Scanned monument mark to

The job

Ridgeline Signs needed a monument mark routed on a CNC for a 52″-wide install — a ¼″ down-cut on aluminum, against a hard deadline. It was a Tier 4 sign and CNC job where the file had to be right the first time.

The problem with the source

All they had was a 1024px JPEG with heavy compression artifacts. At 52 inches wide, a low-res raster like that is unusable — there are no true edges to follow, and the artifacts smear exactly the contours a router needs. The mark had to be rebuilt as clean vector geometry at the real install size, not scaled up from the scan.

What we did

We rebuilt the artwork at full install dimensions and delivered it as a layered DXF — 12 layers organized for the routing job. The paths carry kerf compensation so the cut lands on-size once the tool's width is accounted for, and we included tool-path notes spec'd to a ¼″ down-cut on aluminum so the shop could route without reinterpreting the file.

The production result

Despite the deadline, the file shipped in 16 hours: a 12-layer DXF rebuilt at the 52″ install width, kerf-compensated, with tool-path notes for the ¼″ down-cut. The unusable 1024px JPEG became a routed, painted, and mounted monument sign.