Laser Raster
A laser raster operation engraves an image by mapping pixel intensity directly to laser power. Each pixel becomes a short laser move at a power level interpolated between the configured min and max — white pixels run at min, black pixels at max, with continuous greyscale between. This produces continuous-tone output, in contrast to halftone mode which dithers to binary on/off.
Scanning
The image is scanned row by row. The Dots Per Mm setting defines both the spacing between scan lines and the spacing between pixels within a row, so it directly controls the engraving resolution.
Bidirectional scanning runs alternate rows in opposite directions, which roughly doubles throughput. Unidirectional (every row scanned in the same direction) avoids the one-pixel-wide kerf offset some machines exhibit between forward and reverse strokes, at the cost of extra return moves.
Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Dots Per Mm | Engraving resolution (scan-line and pixel spacing). |
| Min Power | Laser power for white pixels, 0-255. |
| Max Power | Laser power for black pixels, 0-255. |
| Bidirectional | Scan alternate rows in opposite directions. |
Feed rate comes from the assigned laser tool preset.
Tool requirement
A laser tool with dynamic power output. Static-on/off lasers can run this operation but won't reproduce greyscale; use Laser Halftone instead.
When to use
- Photographic image engraving on wood, MDF, leather, or acrylic
- Continuous-tone shading where you want subtle gradients
- Image-based marking where halftone dots would be visible