DXF for Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet CAM software (OMAX Layout, FlowCut, IGEMS, WAZER) uses DXF as the primary input format. DXF files for waterjet cutting must contain closed contour paths, correct document units, and no unsupported entities for clean toolpath generation.
About DXF for waterjet cutting
DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) is the standard vector file type for waterjet cutting machines. OMAX, Flow, KMT, and WAZER all accept DXF as primary input. Here is what the DXF file must contain for clean waterjet toolpath generation.
Closed contours: waterjet paths must be fully closed — the end point of each cut path must connect back to the start point. Open paths cause the CAM software to generate an error or produce an incomplete cut. Check for and close all open paths before exporting DXF.
DXF version: use DXF R14 for maximum compatibility. OMAX Layout, FlowCut, and IGEMS all support DXF R14. Newer DXF versions (2007, 2013, 2018) may contain SPLINE entities or metadata blocks that older waterjet CAM software cannot parse.
Units: set the DXF document units to millimetres. Most waterjet CAM software defaults to metric. Inch-based DXF files will import at the wrong scale unless the software is configured to read inch units explicitly.
Layers: use separate DXF layers for different operations if your design requires lead-in/lead-out areas or multiple pierce paths. OMAX Layout maps DXF layers to operation types. A single-layer DXF with one closed contour is the simplest and most reliable input.
Node density: waterjet CAM software generates its own toolpath interpolation from DXF geometry. Overly dense node paths produce files that process slowly. In Inkscape, apply Path > Simplify before exporting to reduce node count.
For converting logos and images to waterjet-ready DXF: vectorize the PNG or JPG to get SVG paths, simplify in Inkscape, close all paths, set units to mm, and export DXF R14. This produces a file ready for immediate import into any waterjet CAM software.