Fix DXF units (mm vs inches) - before they wreck your quote
That 25mm part that's actually 25 inches? Classic DXF chaos. NanoQuote lets you override units per source, so cut lengths calculate correctly even when files lie about their scale.
How unit mismatches cause quoting disasters
DXF files don't always declare units
The file says '100' - is that 100mm or 100 inches? Without metadata, you're guessing.
Customer files exported with wrong settings
They drew in inches, exported in mm (or vice versa). Now your cut lengths are off by 25x.
Mixed units within the same file
One layer is mm, another is inches. Fun times when you quote the whole thing at one scale.
Bounding box looks reasonable, cut length doesn't
A 4" × 6" part shouldn't have 50 feet of cut length. But if units are wrong, the math says it does.
You don't catch it until the machine
The quote went out. The job was accepted. Now you're looking at a nest that makes no sense.
Manual conversion is error-prone
Multiplying by 25.4 in a spreadsheet? One misplaced decimal and you're underwater.
How to handle ambiguous DXF units
Check bounding box dimensions first
If a part shows as 2540mm × 1524mm, that's probably 100" × 60" exported in mm. The dimensions are a quick sanity check.
Override units per source, not globally
NanoQuote lets you set mm or inches per layer or file. If one layer is wrong, fix just that layer.
Re-extract geometry after changing units
When you flip units, cut lengths, pierce counts, and bounding boxes all recalculate automatically.
Review cut metrics before creating parts
NanoQuote shows cut length, pierce count, and dimensions per source. If the numbers look crazy, adjust units before proceeding.
Document the original file issue
Add a note to the quote about the unit correction. Helps if you need to explain pricing later.
How NanoQuote handles DXF units
Unit override per source
Choose mm or inches for each layer or file. Mixed-unit files? Handle each layer separately.
Automatic geometry recalculation
When you change units, cut lengths, pierce counts, rapid moves, and bounding boxes all update instantly.
Bounding box preview
See part dimensions before creating line items. If a '4 inch' part shows as 4mm, you know something's wrong.
Cut metrics sanity check
Review cut length per source. A small part shouldn't have hundreds of feet of cut path. Catch unit issues before quoting.
Source-level control
Don't like a layer? Disable it. Need different units? Set them per layer. Full control over what becomes a part.
Quote notes for documentation
Add internal notes explaining file issues. Useful when customers ask why geometry was adjusted.
Why NanoQuote handles units better
Frequently asked questions
Many DXF files don't declare units. NanoQuote defaults to the file's internal units but lets you override to mm or inches based on what makes sense for the geometry. Check the bounding box - if a part looks 25x too big or small, flip the units.
Yes. Each source (layer or file) has its own unit setting. If Layer 1 is mm and Layer 2 is inches, you can configure them independently.
NanoQuote re-extracts geometry automatically. Cut lengths, pierce counts, bounding boxes, and rapid moves all recalculate to reflect the new unit scale.
Check the bounding box dimensions and cut length. If a simple 4" × 6" part shows 100mm × 150mm of cut length (not the expected ~16" perimeter), units are probably flipped.
Yes. You can enable/disable layers, set units per layer, and preview geometry for each source independently before creating parts.
Related resources
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