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Raster: BMP/JPG
BMPs and JPGs are raster-based file types. Raster engraving is best for images will a lot of detail.
Raster images have to be scanned onto the workpiece, the laser intensity dictates the depth or darkness of the
image being output. The technique is similar to how an image scanner scans a paper into the computer.
Reference the Common Cutting Parameters for a good starting place for some common materials.
1. Open BMP or JPG.
2. Alter Settings > Parameters as needed.
○ Idle Speed
● Rapid movement feed rate used when laser is moving to an area to engrave/cut.
● Set to a high feed rate, like 8000 mm/min or higher.
● Lower this feed rate if movements create too much vibration.
○ Work Speed
● Slower movement feed rate used when laser is engraving/cutting.
● Lowering this value can help get deeper cuts, darker engravings, smoother lines.
○ Material Thickness
● Used to determine passes needed when cutting through material.
○ Pixel Size
● Set the size of a pixel. Used to help scale the image.
● Example: 1 pixel = 0.1 mm (10 pixels will fit in 1 mm scan line)
○ X and Y Resolution.
● Used to specify the source image resolution.
○ Keep Aspect Ratio
● Keeps the image proportional as you scale.
○ Fit
● Fits the image to the window display. Just used for previewing.
3. Alter Image Settings as needed.
○ Image Scanning
● Horizontal and Vertical Raster
■ The orientation of image scanning to use.
● Grayscale
■ Enabling Grayscale will generate an engraving that will include all values within
the min and max power settings, giving you more… grayscale.
■ Disabling Grayscale will cause the laser just to perform at its min and max power
settings, ON/OFF, with no middle range.
● Dithering
■ Enabling Dithering will render the image as a Dithering Map.
■ Dithering if useful if an image is not engraving deep enough.
○ Power Control
● Laser power to be applied to the workpiece limited by the Min and Max settings.
○ Correction.
● Basic image correction settings.
4. Click Image settings Tab.
○ Alter Image settings as needed.
5. Click G-Code Tab.
○ Generate G-code.
○ Save G-code to file. [To be engraved with CNCjs, Easel, or similar software]
