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View Full Version : Relief Engraving on a Trotec



Bob Davis - Sturgis SD
02-24-2016, 1:18 PM
We stumbled across the Relief setting on our Trotec, tried it out, but didn't get anything interesting out of it. This was on barnwood. I'm guessing you need a pretty elaborately designed file to get the effect. Would a 3D cad type sign design program get us there, or is there a better way to get some Relief?

Thanks,

Bob

Mark Sipes
02-24-2016, 5:47 PM
Relief:

is a type of job where the laser power is proportionally controlled depending on the grayscale value of the graphic. This means, white pixels are processed without power, light areas with low power, dark areas with increased power and black with the set maximum power.
This job type requires an 8-bit grayscale graphic (256 color grayscale). Color images are automatically converted to grayscale images during printing.

This process is used for the creation of three-dimensional effects and requires preferably softer materials allowing large material removal in one pass.


My Trotec Manual

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Keith Sherwin
02-25-2016, 4:03 PM
Hi Bob, Your post got me thinking. So, I tried using a good High Quality Bitmap that I had used with Aspire long ago.
I only have a China machine, and am still learning. I used a dollar store bamboo trivet or hot pad & engraved @ 10% for my "Low" power setting and used 50% all the way down to 20% (over the course of cutting this file) as the "High" power settings in scan mode.
The 50% was IMHO too high, but the 20% worked great. All motion was @ 400 mm/s. Depth of the chimney engraving was 0.048" (@50%) and the lower portions of the photo had a depth of 0.023" (@20%).
I might try 600 mm/s with the 50% setting next time, but it boils down to a bit of an experiment now. Good luck on your tries.

332458

Bob Davis - Sturgis SD
02-26-2016, 2:15 AM
Interesting! Thanks guys. We've been playing around with some grayscale images and we are getting a 3D effect, but I'm more interested in being able to design my own 3D logos and graphics. I'm not an Illustrator expert, I just know enough to get by. Take this example, I have a simple white star on a black background. I need to radiate out from the white star going from white to black. Gradients don't seem to get me there. I've been busy on other things but I'm going to get this figured out this weekend.

This all ties in to my interest in making dies on the laser. We've made some dies and they look good, but I'm a little concerned they might be "too sharp". Thought it might be useful to apply a slight 3D effect to round off the sharp edges. My hydraulic press has arrived, but we're waiting on the danged electrician to get it hooked up.

Bob