Try Datum

Laser cutting and 3D printing setup, made simple

A smarter way to prepare physical models

Open your 3D model. Datum sorts every part to the laser cutter or the 3D printer and lays them out on sheets, ready to cut.

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Datum Studio: projects and files on the left, a building model in the middle, its parts nested on a chipboard sheet on the right

How it works

We handle the fabrication process

  1. 01

    Open your model

    Drop in a Rhino file or a mesh: 3DM, DXF, STL, OBJ, glTF, FBX or 3MF. It opens in your browser, with nothing to install.

  2. 02

    Datum arranges it

    No more sorting parts by hand. Datum organizes every part and lays it out on your sheets, ready to cut.

  3. 03

    Export and cut

    Export your files back into your workflow as DXF, SVG, 3DM, STL or 3MF.

Files

All your models in one place

Keep every model and its sheets together in projects, organized however you like. Pick up right where you left off.

Datum Studio with three projects in the sidebar, Studio Review, Site Studies and Pavilion Research, and the Prototype model open in 3D.

Arrange and export

Nest and download

Choose your sheet size, material, spacing and more, then press Arrange. Export the sheets you need as DXF, SVG or 3DM.

The Arrange panel beside the model, its parts nested on Sheet 1, Sheet 1.2 and Sheet 1.3.

Cross-reference

Never lose track of a piece

Click a piece on a sheet and it lights up in the model, and vice versa, so you always know where everything belongs.

Three floor slabs picked on Sheet 1, lit up in blue in the 3D model beside it.

Kit of parts & Contour

Kits and contours

Lay out a kit of parts or slice a landscape into layers, then send it to Arrange.

Datum Studio with the Octahedron model open, Kit of parts and Contour in the sidebar.

Workflow

Fits into the way you already work

Bring a model from Rhino or any 3D tool. Datum gets it ready, and the files go back into your workflow or straight to the machines.

About

About Datum

Our mission. Model making should be the fun part, but most of it goes into file prep. Datum flips that, so your time goes back into the work that matters.

Our story. We kept running into the same problems: messy files, wasted material and hours spent sorting and preparing everything by hand. So we built Datum to fix them.

What we believe. Great tools should get out of the way. Datum handles the setup, so you can focus on making.

Created by Kevin Buschmann and Ansh Gupta.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Datum available now?

Datum is free to use. Press Try Datum to start, and we’ll keep adding features along the way.

How is my data handled?

You sign in with Google so that your projects and models can be saved to your private account, and be the same on any computer. From Google, Datum keeps only your email address and account ID. No ads, no tracking, and we never sell your information. Datum never changes your original Rhino file.

Which files can I open and export?

Datum opens Rhino files (3DM), DXF drawings and meshes (STL, OBJ, glTF, FBX and 3MF). It exports cut files for the laser cutter in DXF, SVG or 3DM, and print files in STL or 3MF.

Will it work with my fab lab’s laser cutter?

Yes. Datum comes with common laser cutter sizes, and you can set any sheet size and material of your own.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Datum runs in your web browser, on Windows or Mac, with nothing to download or install.

Your next model, ready for production.

Open it in Datum and see every part sorted, nested and numbered in minutes.

Try Datum