I have a weird problem with Inkscape on the ULS M30 laser cutting machine.
We currently use Corel Draw X5, which is okay but not that great.
I want to use Inkscape instead! However, for some reason, although I can get it to cut (unlike quite a few other posts I have read on forums), it isn't very smart.
When I use Corel Draw to cut a rectangle, it will cut out the shape going from point to point around each edge, which is what you would expect. However, for some reason, Inkscape doesn't do this. It will cut the first line, left to right, but then it goes back to the left, moves down about 1mm, cuts a tiny line, moves all the way right, cuts a tiny line, moves all the way left and down 1mm, cuts a tiny line etc etc. In other words, it cuts fine for horizontal lines, but vertical it goes stupid.
Although it will still cut out the shape, it takes considerably longer than Corel Draw because it insists on moving back and forth to cut vertical lines, rather than cutting each vertical line in one motion. I hope that's clear - it's hard to explain, but easy to see!
Anyone had similar experiences or any solutions?

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

If the vertical paths are simple straight paths with 2 nodes (1 at beginning and 1 at end) that certainly does sound like strange behavior. But it might make sense if the vertical paths were made up of tiny segments.

I don't have any personal experience with cutters, but I've picked up a few tips while moderating. I can't remember which one at the moment, but one of them requires very narrow stroke width -- like 0.001 I think, or maybe 0.01. I don't know if it would help, but would be easy enough to try

I am currently using 0.001mm for stroke widths. It is a simple rectangle. Works fine in Corel Draw, but no matter what I try in Inkscape, it just doesn't want to cut the vertical lines in a sensible way.
In other words, it will cut them, but takes 100 times longer because it cuts 1mm on the left side, then moves to the right, cuts 1mm and then moves down 1mm to repeat. Totally dumb way to cut on the vertical axis.

When you say it's a simple rectangle, is it made with the Rectangle tool? If so, has it been converted to a path?

Sorry for the simplistic suggestions. I just don't know what else to suggest. There's a nice little forum for using Inkscape wih cutters here: http://www.inkscapecuttingdesign.com/index.php?. Maybe someone there would know what to do?

It is indeed a simple rectangle, created with the Rectangle Tool, with rounded corners. It has been converted to a path.
Other people seem to have had success when converting the file to a PDF, then printing, but my problem does not get resolved when doing this