I’ve been spending a lot of time learning and testing Loklik’s Print Then Cut feature — which is the one feature I’ve never been able to master — and I’m starting to think one major thing is holding users back: there’s no true “flattening” function in IdeaStudio.
In other cutting software, flattening is what tells the machine, “Treat all these layers as one printed image, and only cut the outer edge.” Without that step, beginners end up fighting with unexpected cuts, misaligned layers, or designs that simply won’t behave the way they expect.
Loklik’s PTC workflow is powerful, but it’s also unintuitive — especially for people coming from other platforms. A dedicated Flatten button would:
- Lock multiple layers into a single printable object
- Prevent accidental internal cuts
- Make the PTC workflow more predictable
- Reduce troubleshooting for new users
- Bring IdeaStudio in line with what most crafters already understand from other software
I genuinely believe this one addition could dramatically improve the Print Then Cut learning curve. Right now, many users think they’re doing something wrong, when in reality the software just doesn’t have a clear way to “merge for printing.”
I hope Loklik considers adding a Flatten option in future updates. It would make PTC far more accessible — and a lot less frustrating — for the entire community.
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So is this why I can’t print a design on the engraver and then have it cut it too? I thought it was me and I was coming in here to see what I was doing wrong.
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Hi, @Laura_Ditz, welcome to the community! I don’t have the engraver, but it very well may be. I think the IS definitely could benefit by adding the function. I think it will solve many problems.
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Welcome to the family — can’t wait to see what you make!
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Yeah, this has been a requested feature for a couple months at least. From my understanding they are working on implementing something similar to this in Idea Studio. It’s a great feature.
A work around for those that are having trouble with this is creating an offset of your image that you want cut out.
This can be slightly bigger or the same size as your image. Make the offset a colour that doesn’t appear in any of your images. So maybe lime green or something.
Now make sure to align center horizontally and vertically behind your image.
Now you can group these images together using the group tool. This will keep them aligned and move together as one piece.
When you go to print then cut. Print out your sheet as normal. Then select the offset layer, in our case it’s the lime green group. Then your stickers will cut out and won’t have any unwanted cuts anywhere.
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Creating an offset, aligning, grouping, and only cutting the offset doesn’t help me. It’s still not aligned properly when I cut. It keeps the unwanted cuts to the insides from being done, but alignment is still off. 
I’ll be ordering the iCraft this week, and am hoping it will do better, but I still think a flatten option will solve the PTC problem that I and many others have experienced, and will make it so much easier.
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Really the offset cuts are off? I totally agree about the flattening tool, it’s very much needed. But until then, I’ll see if I can trouble shoot another solution for people to try. Oh, congratulations on your new machine, it’s a big upgrade from the crafter. Still love my crafter but the icraft is better. 
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Thanks! Can’t wait to get it! Yes, the offsets are still off. 
Idk if it’s just the alignment on my machine is bad, or what, but it just doesn’t work for me. My Crafter is pretty much only good for cutting vinyl, and sometimes, cardstock. 
I can cut cardstock if it’s just straight lines, like windows, but anything with curves, or small cuts, like a butterfly, nope, not gonna do it. So, yeah, I can’t wait to see how much better the iCraft is.
