the DXF
R12 / AC1009 with $INSUNITS set to millimetres. Drag into LightBurn or use File > Import.
- 4
Import into LightBurn
In the import dialog, keep "Use file units" enabled so the design lands at the correct physical size. The DXF auto-assigns as a Cut layer.
What LightBurn likes about a DXF
LightBurn imports DXF cleanly when three things line up: the DXF version is one of the older universally-supported flavours (R12 or R14), every polyline is closed (no stray open endpoints), and the file declares its units so the import dialog can apply them. This converter ticks all three. R12 with POLYLINE + VERTEX entities, every polyline closed explicitly, and $INSUNITS set to millimetres. Drag the file into LightBurn and you can start cutting without manual path joining or unit conversion.
Avoiding the "unclosed shape" warning
Most generic image-to-DXF tools produce open polylines: the tracer marks the path as a sequence of points but doesn't add the explicit close flag. LightBurn imports those as open shapes, which means it routes them to your Line (engrave) layer instead of Cut. You'd then have to select all, Tools > Close Open Paths, and re-assign the layer. The output here skips that step. every polyline is closed at trace time so LightBurn assigns Cut immediately.
Which LightBurn-driven lasers work
Any laser LightBurn controls reads this DXF. CO2 machines on Ruida controllers (OMTech, Boss Laser, Trocen, Cloudray), GRBL diode lasers (xTool D1, Atomstack, Ortur, Sculpfun, Comgo, NEJE, Two Trees), and high-end machines through their LightBurn integration. The DXF doesn't care which controller is downstream; LightBurn does the controller-specific G-code generation after import.
When to use the SVG instead
LightBurn 1.4 and later import SVG natively and quite well. If you're on a recent build, the bundled SVG (also included in every download) is a slightly cleaner option because SVG preserves Bezier curves as splines instead of polylines. The DXF flattens curves into line segments for the polyline. lossless at cutting scale but a slightly larger file. For older LightBurn builds or for sharing with non-LightBurn shops, stick with DXF.
Auto-bridging for stencil cuts
Stencil designs have floating cutouts: the centre of an O, the dot above an i, the holes inside a star. Without bridges, all those pieces fall out the moment LightBurn finishes the cut. The converter inserts thin connectors (default 1 mm wide) between every floating island and the main outline at trace time, so the stencil holds together. Solid shapes without floating parts pass through unbridged.
Free, no signup, files deleted in 24 hours
5 conversions per IP per day with no account. 30 per day with a free signup. Past that, 1 credit per extra conversion and credit packs never expire. Uploaded images are processed in memory and binaries are deleted from our servers within 24 hours. StencilCut is independent and not affiliated with LightBurn Software Inc.
Ready to convert?
Drop in your file and download a laser-ready vector in seconds.
Open the Converter →Frequently Asked Questions
What DXF version do you output?
R12 (AC1009) with POLYLINE and VERTEX entities. It's the most universally compatible DXF flavour. LightBurn imports it without complaining about unsupported entity types.
Will it import without "unclosed shape" warnings?
Yes. Every polyline is closed explicitly at trace time so LightBurn auto-assigns the import as a Cut layer. No manual path joining required.
Does the file know its units?
Yes. $INSUNITS is set to millimetres in the DXF header. Keep "Use file units" enabled on import and the design lands at the correct physical size.
Which laser controllers does this work with?
Every controller LightBurn supports: Ruida (OMTech, Boss, Trocen, Cloudray), GRBL diode lasers (xTool D1, Atomstack, Ortur, Sculpfun, Comgo, NEJE), and any other LightBurn-compatible setup. LightBurn handles the controller-specific G-code after import.
Can I use the SVG instead of the DXF?
Yes, if you're on LightBurn 1.4 or newer. The bundled SVG preserves Bezier curves as splines (slightly cleaner at very large scales). The DXF is the safer choice for older LightBurn builds.
Does the DXF include auto-bridging for stencils?
Yes. Floating islands inside the design are connected to the main outline with thin bridges (default 1 mm) so the cut piece stays in one piece.
Is there a file size limit?
15 MB per input image. Output DXF is typically 50 to 500 KB depending on complexity.
Is this an official LightBurn tool?
No. StencilCut is independent and not affiliated with LightBurn Software Inc. The output is compatible with LightBurn imports.
Is it free?
5 conversions per IP per day with no account. 30 per day with a free signup. Past that, 1 credit per extra conversion. No watermark, no recurring charge.
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