Tips and tricks for photo laser engraving on Trotec materials

3 steps to the perfect photo laser engraving

Pairing Trotec laser engraving and laser cutting machines with Trotec’s expansive line of engravable materials allows for endless application possibilities. With Trotec’s JobControl® laser software, engraving photos directly onto a substrate is possible. This software has a photo-optimized engraving feature that makes it easy to create a high-quality engraved photo.

Follow these 3 simple steps to achieve a perfect photo engraving:

 

Photo to engrave
Step 1:

After selecting a photo, send it to the laser using whichever graphics program you prefer (CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, etc.).

Laser Settings
Step 2:

Make these simple adjustments on the printer driver:

Material settings: Select your engraving material. Here, we use our material database to fall back on the tested laser parameters.

Process type: Select "photo-optimized." This mode automatically prepares photos for laser processing.

Resolution: Select 333dpi or higher.

Raster algorithm: Depending on the design you want to engrave and the desired effect, different raster algorithms are available. "Ordered Dithering" is recommended as standard settings for pictures of people.

Engraved Application
Step 3:

Begin the engraving process.

Helpful Tip
Processing Tip:

The best results are achieved with appropriate material parameters. When too much laser power is used, the outcome of the engraving is "flat" with very few details. This is because the raster dots overlap. Ideally, the material should only slightly "scratch" the surface. A good rule to follow is about 10% less laser performance relative to a standard engraving job.

More Information:

For more detailed information regarding photo engraving, click the link below. Here we will outline what constitutes a perfect photo for engraving, how to utilize a grayscale matrix, which lenses to use and so much more!