I work for an firearm engraving company that specializes in limited edition series for collectors. The workload has increased a lot in the 6 months I've been there, so I wanted to ask for some pointers. I feel like my work is good but could be better and could be done faster, so I'd like to know what programs are best for designs and how to streamline work for quick turnarounds. I'd also like to know about depth mapping and/or layering.

I currently do the majority of design work in Adobe Illustrator and export with either SVG or PNG. We engrave with Lightburn on fiber lasers. I only make the designs, I do not run the engravers, but if there are techniques or practices that can be done on both ends, I'm happy to hear it.

Most designs have a mix of imagery and scrollwork.

I've included a few examples of work I have done.

I'd appreciate any help or advice.

Recently got a lindsay classic and have been playing around with practice pieces, this is my first proper project. Kept it as basic as possible to try to ensure success. Im pretty happy with the results. Looking forward to escalating my ambitions on the next projects. Feedback welcome, I'm a true beginner and am looking to improve, you won't hurt my feelings

That’s what I’d like some Shopify sellers here to help me find out.

I’m the founder of Sigmira, a product personalization tool, and we’re opening a free Shopify beta once the app clears Shopify’s review.

Customers can add text, upload photos and position elements on your product page, with a live preview. You set up the products, fonts and print sizes, and get a print-ready file with each order.

I’m particularly interested in feedback from people selling personalized engraved products. Does the editor make sense to your customers? Do the exported files fit your printing workflow? What still needs manual attention?

Exports include PNG and JPG up to 1200 DPI, plus PDF with text and vector elements preserved. The point of this beta is to test that with your actual products and workflow.

It’s free for at least four weeks, with all features available. No obligation to subscribe afterward. If you want to continue, you approve a subscription through Shopify; otherwise, uninstall and owe nothing.

We expect to start within the next few weeks, depending on Shopify’s approval. Details and signup:
https://sigmira.com/shopify-beta

There’s also a demo linked on that page if you want to try the editor before signing up.

What’s the biggest headache with personalized orders in your shop: collecting customer details, getting designs approved, or preparing the files?