Mastering 3D Laser Engraving - From Novice to Master in 10 Minutes

Did you know that you can simulate 3D objects with your laser? It is actually 2.5D, but the techniques I will show you in this video will let you create raised images in your laser projects, much like CNC users can do.
I'll show you three different workflows that will demonstrate how to generate a height map image that you can use to enhance your laser engraving.
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[@stewall101]

Very helpful, thanks.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pethoviejo]

Way cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Thanks for watching!

[@cncwoodcrafofficial]

Good work nice job

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Thank you so much 😀

[@cncwoodcrafofficial]

✌

[@HeirloomGameCalls]

I'm opening my Fiber Laser this morning!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I hope you reach some quick success with it.

[@HeirloomGameCalls]

@@SteveMakesEverything I finally got the crate off...LOL

[@eddiec1960]

Hi Steve, great video as usual. However, i thought you said at the beginning of the video that you would show how you could do this kind of engraving using a diode laser, did I blink and miss that?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

The very first engrave is the settings for a 30W diode laser on wood

[@ofthechase6962]

thanks

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Welcome

[@3dtwerking324]

I've been working with 2.5D engraves for a few years, it is getting easier but still needs some more advanced tools. 2.5D only works properly on Galvo with Lightburn and I had to write some custom software to work with Diode, CO2 and Ruida controlled lasers. I still have a few limitations on the diode/CO2 due to lightburn's limit on 30 layers. I have created 64-256 layer projects (very long process time and some materials don't do well over 64 layers) to get true multi depth in non metal materials. The biggest trick is getting depth maps for our projects/photos not just downloadable what someone else built where there is still weakness in software. Grayscale setting in lightburn does not do a 2.5D engrave justice! Using multi-pass does ok for deeper darker parts but the lighter parts get hit too many times on each pass making the outcome less that desirable in many cases.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Yes it’s really the realm of CNC and fiber lasers, but with the right material and some practice you can get decent results with a diode laser. It can be even more work with a CO2 since they tend not to do grayscale. The alternative would be to do what you seem to be doing by slicing layers outside of the laser and engraving then one at a time. At some point you need to throw in the towel and get a CNC so you can use the right tool for the job.

[@3dtwerking324]

@@SteveMakesEverything Oh do I wish things were as simple as that! I wouldn't have to put on my old hat and write custom software! Fiber lasers do ok with it but still not perfect. I have a couple of 60W mopa units and to do a depth map with only 1mm or less depth is usually about 1 hour on the machine but to do a true deep engrave is up to 6 hours which ties up machines for too long and a bit costly for clients. Its cool and looks nice but I found there is more work in quicker marking jobs or deep engraves of simple logos. It is kinda fun to watch my partner rush to pick up the engrave to look at it, especially brass! I have many CNC routers up to 10HP, thats what took me down the path of 2.5D laser engrave. I do have multiple 2.5D engravings about 1/4-3/8" deep, way more detailed than any CNC router can carve, they don't make bits fine enough or one doesn't have the week it will take to run a 0.2mm tipped tapered bit. The biggest problems with CNC routers are they take 24-48 hours to run this type of job and they can't do fine detail very well. As a secondary problem on a 24 hour job they cost me roughly $2100 in operational costs. Overtime labour is expencive and the machine must be monitored. Power costs is also a bit rough at $100 / 24 hrs. This cost sets a client price at roughly $3600 / 24 hours. Too costly for most clients. Personally I think everyone should have a really cool 2.5D large door knocker on their front door and its truly worth $4000. That set me on this path where I got the costs down to roughly $800, about 22% of the router route cost. As a bonus the laser version of the carving is far more detailed and fully deals with all the complicated angles and slopes. The fly in the ointment is the complexity of the job setup and higher risk to job failure. There are also multiple materials that are being problematic and getting 2.5D tuned. Oak for example is very common on the cnc routers but just being a bear to get tuned for the 2.5D CO2 laser. I have tests that honestly look like my friends 3 year old carved it with a chocolate pudding covered rubber knife. I am working on getting that client cost down to $400 by cutting the time in half. Most of the time in the 2.5D is the removal of the bulk of the material so I started to wander down that path only to find an entire barrel of worms! Cant use a depth map to engrave away what is not there! I put my programmers hat away 15 years ago when I retired early! I don't know if my 1st mistake was retiring early or if it was getting bored and starting a company soon after! Well I did solve the bored problem! Do you know why a CO2 can't do grayscale? What do you actually see on a dark engrave or do you actually see it? I suppose that is sorta a trick question lol

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@3dtwerking324Well you've inspired me to try a 2.5D engrave on my 90w CO2, just to show what it looks like. I'll post something to my community tab later this week if I have time. In short, and certainly confirmed by your saga listed here, there isn't a perfect way to do these. CNC is probably still best, but as you've observed, there are challenges. When I do a height map engrave on CNC, I will usually start with a 1/4" end mill and hog out the bulk, then use a finer bit to get that last millimeter of material. Sometimes I will use 3 bits (1/4" end mill, 1/16" ball end, and finally a 15 degree vbit to get the finest detail. It is the fastest way that I have found (but that doesn't mean it is fast)

[@Pir8Gaming361]

Just a thought. Have you tried doing a rough 2.5d engrave which is faster than the final fine one and then to do the laser engrave over the rough cnc bit?

[@3dtwerking324]

@@Pir8Gaming361 I have done a number of cnc engraves which I then added a laser photo engrave over to add some color and shadows but not partially carve with cnc and final carve with laser. That sounds a bit tricky with power settings.

[@ikeydweck2211]

how would I go about making it have more depth though? I want to make a piece with topography and I want the mountains on the map to really show

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You can do more passes. Fiber lasers with 20-30W are better for surface engraving (up to a millimeters. If you want to deep carving/sculpting then you really need a fiber laser with 50+ watts. If you are using a diode laser, then material matters a lot. Darker materials like black acrylic seem to work best. After that, focus on power and speed. You can always do multiple passes to increase the depth.

[@Waltreco]

Cool, but a shame i cant use lightburn in my laser cutter...

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Experiment a bit. Lightburn isn't what make this possible.

[@Waltreco]

@@SteveMakesEverything Gonna try then. I say if i can make this work in a chinese k40 laser

[@hhguncustomizations3505]

Can we use these setting s on our 50 watss ordinary fibre laser or need a 3dlaser

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Yes, you can certainly do this with a 50W fiber laser, and you are lucky to have one. Your settings will probably be different though because you have all that extra power.

[@hhguncustomizations3505]

@@SteveMakesEverything any video how to start from

[@swflscratcher5893]

Ok I clearly did something wrong but I don’t know what… I did everything you said and it’s engraving (into) the metal.. but I didn’t invert it.. is that why? Which inverting do I do? Vertical? Or ?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You can invert the image. It depends if you want the image raised or sunken into the material.

[@kendispoto6871]

Should I assume, this method would not work on glass or acrylic?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

It works on acrylic and I did it in this video. Glass is a non-starter though.

[@chandrashekhar514]

Hello sir Want to purchase 3d laser engraving system on steel. Maximum deepness 4mm and size 150mm*150mm. I am very thankful to you for suggest best configuration for my requirements.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You are going to need a pretty substantial fibre laser to do this - think 100W. But it’s doable

[@derekrivera3487]

I downloaded the same flower file and stl2png converter says there is a length mismatch and I don't understand since its the same file

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Hmm. not sure what that error is or what might cause it.

[@waleedantar4991]

The 3D option is not show in my lightburn software, I don't know why ? thanks

[@SteveMakesEverything]

That’s only available if you have a galvo licence. For diode or co2 lasers you need to use grayscale

[@waleedantar4991]

Sorry, I am new, do you mean : if I have licence for LightBurn software ?@@SteveMakesEverything

[@angellee5253]

In other words, all lasers can be used for 2D and 3D work. We don't need to buy particular 3D Laser laser machine as advertised by some suppliers?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Can you give me the name of a company advertising 3D Laser machines? Technically, any laser that can engrave can create projects with depth, though keep in mind this isn't really 3D, but rather 2.5D (since it can only engrave from the top surface down. Some lasers will definitely do this better than others, though. Diode lasers that can do true grayscale engraving will do this very well, though it will depend very much on the material being used as well. Assuming you are using something like metal, then a fiber laser will produce the best results.

[@juank1026]

Can it be done on CO2?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

If you can vary the pulse width of your CO2 then you can do this - sort of. CO2 lasers can’t do true grayscale so you’re probably out of luck

[@creepinonthebabes]

you can make height maps in blender 3d

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Indeed. The learning curve for Blender is a bit steep, but the reward makes it worth the effort.