Cricut Aluminum Sheets are perfectly tailored to work with Engraving Tool for Cricut Maker. The metallic base color makes a stunning contrast when engraved!
Important: When loaded in the machine, there is a gap of up to 3mm between the mat and mat guides on either side. As a result, the location of the engraving design in Design Space will not align perfectly with your blank on the mat. This is especially noticeable when engraving on the edge of an object or when engraving on small objects. We recommend keeping all art more than 5mm from all edges of your object. We do not recommend engraving on objects smaller than 1 in (2.5 cm) in any direction.
Tip: These instructions can also be adapted to position debossing and drawing designs on other pre-cut blanks.
What you need
- Cricut Maker machine
- Cricut Engraving Tip + QuickSwap Housing
- Design Space software on mobile device or computer
- Cricut Aluminum Sheet*
- StrongGrip machine cutting mat
- Painter's tape
*Cricut Aluminum Sheets come 4"x4" (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm), 5"x7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm), and 8"x8" (20.3 cm x 20.3 cm)
Step 1: Prep your material and mat
1. Remove protective film from the aluminum sheet. There is film on both sides of the sheet.
Tip: Painting the sheet before engraving is a great way to create some interesting contrast in your finished project. Now is the time to apply paints if you plan to do this for your project.
2. Place aluminum sheet on the StrongGrip mat with two sides touching the 1"x1" mark. This corresponds to the way we'll position our design on the project preview screen in Design Space. Tape down all edges of the sheet so that it does not shift during engraving. Do not tape over the areas that will be engraved.
Step 2: Design and Engrave
1. Sign into Cricut Design Space and select Maker from the machine selection dropdown.
2. Insert a square from the Shapes menu and size it to match the dimensions of your aluminum sheet. This shape represents your aluminum sheet.
Note: This shape will not ultimately be executed by the machine but is used for positioning your design on the project preview screen. For this reason, we recommend using a Shape, not a Template.
3. Insert the design you want to engrave onto the Canvas and size it to fit within the shape the way you want it to appear on the aluminum sheet.
4. Select the design and the shape and change the Linetype to Engrave.
5. Select Make It. If the images appear on different mats, select one of the images, then select the handle with three dots in the upper left corner and choose Move to another mat.
Tip: We recommend moving the basic shape to the mat with the engraving design, rather than vice versa. This ensures that the background color of the mat will allow you to easily see and maneuver your design.
6. Select and drag the basic shape to position it with two sides touching the 1"x1" marking on the mat.
7. Select and drag your design so that it sits within the basic shape the way you want it to engrave on the aluminum sheet.
8. Once your design is positioned, select the basic shape, then select the handle with three dots in the upper left corner and choose Hide Selected. Your design is ready to engrave! Select Continue.
9. Select Browse All Materials and choose the Aluminum Sheets setting under the Compatible tab. Then select Done.
10. Load the Engraving Tip + QuickSwap housing into the machine. Then load the mat into the machine and press the flashing Go button.
Note: To mitigage wear on the tool, it may lift and spin several times during engraving.
11. Remove tape and aluminum sheet from the mat. Handle with care; use a lint roller or piece of tape to remove any burrs or fragments left on the material after engraving.
Tip: You can also add some contrast to designs engraved on unpainted sheets. After engraving, color over the engraved areas with a dry erase marker to fill the grooves with color, then wipe away the excess markings!
In the Design Space app for iOS there are two options for positioning your design. One uses the SnapMat feature, the other uses a basic shape as a reference for positioning your design. Select an option below for instructions.
Using SnapMat
The SnapMat feature in Design Space for iOS captures a photograph of your cutting mat to help you position your design.
1. Sign in to the Cricut Design Space app. From the main menu, tap Machine Selection, then select Cricut Maker.
2. Insert the design you want to engrave onto the Canvas and size it to fit within the dimensions of your aluminum sheet.
Tip: Add a square from the Shapes menu and size it to match the dimensions of your aluminum sheet. Use this as a reference for sizing your design. Then delete or hide that shape before sending the project to the machine.
3. Select the design. Tap the Edit tool at the bottom of the screen, then the Linetype dropdown. Select Engrave, then select Apply in the upper right corner.
4. Select Make It.
5. Place the machine cutting mat with taped-down Aluminum Sheet on a flat surface.
Tip: You'll need approximately 28"-30" between the mat and your device. In many cases, it's easiest to place your mat on the floor to capture the photo. Laying your mat on a contrasting background helps the camera detect the edges of the mat.
6. Tap SnapMat on the project preview screen. Allow Design Space access to the camera if prompted.
7. Using a steady hand, hold your iOS device parallel over the mat so the outside border of the cutting mat fits in the frame on the screen. The photo will automatically be taken once the mat is detected within the frame.
Tip: The blue circles on the capture screen help you keep the camera parallel to the mat. Once the mat is within the frame, try aligning the blue circles in the center of each side.
8. Once the photo has been captured, select Use in the upper right corner.
9. Select your design and drag it over the image of your material until it's positioned where you want it to engrave. Select Continue.
10. Select All Materials and choose the Aluminum Sheets setting under the Compatible tab.
11. Load the Engraving Tip + QuickSwap housing into the machine. Then load the mat into the machine and press the flashing Go button.
Note: To mitigage wear on the tool, it may lift and spin several times during engraving.
12. Remove tape and aluminum sheet from the mat. Handle with care; use a lint roller or piece of tape to remove any burrs or fragments left on the material after engraving.
Tip: You can also add some contrast to designs engraved on unpainted sheets. After engraving, color over the engraved areas with a dry erase marker to fill the grooves with color, then wipe away the excess markings!
Using a Basic Shape
1. Sign in to the Cricut Design Space app. From the main menu, tap Machine Selection, then select Cricut Maker.
2. Insert a square from the Shapes menu and size it to match the dimensions of your aluminum sheet. This shape represents your aluminum sheet.
Note: This shape will not ultimately be cut by the machine but is used for positioning your design on the project preview screen.
3. Insert the design you want to engrave onto the Canvas and size it to fit within the shape the way you want it to appear on the aluminum sheet.
4. Select the design and the shape. Tap the Edit tool at the bottom of the screen, then the Linetype dropdown. Select Engrave, then select Apply in the upper right corner.
5. Select Make It. If the images appear on different mats, select one of the images, then select the handle with three dots in the upper left corner and choose Move object.
Tip: We recommend moving the basic shape to the mat with the engraving design, rather than vice versa. This ensures that the background color of the mat will allow you to easily see and maneuver your design.
6. Select and drag the basic shape to position it with two sides touching the 1"x1" marking on the mat.
Tip: Pinch to zoom in our out on the mat as needed.
7. Select and drag your design so that it sits withing the basic shape the way you want it to engrave on the aluminum sheet.
8. Once your design is positioned, select the basic shape, then select the handle with three dots in the upper left corner and choose Hide Selected. Your design is ready to engrave! Select Continue.
9. Select All Materials and choose the Aluminum Sheets setting under the Compatible tab.
10. Load the Engraving Tip + QuickSwap housing into the machine. Then load the mat into the machine and press the flashing Go button.
Note: To mitigage wear on the tool, it may lift and spin several times during engraving.
11. Remove tape and aluminum sheet from the mat. Handle with care; use a lint roller or piece of tape to remove any burrs or fragments left on the material after engraving.
Tip: You can also add some contrast to designs engraved on unpainted sheets. After engraving, color over the engraved areas with a dry erase marker to fill the grooves with color, then wipe away the excess markings!
1. Sign in to the Cricut Design Space app. From the main menu, tap Machine Selection, then select Cricut Maker.
2. Insert the design you want to engrave onto the Canvas and size it to fit within the dimensions of your aluminum sheet.
Tip: Add a square from the Shapes menu and size it to match the dimensions of your aluminum sheet. Use this as a reference for sizing your design. Then delete or hide that shape before sending the project to the machine.
3. Select the design. Tap the Edit tool at the bottom of the screen, then the Linetype dropdown. Select Engrave, then select Apply in the upper right corner.
4. Select Make It.
5. On the project preview screen, select and drag your design to a position that corresponds to how your aluminum sheet has been placed on the cutting mat. For this project we're using an 8" x 8" (20.3 cm x 20.3 cm) sheet which we've positioned on the mat at the 1"x1" marking, so we'll center our design where the 5" markings intersect. Select Continue.
Tip: Pinch to zoom in our out on the mat as needed.
6. Select All Materials and choose the Aluminum Sheets setting under the Compatible tab.
7. Load the Engraving Tip + QuickSwap housing into the machine. Then load the mat into the machine and press the flashing Go button.
Note: To mitigage wear on the tool, it may lift and spin several times during engraving.
8. Remove tape and aluminum sheet from the mat. Handle with care; use a lint roller or piece of tape to remove any burrs or fragments left on the material after engraving.
Tip: You can also add some contrast to designs engraved on unpainted sheets. After engraving, color over the engraved areas with a dry erase marker to fill the grooves with color, then wipe away the excess markings!