# Making personalized keychains with the Keychain Generator > name keychains in layered or truck style, laser cut or 3D printed This is the workhorse personalization tool: type a name, pick a font, and the generator builds a keychain with the letters connected into one solid piece so nothing falls apart at the cutter. Two tabs at the top switch between the Layered style (connected text sitting on a slightly larger outline layer) and the Truck style (a little truck silhouette with the name riding on it). Both styles get a proper hanger hole with a reinforced ring, and both export as SVG for laser cutting or STL/3MF for 3D printing. ## What you need - **Laser cutting:** 3 mm [acrylic](https://yxecreations.com/pages/acrylic-sheets) in two contrasting colors for the layered look, or [laser-grade plywood](https://yxecreations.com/collections/laser-grade-plywood) for a warm wood version - **Laser assembly:** CA glue or [3M 467/468 tape](https://yxecreations.com/collections/3m-tape) to bond the text layer to the outline layer - **3D printing:** any FDM printer; a multi-color setup makes the two-layer contrast automatic - **Hardware:** [keychain snap clips](https://yxecreations.com/products/keychain-snap-clips-multiple-colours) or split rings and jump rings ## Step 1 - Pick a style and type the name Choose **Layered** or **Truck** with the tabs, then enter the name in **Your Text**. Pick a font - bold, rounded script fonts connect cleanly and survive small sizes. Short names (3-8 letters) make the best keychains; very long names get thin and fragile at keychain scale. ## Step 2 - Tune size, border, and the hanger hole - **Keychain Width** sets the finished size - 60-80 mm is the sweet spot for a bag or key ring. - **Outline Thickness / Border Thickness** controls how much the backing layer extends past the letters. 2-3 mm reads as a clean halo without looking chunky. - Turn on **Add Hanger Hole** and adjust **Hole Size**, **Inner Hole Size**, and **Hole Offset** so the ring of material around the hole stays at least 2 mm wide. - Add an optional **Symbol** (heart, star, paw and friends) and place it with **Symbol Position** and the offset sliders. - On the Truck style, use **Text Offset X / Y** to seat the name nicely inside the truck body. ## Step 3 - Export Download **SVG** for the laser - the layers come out as separate paths so you can cut text and backing from different colors. For 3D printing, set a thickness and download **STL** or **3MF**; the file is a single merged multi-layer model with the text raised above the base. ## Step 4 - Make a whole batch at once Making keychains for a team or class? Use the **Single / Batch** toggle above the text field, switch to **Batch**, and type one name per line or upload a .txt file. The preview tiles every keychain so you can check the whole set, and one download gives you all of them: the SVG groups every backplate on one sheet and every name on another, so you can cut each layer from its own material, while STL/3MF downloads bundle one model per name in a zip. Batch is available on the layered keychain type. ## Laser Cutting ### Laser cutting 1. Cut the outline layer from your base color and the text layer from a contrasting color. On plywood, a light engrave pass on the text layer edge adds definition. 2. Deburr and peel masking, then bond the text to the backing with a thin bead of CA glue or pre-applied 3M 467 tape - tape is cleaner on glossy acrylic. 3. Keep cut speed conservative on the hanger ring; it is the highest-stress area of the whole part. 4. Thread a jump ring through the hole and clip on a snap clip or split ring. ## 3D Printing ### 3D printing 1. Export the 3MF and slice with a 2-3 mm base and 1.5-2 mm raised text. 2. Set a filament swap at the layer where the text starts, or assign colors per part on a multi-material printer. 3. Print flat on a textured plate, 100% infill - these parts are small and live a rough life in pockets. 4. PETG survives keys and weather better than PLA; the truck style looks great with the body in one color and the name in another. ## Make it yours - Batch a whole classroom or team: same font and width, one name per keychain, cut as a single sheet. - Two-tone acrylic combos sell: glitter text on matte black, pastel on white, mirror gold on deep green. - Use the Truck style with a kid's name for backpack tags - bump the width to 90 mm so little hands can grab it. - Add the heart symbol between first initials for couples' key sets. - Cut the layered style from clear acrylic and engrave the text layer instead of stacking for a subtle glass-look tag. - Print a glow-in-the-dark text layer so keys are findable in a dark bag. - Match the snap clip color to the text layer for a finished retail look. --- Open the Keychain Generator: https://www.mylasertools.com/keychain-generator Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/keychain-generator