Pattern DXF in. Illustrator-ready SVG out.
Open the result in Adobe Illustrator and start sublimation prepress right away. Every size and every piece arrives on named layers: cut line, sew line, bleed line, grain line and notches, 1:1 in millimetres. Check every piece and size free now. Downloads open when ARZS Tools accounts launch.
From DXF to print-ready in Illustrator
Open the SVG in Illustrator
Sizes and pieces are already separated and named, at 1:1 in millimetres. Nothing to redraw or rescale.
Place your artwork
Lay the design over each piece and use the cut line to clip it. The sew line shows where seams will fall.
Extend to the bleed line and print
Run the artwork out to the bleed line so sublimation shrinkage and cutting never leave a white edge.
How it works
Upload a DXF
Export AAMA or ASTM DXF from your pattern software, in millimetres, with all sizes. Up to 20 MB.
Check the pieces
See every size in its own row and each piece's width and height per size. Rename the pattern and its pieces. Free.
Download
Layered SVG and DXF for all sizes plus one file per size, and a size chart in Excel and CSV. 1:1 in mm.
What is in the download
- Layered SVG and DXF (opens in Illustrator with top-level layers).
- Layers: cut line, sew line, bleed line (5 mm by default, adjustable), grain line, notches and markings, dimensions.
- Size chart with every piece per size, in Excel and CSV.
What it does not do
The converter does not change your pattern. It does not grade, add seam allowance or smooth lines. It outputs SVG, DXF and a size chart only, no .ai or PDF.
Which pattern software works
Tested with real files: ET, CLO 3D, Yuka SuperALPHA Plus, Docad, Boke and Lectra Modaris (all sizes in one file). Still testing: Optitex, Style3D and Tukatech. Step-by-step export guides per program are coming.
Export checklist
- Export the graded pattern (nest), not a marker. Many programs also offer DXF export from the marker screen; that is the wrong file.
- Choose AAMA or ASTM format, not generic or standard DXF (it has no grading).
- Put all sizes in one DXF. Do not tick options that save a separate .RUL file or only the base size. The converter takes one .dxf at a time.
- Set units to millimetres (mm). If you get it wrong, the preview flags it in red and suggests the right unit; recalculating is free.
- Text encoding can be Big5, UTF-8 or simplified Chinese GBK.
- If the file is AAMA but still cannot be read, a “Send to ARZS” option is coming with accounts.
Upload failed? Send us the file
Some programs write AAMA DXF a little differently. When accounts launch, AAMA files that cannot be read can be sent to ARZS: we fix the reader and email you when your file works. Coming soon. Files that are not AAMA or ASTM get export instructions instead.
Questions
How do I convert a DXF pattern to SVG?
Upload the AAMA DXF from your pattern software to the ARZS DXF Converter, check the pieces, and download. You get one file per size plus one file with every size, each layered by line type.
What is the difference between AAMA DXF and regular DXF?
AAMA is the apparel-industry DXF standard. It stores pieces, sizes and grain lines. A regular CAD DXF only stores lines, so pieces cannot be identified.
Is it free?
The preview with all measurements is free, with no account needed. Downloads open when ARZS Tools accounts launch; pricing will be announced then.
Are my files private?
Your patterns are visible only in your account. You can delete them anytime in My Patterns, and you can choose "delete after use" when you upload.
Can it make markers?
Marker making with fabric yardage is the next tool we are building.