Make a jig so placement is repeatable
If you engrave the same product twice, don’t eyeball it twice. A simple jig cut on the laser itself locates every blank in the same spot — setup drops to under a minute.
⚡ Rule of thumb
Cut a locating jig on the laser so each blank drops into the exact same position — then reuse the same file placement for every run.
Starting point
One cut-on-the-machine jig per repeated product
Measured
Blank position repeatability run to run
Confidence
Creator technique
▶ Source video — Making Laser Jigs the Easy Way — Computer Creationzwatch on YouTube ↗
Applies to
- Process
- CO₂, diode & fiber lasers
- When
- Batches, repeat products, awkward-shaped blanks
- Payoff
- Setup under ~1 minute per run
Why it matters
Lining a blank up by hand is slow and never perfectly repeatable, so a batch drifts and rejects pile up.
Because the jig is cut on the same laser at the same origin, its pockets are already registered to the machine — drop the blank in and the artwork lands in the same place every time.
What good looks like
- Each blank seats into the jig only one way, in one position
- Artwork placement in the file never has to move between runs
- A new operator can load and go without re-aligning
How to apply it
- Design a jig with a pocket or fence matching the blank’s outline.
- Cut it on the laser at the origin you’ll use for the job so it’s pre-registered.
- Place the blank in the jig and position the artwork once.
- Save that placement; every future run reuses the jig and the file as-is.
Computer CreationzSource & visual reference
Cutting a registration jig on the laser for fast, repeatable placement — Making laser jigs the easy way! (Setup time is less than 1 minute) ↗.
Summarized and independently edited by Start Here. Starting values and cautions are our editorial notes, not a quotation from the creator.