sparq.tools
Generate a flex-cut hinge pattern sized to your material. The alternating slot layout lets flat sheet bend smoothly without snapping - set your dimensions and cut.
A living hinge is a flex zone laser-cut into flat sheet material. Alternating rows of slots leave thin bridges of intact material that bend - turning a rigid sheet into something that folds without a mechanical hinge.
The Side A and Side B panels are solid pieces on each end of the hinge zone. They stay rigid when the hinge bends - they become the functional faces of your finished piece. The whole thing cuts from a single sheet.
Best choice. Cut across the grain - orient the file so the hinge cuts run perpendicular to the wood grain. The thin bridges between cuts align with the long fibers, which flex repeatedly without snapping. The hinge bends parallel to the grain.
Works, but acrylic is more brittle than wood. Flex it gently - tight bend radii or repeated cycling will crack it. Cast acrylic flexes better than extruded. No grain direction to worry about, but keep bend radius generous.
Not recommended. MDF has no long fibers - it's compressed wood dust. The bridges between cuts have nothing to flex with, so they crack quickly under any real use. Fine for a one-time demo or mockup, but avoid it for anything functional.
A living hinge is a pattern of cuts that lets plywood or acrylic flex and curve without snapping. Pick a pattern, set the size and how tight you need it to bend, and download a cut-ready SVG. Great for curved boxes, wrap-around lids, and bracelets.
A pattern of cuts that lets a rigid sheet flex and bend. The generator lays out the pattern so the material curves without breaking.
Thin plywood and acrylic are most common. Tighter bends need a denser pattern, which the generator handles.