Deep engrave in acrylic

Smoky colored translucent 1/4" cast acrylic from the scrap bin at Tap, depth map image from some random website somewhere, “deep engrave” option:


I love my Glowforge. :slight_smile:

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wow that turned out great was it one pass?

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I didn’t set it for multiple passes, but the “deep engrave” option does multiple passes, so…yes and no? :wink:

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once it warms up a bit and my windows are not frozen shut. playing around with some acrylic is now on the list.

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Where do you get a “deep engrave” setting? I don’t see that, first time I’ve seen it mentioned.

image

(I looked in each of them and don’t see anything beyond “dots”, “patterns”, or “vary power”. Also checked Manual settings…)

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Just wow!

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Masked or no? Did you have to clean it after or was this as is?

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I have been doing that with wood for a while but not thought of dark acrylic, That looks fantastic!

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Yeah, it just showed up when I went to do this one. I figured it was triggered by the type of graphic in the job.

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No masking. I scrubbed it under the faucet with a nail brush. I think some polish would bring back the shine, but I don’t have any. I’m going to try some toothpaste on it and see if that will do anything.

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That is interesting. I see an additional “Photo” setting as well.

Edit - ok, it shows up with “Thick” PG acrylic. Uses same settings as 3D Engrave, but 2 passes.

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It can tell if the image is a proper depth map? I have always used settings derived from tests.

It’s 'cause I’m special. :wink:

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First I have heard of it also. I don’t recall any announcement of new options, so… an Easter egg?

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I insist on believing it’s because I’m special. :slight_smile:

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That too (of course), but it’s also material triggered. It doesn’t show up for plywoods, because those don’t look good with a 3D engrave. (Rasters only.) :smile:

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It’s always been there - but only on the ‘thick’ materials and maybe only on the Acrylic. I have been using it since I got the machine (2 years ago) though I also like to defocus a little for the second pass.

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Well, dang. The joy we miss when we don’t have all the PG materials!

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I’ve pulled up several projects that I engrave pretty deeply, switched the material to thick acrylic, and still don’t have the deep 3d engrave option…hmmmm

edit: I found one that works… not all vector images gave me the option, but apparently, some do. Found two, actually, both multi-step engraves, but all are vector. Some, like the aztec calendars, still have a mixture of vector and raster elements, so it doesn’t give you the deep engrave option.

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3D doesn’t work with vectors because it uses vari-power. Vari-power reads the grayscale value of the pixel and modulates the power accordingly — since vectors (that work with the GF) are only one single color (no vector gradients allowed), there is no differing power to figure out, so no variable-depth engraving.

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