For sign shops

Vector files your plotter actually likes.

We convert customer-supplied logos and artwork into production-correct vector files for vinyl plotters, large-format printers, and CNC sign tooling. Manual work, by designers who know how a sign shop runs — not auto-traced shortcuts.

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Sign shops use VectorWiz to convert raster logos (PNG, JPG, scanned PDF) into clean, layered vector files that drop straight onto a vinyl plotter or large-format printer. Each file is hand-rebuilt by a designer — paths are closed, fonts are outlined, colors are separated by layer, and the output ships in AI, EPS, SVG, and PDF.

Why production shops standardize on VectorWiz

Plotter-ready, not auto-traced

Auto-trace tools leave open paths, micro-jitters, and floating nodes that hang up a plotter. We rebuild every artwork from scratch so the cut line is one continuous, weldable path.

Layered for spot vinyl

Multi-color jobs come pre-separated by color layer — one vinyl color per Illustrator layer. No more remapping the file before sending it to the cutter.

Type already outlined

Every typeface is converted to outlines so you never get a missing-font dialog. We flag any text that legibility-suffers at small cuts before delivery.

Tooling-aware tolerances

Closed paths, no stray nodes, sharp registration points. Files that pass the ‘import to your RIP without a single warning’ test.

Same-day on standard jobs

Most simple and medium complexity files ship in under 8 hours during business hours. Rush work: email hello@vectorwiz.com for urgent installs.

Repeat-friendly pricing

Sign shops doing 5+ jobs a month sit on Pro and debit credits. Subscribers pay with monthly credits — upload and we deliver.

How a job moves through VectorWiz

Submit your art
Upload the customer file (PNG, JPG, PDF, scan). Tell us the install — vinyl on truck, large-format banner, dimensional letters — so we can prep the right way.
Instant price
Our classifier grades complexity (Simple → Complex) the moment you upload and shows the price instantly — in credits for subscribers or USD for per-job customers.
Manual rebuild
An in-house designer rebuilds the vector by hand. Closed paths, outlined type, color-layer separation, plotter tolerances. Every file is QC’d before delivery.
Production-ready delivery
AI, EPS, SVG, and PDF in one zip. Layers labeled, fonts outlined, swatches named. Drop into your workflow and cut.

What every sign-shop deliverable contains

We deliver one zip containing the same artwork in the formats every sign-shop workflow expects. The file is ready to drop into your plotter software, your large-format RIP, or your CNC tooling without further prep.

Standard sign-shop deliverable

Format	Best for	What we ship
AI (Adobe Illustrator)	Editing source	Layered file with named layers per color, fonts outlined, swatches named in Pantone or RGB as specified.
EPS	Older plotter software, RIPs	Flattened-color EPS with closed paths and no embedded raster.
SVG	Web preview, modern cut software	Optimized SVG with named groups; useful for proofs and for routing into Cricut/Silhouette-style cutters.
PDF	Customer proofing	Press-ready PDF for sign-off; preserves vector quality without exposing the working file.

What we work from

Sign-shop customers rarely arrive with a clean vector. They send screenshots from a website, a PDF from another printer, a phone photo of a business card, or a scanned drawing. We work from any of it.

Raster: PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP at any resolution — even small thumbnails.
Document: PDF, DOC/DOCX, PPT — we extract the artwork from the document.
Vector with issues: AI/EPS/SVG with broken paths, missing fonts, or poorly traced nodes — we rebuild from the visual reference, not the broken file.
Photographs of physical assets: hand-drawn logos, embroidered patches, painted signs, wood carvings — we vectorize the design, not the photo background.

How complexity drives the price

Sign-shop work is mostly Simple-to-High complexity. The complexity rubric drives both the credit cost (for subscribers) and the instant USD price (for per-job orders) — shown the moment you upload.

Sign-shop complexity in practice

Aspect	Credits	USD	Typical example
Simple	10	$25–35	Single-color text-and-mark logo, clean source, no halftone
Medium	20	$45–65	2–4 colors, light gradients, moderate detail (most repeat sign work)
High	35	$75–110	Multi-color with overlap effects, distressed textures, gradients
Complex	60	$130–180	Photo-derived art, fine illustration, full vector reconstruction

Tooling tolerances we hold

Closed paths: Every cut line is a single closed path. No floating endpoints, no overlapping segments, no zero-length artifacts. A pass through Pathfinder shouldn't change anything.
Outlined type: All text is converted to outlines before delivery. You never need to install a customer's font.
Color-layered: One color per layer for multi-color vinyl. Layer names match the color (e.g. ‘Red 186C’, not ‘Layer 4’).
Spot or process, not RGB: Where the customer specified Pantone, we deliver Pantone-named swatches. Where they didn't, we deliver CMYK or RGB to match what the source implied — and flag any color that's out of gamut for vinyl or DTF.
Plotter-friendly node count: Auto-tracers produce hundreds of redundant nodes that slow plotters and produce visible jitter. We aim for the minimum nodes that preserve the curve.

Subscription or per-job — pick the lane

Sign shops doing one or two vector jobs a month usually pay per job by card at checkout. Sign shops doing five or more move to a Starter or Pro subscription and pay with monthly credits — they upload, we deliver.

Which lane fits

Aspect	Per-job	Starter ($399/mo)	Pro ($799/mo)
Best for	1–2 jobs/month	3–6 jobs/month	7+ jobs/month
How pricing works	Instant USD price, pay by card at checkout	130 credits/month — debit per job	380 credits/month — debit per job
How you pay	Card at checkout, per file	Monthly credits	Monthly credits
Effective per-job rate	$30–180 (varies)	≈ $30 simple, $60 medium	≈ $21 simple, $42 medium

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers to what production buyers ask before placing their first order. Question missing? Ask us.

How fast do you turn around sign-shop jobs?

Turnaround starts at checkout. Most Simple and Medium complexity files ship within 8 business hours; High and Complex jobs typically deliver within 24 hours. Most orders placed before 11 AM ET ship same-day. For urgent rush work, email hello@vectorwiz.com.

Do you separate colors for spot-vinyl jobs?

Yes — every multi-color file is delivered with one color per Illustrator layer, named with the customer's specified color (Pantone, RAL, or named vinyl color). Drop the layers onto your plotter and cut one at a time.

What if my customer only sent a phone photo?

We work from phone photos, scans, or any raster source. The conversion is manual — we rebuild the artwork as vector from the visual reference, not by tracing pixels. The only thing we can't recover is detail that wasn't visible in the source.

Can you match Pantone colors exactly?

We name and apply Pantone swatches based on the customer's spec or the closest match to the source. We can't guarantee a press match without a physical proof, but the file ships with named Pantone references that your RIP or color management can act on.

Do you ship DXF for CNC tooling?

Yes — DXF with closed paths and CNC-appropriate tolerances is included on request. If most of your work is CNC rather than plotter-driven, see our DXF / Laser / CNC service page for the production specifics.

What software do you deliver in?

AI (Adobe Illustrator CC), EPS, SVG, and PDF in every order. AI is layered with named layers and outlined fonts; EPS is flattened; SVG is web-clean; PDF is press-ready.

How do credits work for a sign shop on Starter or Pro?

One vector conversion costs between 10 (Simple) and 60 (Complex) credits, set by the complexity rubric. Starter ($399/mo) is 130 credits — about 13 simple or 4 complex jobs. Pro ($799/mo) is 380 credits. Top-up packs (50 / 150 / 500 credits) carry over while subscribed.

What happens if the file doesn't work in my plotter?

We revise free of charge. You request a revision through the dashboard with a note about what failed; the original designer typically turns the fix in under 4 hours. Quality issues are escalated and the credits or charge are refunded if the file truly couldn't be made production-correct.

Can I send recurring batches under one project?

Yes — for bulk batches of 5+ files at a time, email hello@vectorwiz.com for bespoke pricing. Repeat customers can also keep an open thread per customer-of-yours so we hold consistency across their orders.

Are you a service or a tool?

A service. VectorWiz is a team of in-house designers — no auto-trace dressed up. Auto-tracers are useful for rough first passes; they're not what a sign shop sends to a plotter. The whole point of paying us is to skip the cleanup step.

Order now

Upload your file. Get an instant estimate. Order in minutes.

Drop an image, see the complexity-based price automatically, and check out — subscribers debit credits, everyone else pays per job.

Order now See pricing

Need something custom? Email hello@vectorwiz.com

Specialised for the way your shop runs

Production buyers don't need a generic vector — they need files that drop straight into the next step in the workflow.

Embroidery digitizers

Stitch-friendly vectors prepped for digitizing. Clean joins, no spurious nodes.

Screen printers

Spot-color separations, halftones, Pantone-accurate vector art for screens.

Laser / CNC / DXF

Closed-path DXF and AI files for laser, plasma, water-jet, and CNC cutters.

Vinyl cutters

Single-stroke and cut-ready vectors for vinyl plotters and decal production.

Engravers

Single-line and outline-only vectors for rotary, fiber, and CO₂ engravers.

Signage fabricators

CNC-ready files for channel letters, dimensional letters, monument signs, ADA interior signage.