How to prepare a file for Neon LED production (6 mm)
Main guidelines for preparing files for Neon LED production
- At the design stage, the neon line width should be set to 6 mm, while in the production file it should be replaced with a hairline, leaving only the central path for the neon.
- Minimum length of a single neon section: 25 mm
- Minimum distance between parallel neon sections: 15 mm
- The neon line should be routed at least 20 mm from the edge of the base cut.
- Production files should be prepared as vector projects at a 1:1 scale.
- Avoid very tight arcs and sharp line bends.
- The production design should contain only vector paths, without visual effects, decorative outlines, shadows, gradients, or raster elements.
- Paths should be assigned a color corresponding to the final neon color (according to the available color palette).
For each neon color, use one uniform vector path color. The path color is informative and serves to clearly assign the neon color at the production stage.
Recommendation
Project visualization – at the design stage, it is recommended to prepare a visualization of the neon using lines with a width of 6 mm, which corresponds to the actual light line width of the Neon LED. This allows you to properly assess the proportions of the project and present the final effect.
Print files
- For projects containing printed graphics, they should be prepared on a separate page of the file, in accordance with the guidelines for preparing materials for UV printing.
- Printed graphics must be set back at least 5 mm from the edge of the base. Printing up to the edge of the base cut is not allowed.
Format and basic requirements
Preferred format: CDR (V17)
Accepted formats: PDF
Fonts / LED lettering
Not every font is suitable for LED Frez lettering. The typeface must allow the light line to be routed along smooth arcs, so we recommend avoiding sharp angles and do not allow very tight details.
- All fonts converted to curves
- No bitmaps, shadows, effects, or raster objects
- Preferred fonts with simple, legible shapes
- Recommended sans-serif typefaces
- Avoid fonts with very thin elements.
- Do not use fonts with very small internal apertures (e.g. a, e, s); letters should not contain very tight transitions and narrow constrictions
Proper font preparation
- For script (connected) fonts, no additional requirements apply beyond the general rules specified in this specification.
For non-script (block) fonts with a defined character thickness (e.g. Arial, Montserrat, etc.), additional preparation of the neon routing line is required. Two solutions are acceptable:
Note!
The choice of neon routing method depends on the size of the letters and the technological feasibility of production.
For fonts with a complex structure, we can propose a correction or replacement with a technologically feasible typeface.
Nodes and path geometry
Due to the production technology of neons, the aesthetic quality of the project largely depends on the correctness of vector path preparation. At joints with a small angle, elongated material cutouts are formed, which may reduce the visual smoothness and aesthetics of the finished element—especially in projects with a large number of sharp bends.

This does not mean that they cannot be made, but to achieve the best visual effect, you should:
- use as few nodes (points) as possible,
- avoid automatic vectorization, which generates excess points,
- prefer smooth curves instead of many short segments,
- do not use jagged or broken lines with a large number of points,
- remove duplicate points and overlapping paths,
- limit sharp connections at very small angles unless they are necessary for the design.
Projects with simplified, smooth shapes allow for the production of elements from fewer sections, resulting in higher aesthetics and a more uniform neon light line.
Technological note
Due to the construction of Neon LEDs and the way the tape is routed, in some places—at bends, sharp arcs, or certain joints of Neon LED sections—minimal visibility of light points at an angle may occur. This phenomenon is not visible when viewing the neon from the front and does not affect the final visual effect of the lettering.
Base for Neon LED (cutting / milling)
If the neon is made on a substrate of any shape, the outline of the substrate should be prepared as a separate page in the file.
Color: 100% K
Preparation for milling
All necessary information can be found in the Help for Large Format Printing (Arizona)