How We Made 300 RFID Prize Pins in 2 Hours for Next Level Laser Conference

If you’ve ever been to a laser crafting conference like the Next Level Laser Conference, you know swap pins are a BIG deal. Makers bring custom pins to trade, collect, and show off their creative skills. Last year was our first time at the event, and we showed up with… nothing. 😅 Just a few crisp high fives to hand out.

Not this year. This year, we’re rolling in fully prepared — 300 full-color acrylic RFID Prize Pins designed, printed, assembled, and programmed in record time. Not only do they look amazing, but a select few have RFID tags inside that unlock secret prizes. In this post, we’ll show you exactly how we pulled it off using LightBurn, Adobe Illustrator, our AEON Nova 14 CO₂ Laser, and our LogoJET UVx90R-SE printer.

Step 1: Planning the Pin Design

We started with our Kim & Garrett Make It! logo — bold, colorful, and instantly recognizable. Since we already had the design ready for our shirts, we resized it to fit a 1.5-inch acrylic pin. Using Adobe Illustrator, we set up the artwork for both printing and cutting.

Pro Tip: If you want to hide RFID tags under your design, choose a graphic with a solid background color. Our white background completely conceals the RFID stickers once printed.

Step 2: Creating the Jig for UV Printing

A jig is essential for batch production — it keeps every piece aligned so you can print or engrave multiple items at once without wasting time. We cut our jig from 1/8" MDF on the AEON Nova 14 CO₂ Laser to match our LogoJet printer bed size (24" x 36").

Jig-Making Process:

• Import your pin shape into Illustrator

• Use the Repeat > Grid function to duplicate it across the jig area

• Export your cut file for the laser and your print file for the UV printer

This jig let us drop in acrylic blanks quickly and know every print would be perfectly centered.

Step 3: Maximizing Material with SVG Nesting in LightBurn

Acrylic isn’t cheap, so we used LightBurn’s SVG nesting tool to squeeze every possible pin shape out of our sheets. Starting with 12" x 24" clear acrylic from Houston Acrylics, we were able to get 275 pins from two sheets — nearly zero waste!

Nesting ensures every scrap is used, which saves money and reduces waste — both huge wins for production efficiency.

Step 4: Printing on the LogoJet UV Printer

With our jig in place, it was time to fire up the LogoJET UVx90R-SE (use Referral Code: KIMANDGARRETT when you contact them). We printed with a white underbase and a clear gloss topcoat for durability. This protects the pins from scratches and makes the colors pop.

Before printing, we applied RFID tags to random pins. Once covered by the white ink, they were invisible to the eye — meaning only a lucky scan would reveal if you’d won a prize.

Step 5: Assembly & Finishing Touches

We used Starbond adhesive to attach the pin backings, working assembly-line style with the jig flipped upside down. Keeping the RFID “winner” pins separate helped us program them quickly with a free NFC tools app on Kim’s phone.

Each winner pin was programmed with a special URL that leads to a prize redemption page. Non-winners were programmed with a fun “Thanks for playing” message.

Why This Project Was a Hit

• Speed: Using jigs and batch processing cut production time down dramatically — 300 pins in 2 hours is no small feat.

• Engagement: RFID prize pins created a buzz before the event even started.

• Efficiency: SVG nesting in LightBurn saved acrylic and reduced costs.

If you’re headed to a laser conference, maker fair, or craft show, creating interactive merch like this can help you stand out, start conversations, and promote your brand in a fun, memorable way.

Tools & Materials We Used

• AEON Nova 14 CO₂ Laser – For cutting jigs and acrylic pin shapes

• LogoJET UVx90R-SE – Use Referral Code: KIMANDGARRETT

• LightBurn Laser Software – For cutting and nesting shapes

• Adobe Illustrator – For design and jig setup

• Clear Acrylic from Houston Acrylics – 12" x 24" sheets

• Starbond Adhesives – For pin back attachment

• RFID/NFC Tags – For interactive prize feature

Watch the Full Process

🎥 Video: We Made 300 RFID Prize Pins in 2 Hours for Next Level Laser Conference

If you’re attending the Next Level Laser Conference (August 28–30 in Grapevine, TX), stop by and swap a pin with us — maybe you’ll score one of the winning RFID pins!