Create your own design, or import our template (below) and make any desired adjustments to the graphics. To personalize your card, you can add the name and age of the recipient. Once your artwork has been finalized,  proceed to print your card. 

Next, send your design to your Trotec laser using the settings below. Only send the registration marks and cut lines; deactivate the layer with the other design details so that they are not cut.

Print Settings

The optimal cut parameters may vary depending your laser system's available wattage.

Processing Parameters

Send the inner card component artwork in JobControl®, and place the printed sheet of paper on your laser's work area.

In JobControl®, move the job from the queue to the plate. Move the laser pointer to the centre of any registration mark on the sheet on your laser's work area. Then, drag the corresponding crosshairs to the corresponding registration mark on the JobControl® interface.

Tip

Use the “What you see is what you get” function (WYSIWYG) in JobControl® to more easily position the laser pointer.

First adjust the focus on the paper. To calibrate the camera, go to Settings - Options - Hardware - Vision. The goal is to have the registration mark stand out from the background.
Next, move the camera to any registration mark on the print. With the ideal settings of Exposure, Gamma and Threshold, the circle around the registration mark will be green. The bar below the preview will also be green. You may adapt these parameters accordingly.

Tip:

For compensation choose fully nonlinear. With this selection the software can adjust the job to scaled and rotated prints.

After you set up the camera you can start your job.

If position and orientation of the laser job in JobControl^® fits to the position of the material on the working area, JobControl reads all registration marks automatically and cuts the job.

If the positions do not fit together, you will need to manually assign the position by placing the camera at the first registration mark. If the bar below the camera preview is green, confirm with Enter. If the print is distorted, assign the second registration mark to the correct position. The remaining registration marks will then be read automatically.

For the outer part of the card we decided to go with double-page printed paper.
In this case we are not using registration marks because we don't need any contour cutting.

Next, send your design to the laser with the parameters below.

Tip:

For an even more sophisticated finishing for your card, you can add an engraving with a pattern or the name of the recipient.

Print settings

Take our parameters for the outer part. The laser parameters may vary depending on the type of laser machine and available laser power.

Tip:

If you use another type of paper, test the right parameter settings on a small, not needed part.

Laser Parameters

The next step is folding the card. This is the tricky part. Start with the middle fold. Then work your way up by folding the cake tiers.

Then put the inner part in the outer card. Use either adhesive dots or tape or glue.

Tip:

You want to play it safe and fold the card beforehand? For the first try, you can cut the job on normal, unprinted paper (80 g/m²) with less power for the creasing. Just change the process of the Black parameter to "Skip."