On this page, you find the instructions for improving the laser engraving outcomes. From improving the positioning of the laser head to the techniques for finding the best settings for engraving photos:
1- Mechanical Check (Laser Engraver Belt Tension and Eccentric Nut Adjustment)
If you have wobbly or not-straight lines and curve…
If you have got a new laser engraver to assemble…
If you have already assembled your laser engraver…
Even if you have used your machine and it requires maintenance….
… watching this video could help you to adjust the mechanical parts of your laser engraver by the ECCENTRIC NUT and tension of the BELT.
After following this video, you will be able to engrave lines and circles perfect, not-wobbly lines and curves.
Step 1: Remove the belt
Step 2: Cleaning the wheels, gear, belt and rails
Step 3: Adjust the eccentric nut
Step 4: Put the belt back
Step 5: Adjust the belt tension
Step 6: Test file
Step 7: Export the Gcode and Run
Step 8: Check the engraved test file (Evaluation)
Link to the test file: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E1.zip
2- Scanning Offset & Overscanning
If your engraving with FILL method or any dithering method does not have straight side ends…
If you photo engraving has not enough sharpness…
If your scanned lines ends are under- or over-burnt…
… you may consider watching this video, that helps you to tune you laser software according to your machine features.
After following this video, you will be able to engrave projects with the expected finish and same engraving intensity of the edges like the core of the lines:
Step 1: Test File
Step 2: First scanning offset entries
Step 3: Guess the scanning offset value
Step 4: Run with the first guess
Step 5: Improve the first guess
Step 6: Fine tune the guessed value
Step 7: Find entries for few operating speeds
Step 8: Overscanning feature
Step 9: Align the lines with overscanning
Step 10: Investigate different overscanning values
Link to the test file: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E2.zip
3- Dot Burn Time (Finding Speed and Power for Photo Engraving)
If you have difficulties engraving a photo as you expect…
If the settings you found do not deliver an acceptable engraving…
If your engraved photo seems to be overexposed (bright areas all around)…
… watching this video will help you to find the right speed and power for engraving.
Step 1: Test File (Dots-Lines Pattern)
Step 2: Speed and power settings
Step 3: Investigation
Step 4: Evaluation
Step 5: Conclusion
Step 6: Next Improvement
Following this method and also watching the next episode, one will be able to engrave photos on different materials systematically. One can expect to get the photo engravings similar to the digital version.
Each material requires a specific time after being exposed to a pulse of the laser to reveal an engraved mark. This time is found, as an example, like:
Pixel size: 0.1 mm
Engraving Speed: 3000 mm/m (50 mm/s)
Pulse per pixel: 2 ms
The pulse per pixel for each material can be employed to find an approximate speed for engraving a photo with other pixel sizes (LPIs).
Link to get the Pattern with different pixel sizes, Lightburn file and the ribbon of the gradient of grey: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E3.zip
4- Photo Black Level Adjustment (Overlaps of Dark Shades of Grey)
If your engraved photo looks so dark…
If you cannot get the gradient of dark shades of grey…
… watching this video will help you to figure out the settings of the photo to “compensate the overlaps” and engrave with a “wide gradient of grey”.
Step 1: Introduction
Step 2: Find Max Shade of Grey
Step 3: First Test with Level Adjustment
Step 4: Fine Tune Photo Level
Step 5: Evaluation and Conclusion
Step 6: Photo Engraving Test
Step 7: Enhancement, Next Step
In this video, you will learn how to adjust the photo for the best engraving outcome, if you cannot engrave the light shades of grey, you may consider watching the video of 3rd Section above.
Link to get the ribbon of the gradient of grey, example image and the Lightburn file: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E4.zip
5- Periodic Line Artefacts
If you are experiencing artefacts parallel to the scan lines …
If your engraving outcome has periodic lines perpendicular to the scan lines…
… this video may help you with two possible solutions which may help you as well to improve your photo engraving outcomes.
Step 1: Check laser mechanics
Step 2: Position resolution
Step 3: Lines parallel to scan line
Step 4: Change of 2GT wheel
Step 5: Update Firmware Parameters
Step 6: Lines perpendicular to scan line
Step 7: Line intervals not to choose
Step 8: Trials
Link to get the test file: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E5.zip
PS: Changing the 20T wheel to 16T wheel was motivated by calculations of https://www.youtube.com/@RmcReloaded-tehnicaldriver, which revealed the importance of right number of teeth to get a more practical line intervals and XY resolution.
6- Choosing the right DPI (Visual and Systematic Approach)
If you are wondering how to select the right DPI (line interval) for a photo engraving …
If you are about to engrave a large size photo and choosing a high DPI takes days to engrave it …
If you are about to engrave a small size photo, but willing to acquire the details…
… you may continue watching this video, to figure out the optimal DPI to acquire the details and also not to choose an unnecessary high DPI which consumes your time and resources.
Step 1: Visual Approach
Step 2: Laser and Photo Settings
Step 3: Tests of DPIs from Visual Approach
Step 4: Systematic Approach
Step 5: Test on Plywood
Step 6: Test on Anodized Aluminium
Step 7: Test on Stainless Steel
Link to the image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-with-colorful-face-paint-14147027
Link to get the test file: https://intocrafts.dk/files/E6.zip
Link to Episode 3 (Laser settings): https://youtu.be/pHxq3NNwQcU
Linke to Episode 4 (Photo settings): https://youtu.be/DIEci1uaNxg
Link to Episode 7 (Photo Engraving Calculator): https://youtu.be/U43b3IOGPcw
Keywords: Photo Engraving, DPI, Interval, Line interval, Lightburn, Atomstack, X20 Pro, Blue Laser, Laser engraving
7- Photo Engraving Calculator
If you wish to engrave a decent photo by laser …
If you would like to find the right settings for photo engraving …
If you want to archive all your photo engraving settings …
… you may want to make a copy of this calculator and start filling in your settings and parameters for different engraving materials in it.
This calculator is beyond an archive, it also calculate the parameters even you have not tested for that specific input, by considering the fundamentals of laser engraving (pulse time per dot, relation of dot size and speed, relation of overlaps and line intervals)
Step 1: Intro
Step 2: List of Materials
Step 3: Line Intervals
Step 4: Speed & Power
Step 5: Enhancement
Step 6: Dot Burn Time
Step 7: Levels vs. Line Intervals
Step 8: Invert & Levels
Step 9: Details Size & Line Intervals
Step 10: Example 1
Step 11: Example 2
Step 12: Shared Document
Link to the Calculator: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PFIc-n3J2cmfYAUDeSO05RykAK2ZxluLlUHJ8eqa7D8/edit?usp=sharing
Link to the test files:
https://pixabay.com/photos/tiger-head-face-feline-wild-cat-2923186/
https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-animal-puppy-pet-mammal-4390885/
Link to get the test files and Lightburn files:
https://intocrafts.dk/files/E7.zip
Keywords: Photo Engraving, DPI, Interval, Line interval, Lightburn, Atomstack, X20 Pro, Blue Laser, Laser engraving, Calculator, intoCrafts, Photo Engraving Calculator