1 Focus test Find the height that puts the beam at its sharpest on this material. 3 steps

2 Material test grid Find the power and speed for a material you have not used before. 3 steps

3 Test burns Find the power and speed that cut this material cleanly. 3 steps

4 Calibrate axis Fix cuts that come out slightly bigger or smaller than the size you typed. 3 steps

5 Measure the beam width Find out how wide your beam cuts, so parts come out the size you asked for. 3 steps

6 Cut order Decide the order the parts cut in, and where each cut starts. 3 steps

7 Auto-nest parts Fit more parts on the sheet so less of it goes in the bin. 3 steps

8 Shared cut plan Two parts edge to edge share a cut. Running it twice scorches both of them. 3 steps

9 Remove shared cuts Stop the laser cutting the same line twice where two parts touch. 3 steps

10 Reverse cut direction Turn a path around so the laser runs it the other way. 3 steps

11 Engrave fill Fill a shape with sweep lines so the laser engraves it solid. 3 steps

12 Fill with lines Shade a shape with engrave lines instead of leaving it an outline. 3 steps

13 Fill with rings Fill a shape with rings that follow its own outline. 3 steps

14 Photo engrave Get a photo onto a part as something the laser can actually burn. 3 steps

15 Dot pattern engrave Fill a shape with dots instead of solid burn. 3 steps

16 Engrave the background Burn the background instead of the shape, so the shape stands up. 3 steps

17 Text Put words on a part as single lines the laser can follow. 3 steps

18 Text on a path Run words along a curve instead of a straight line. 3 steps

19 Thicken tiny strokes Make lines thinner than the beam wide enough to survive the burn. 3 steps

Cutting and engraving well

What you will be able to do