Text for plasma cutting

[phyllisl37188515]

I am new to illustrator.....  We have a cnc plasma table and I need to know how to adjust text so that letters don't fall out when its cut.  For example on an O it will cut the outside and then when it cuts the inside the whole center will fall out and it will no linger look like an O.  Basically any letter with a center or hole that comes out I need to know how to design it so that it will not happen.  Any help is appreciated as I have a project due in a few days and cannot figure out how to do this,.

Thanks

[Monika Gause]

Look for Stencil fonts and you'll see.

[phyllisl37188515]

So can I only stencil fonts or can I use any font and manipulate them to how I need them?

[pedley_s]

The part of the letter that drops out when cut is called a counter.

So you need to either specifically seek out fonts that don't have counters (often called Stencil fonts), or modify the text so that you join the counter to the outside piece.

This link https://www.thepinningmama.com/how-to-make-any-font-a-stencil-with-your-silhouette-cameo/ isn't actually for Adobe Illustrator, but the process is the same.

[Myra Ferguson · Accepted solution]

You can manipulate any font. Covert it to outlines (Type > Create Outlines or Shift + Ctrl + O) so that it becomes a shape. Then address any of the parts that you don't want to fall out by attaching them to a part that won't fall out.