# Making laser engraved and 3D printed business cards with the Business Card Generator > two-sided cards with a contact QR code, cut on a laser or printed in two or three colours A business card is small, so the details decide whether it works: text that stays readable at 3.5 by 2 inches, a QR code big enough to scan, and a back that lines up with the front. The generator checks those for you and warns you by name when a line is too long to stay readable. The same design gives you two kinds of file. On a laser, the front and back are separate engrave layers beside one cut outline. On a 3D printer, the lettering is laid into the faces in a second and third colour, or raised from the front. ## What you need ### For laser cards - 1.5 to 3 mm plywood, anodised aluminium business card blanks or 1.5 to 3 mm acrylic - Masking tape for wood, so smoke does not stain the face ### For printed cards - A printer with a multi colour unit, or one that can pause for a filament swap - A 0.4 mm nozzle or smaller. Text under about 0.4 mm stroke width will not print cleanly - Optional: a round NFC sticker tag, 25 mm across ## Step 1 - Pick the machine and the layout Choose **Laser** or **3D printer** under **Make it on**. Then pick a **Layout**. Each thumbnail is a real render of your own details, so you can compare them as you type. **Lattice** cuts a pattern of holes through part of the card; pick the pattern under **Hole pattern** from the same pattern library the Pattern Generator uses. ![Two laser engraved business cards, the front with a side band, name and contact lines and the back with large initials and a website](https://www.mylasertools.com/tool-previews/business-card-generator.webp) Front and back come from the same file. The back outline is only a guide for lining the card up, it is not cut. ## Step 2 - Type your details - Fill in **Your details**. Leave a line empty and it disappears from the card. - **Size** sets the card: US (3.5 x 2 in), EU (85 x 55 mm), Japan (91 x 55 mm) or Square. - Turn off **Design the back too** for a one-sided card. - Under **Logo**, show your **Initials**, upload **My SVG** or choose **Nothing**. - If a warning says a line is too long, shorten it or pick a narrower font under **Fonts**. ## Step 3 - Set the QR code Under **QR code**, **Saves me** makes phones offer to save your name, number, email and website as a contact. **Website** opens the website from your details, **Link** opens any address you type, and **Off** removes the code. Scan the preview with your phone before you cut or print. ## Laser engraving ### Engrave both sides 1. Download the **SVG**. The front sits on the left and the back on the right, each in its own colour layers. 2. Engrave the front layers, then cut the card outline. 3. Turn the card over and lay it on the **Back alignment outline**. Use your laser's frame or a low power trace on a piece of card to find it, but never cut it through your material. 4. Engrave the back layers. The cut-outs on the back outline are already mirrored, so they line up with the card once it is flipped. 5. For anodised aluminium blanks, skip the cut layer and engrave only. ## 3D printing ### Print settings - Use the **3MF** to keep card, text and accent colours apart. The STL is one solid card. - **Flush** lettering is laid into the face and feels smooth. **Raised** lettering stands 0.6 mm proud of the front. - Print with the front face down on a textured or smooth plate for the cleanest face. - With **NFC tag pocket** on, the generator tells you the height to pause at. Drop the tag in and resume. ## Make it yours - Try the **Inspirational Palette** under the preview to see the card in wood, leather or mirror colours before you choose your material. - Use the **Lattice** layout on 3 mm plywood for a card people keep on their desk. - Open the design in the Design Editor to add your own artwork before you export. --- Open the Business Card Generator: https://www.mylasertools.com/business-card-generator Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/business-card-generator