Joints turn flat laser-cut parts into an enclosure, display, construction kit or moving assembly. Their shape depends on material, loading and whether the product needs to come apart again.
Finger joints, snap-fits and press-fits
Finger joints have alternating tabs and recesses that interlock, commonly at box corners. They can be glued when appropriate. A snap-fit has a flexible section that hooks behind an edge or into an opening. A press-fit uses contact and friction to hold parts together.
A joint opened repeatedly needs a different shape and fit from a permanent connection. Decide what it must do during assembly and use.
Bolts, pins and spacers
Bolts and nuts allow disassembly, pins help alignment, and spacers create a gap between sheets. A designed pivot can act as a simple hinge. Fasteners are not automatically included in an online laser-cutting order.
Design for the actual material
Actual sheet thickness can differ from nominal thickness. Kerf, grain direction and material behaviour also affect slots, tabs and hooks. A joint generator can provide a starting point, but the result still needs testing in the selected material.
Avoid concentrated loads
Sharp internal corners, narrow hooks and holes near an edge can concentrate stress. Give flexible sections room to move and leave enough material around holes and slots. Needing force to assemble a joint does not make it stronger.
Compare dimensions with a test strip
Draw the same slot, tab or hook with several small, numbered size differences. Keep the rest of the geometry unchanged. Make the strip in the final material, thickness and relevant grain direction.
Check fit, assembly without damage, strength and disassembly where required. Record the chosen dimension and use it consistently. Retest after changing material or thickness.
Try the complete construction
A successful fit test does not establish stability, load capacity or lifespan. Test the smallest complete functional assembly too. We produce the supplied geometry; we do not certify a joint for a load-bearing or safety-critical application.
Read about tolerances and fit or upload a test file.