Engraving Software Built for Batch, Variable-Data Jobs
Most engraving software is built to drive a machine. Etch Express is built for everything before that: reading messy order lists, merging names into one design, and exporting production-ready files for whatever engraver you run.
The gap in most engraving software
Machine software starts too late
GravoStyle, LightBurn, and EngraveLab are built to run the machine. The slow part - getting 200 names out of an order and into 200 layouts - happens before they ever open.
Design tools don't understand data
General design software treats every piece as its own file. A roster order becomes hours of copy-paste, with a typo risk on every line.
Every job is really a merge
Plates, badges, tags, and gifts share one layout with different text. That's a data problem, and most engraving tools don't treat it like one.
What Etch Express does instead
Read the order, however it arrives
Paste a spreadsheet or upload a PDF, photo, or scan. AI parsing builds a clean data table of names, titles, and dates you confirm at a glance.
Design once, merge every row
Build the layout, mark the changing fields as variables, and preview your real data - longest names included - before anything gets cut.
Export for the machine you already run
Auto-arrange the batch to your blanks or bed and export clean vector SVG or PDF that imports into LightBurn, GravoStyle, or any engraving workflow.
Frequently asked questions
What does engraving software actually do?
It splits into two jobs: machine control software (LightBurn, GravoStyle, Ruby) drives the laser or rotary engraver, while design and batching software like Etch Express prepares the work - merging your data into a layout and exporting production-ready files.
Does Etch Express replace LightBurn or GravoStyle?
No - it feeds them. Etch Express handles order intake, variable-data design, and batch layout, then exports SVG or PDF files that your machine software runs like any other job.
What machines does it work with?
Any laser or rotary engraver whose software accepts vector files - which is nearly all of them. Etch Express outputs standard SVG and PDF, so it stays machine-agnostic.
How much does engraving software cost?
Machine control software is often bundled with the engraver. Etch Express, which handles the batch design side, is $100/month per store with a 30-day free trial.
See it run on your own data
Try Etch Express free for 30 days. Bring a real order and watch a full batch go from list to production-ready in minutes.