Improving the Precision of Small-Character Engraving

They also shared their core parameter settings for improving precision and dealing with problems such as fuzzy or rough edges on small characters.The company's software adjusts the engraving speed, power and path parameters, and analyzes the characteristics of the material being engraved to help users achieve clearer results and resolve the problem of missing details in small fonts.

Why is it that it's easier to make a mistake when carving in small letters?

Many users have reported that they get "broken strokes" or "blurring" when engraving small characters, but this is really just related to the setting of parameters.If the laser is operated according to conventional parameters, the inertia of the laser head and the reflective properties of the material can result in the loss of detail.We'll have to go about it from three directions: checking the condition of the equipment, adjusting the parameters, and verifying the results.

Don't be lazy about checking equipment.

First, look at the condition of the knife.

For carving characters smaller than 0.5 mm, it is best to use new or newly sharpened carving tools.Don't underestimate the importance of 0.1 mm of wear--when magnified to ant size, it is a conspicuous gap.To check for wear, the blade is held at an angle to the light and the reflection observed.

The materials must be securely fastened.

Thin wood or acrylic sheets are easily moved around when being carved.Have you tried using double-sided tape and vacuum suction?

Software installation pitfalls.

When you import your graphic, remember to turn on "vector priority" mode, and the system will automatically optimize the order in which it cuts small strokes.When I've finished carving and found that a stroke or two is missing, the problem is usually that the software has identified a fine line as a decorative path.

The perfect combination of parameters.

The game of speed and power.

When engraving 3 mm high characters in acrylic, for example, the speed should be reduced to 60 % of standard (for example, from 300 mm / s to 180 mm / s), while the power should be raised to 85 %.But be careful about the thickness of the material. If it's more than 5 mm, you should reduce the power to avoid burning the back side of the material.

Layered carving is very effective.

For especially complicated characters, try two passes: First, use a low power setting (about 70 % of the standard value) to lightly engrave the outline; then, use the normal settings to deepen the cut.This trick helps avoid the problem of carbonization causing the edges to blur.

Don't forget to compensate.

In the software's advanced settings, find the "compensate for tool wear" option.These small adjustments make the intersections of strokes cleaner, especially when dealing with the decorative corners of Song type.

Three steps to on-site testing.

First, we do the 9-square test.

In the materials corner, there are 3 × 3 test character groups carved from 1 mm to 3 mm in steps.After looking at the results with a mobile phone camera, they would adjust the parameters that were causing the problem.

Observing the state of the smoke.

If the smoke is too thick, it means that the laser power is too high, and the material is being carbonized; if there is almost no smoke, it means that the depth of the cut is insufficient.The ideal state is to have a fine trail of smoke with a crisp sound of chiseling, which shows that the parameters are in place.

The three-day calibration rule.

Even if you adjust the parameters on a given day, it is suggested that you wait three days before using the same settings to verify the results.Changes in temperature and humidity or the natural wear on tools can all affect accuracy.