ALPS Advanced Laser Processing Software

Badge Maker

Job Editor ▸ the wrench ▸ Badge Maker · ● Green

What it does

It builds a name-badge plate from a plate size and a list of text lines, then binds those lines to a spreadsheet so a hundred badges come out with a hundred names on them.

⭐ Two ways in, and they are the same tool. The Tools screen lists it under In the Job Editor — clicking takes you to the editor with the wizard open. Or open it directly from the wrench in the editor's left toolbar. See Section 3.3.

The three steps

Badge Maker — plate size and the lines of text.

① Standard plate sizes, or type your own ② Each line becomes an auto-fit frame — a long name SHRINKS rather than overflowing

The wizard names them across the top:

  1. Template — the plate and the lines of text on it.
  2. Data — the spreadsheet the lines come from.
  3. Nest & send — arranging the badges on the material and sending them.

Step 1 — the template

Plate size offers standard sizes — 3 × 1.5″ name badge is the default — or type a width and height.

Text lines: each line has a name (a key, like name or title), the placeholder text you see while designing, and a point size. Add line for more; the bin icon removes one.

⭐ Each line becomes an auto-fit frame that shrinks to fit. That is the feature that makes badge runs survivable: the point size you set is a maximum, and a long name shrinks rather than overflowing the plate or colliding with the line below. You do not have to check every name.

⚠ Set the plate size before the text. The frames are sized to the plate, so changing the plate afterwards re-flows everything.

Then Create template →.

Step 2 — the data

Bind each line to a spreadsheet column. The placeholder you typed is replaced per badge.

⭐ This is the same engine as Variable Data — if you already know that panel, you know this one. Badge Maker is the guided version for the job everybody actually asks for.

Step 3 — nest and send

Arrange the badges on your material and send. See Nesting (Section 10.3) for what the packing controls do.

⛔ Run one before you run ninety

Engrave a single badge and look at it: the longest name in the list, not the first. Auto-fit means a long name comes out smaller, and "smaller" has a floor beyond which it is simply too small to read at a conference.

⭐ Sort your spreadsheet by name length and test the longest one. It costs one plate.