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Offset Fill

Offset Fill fills closed vector shapes with rings that run parallel to their outline. The first ring follows the outline itself; every next ring lies one line interval further inside, until the shape is filled. Holes in a shape are kept free: the rings follow their edges as well.

Overview​

Where Engrave sweeps back and forth in straight lines and Wavefront expands from the center of a pocket, Offset Fill works from the outline inward. Every ring is a closed path cut along its center line, so the fill takes on the shape of the design.

Offset Fill operations:

  • Fill closed vector shapes with rings parallel to the outline
  • Keep holes inside a shape free
  • Ignore open paths
  • Cut the rings outside-in or inside-out

When to Use Offset Fill​

Use Offset Fill for:

  • Filling text, logos and other vector shapes with a fill that follows their contours
  • Clearing pockets where the rings should hug the edge of the shape
  • Designs where the fill pattern is visible in the finished piece

Don't use Offset Fill for:

  • Cutting along outlines only (use Contour instead)
  • Filling bitmap images (use Engrave instead)
  • Open paths, which do not enclose an area to fill

Creating an Offset Fill Operation​

Step 1: Prepare Your Shapes​

  1. Import or draw closed vector shapes on the canvas
  2. Ensure the shapes are closed paths; open paths are skipped

Step 2: Add an Offset Fill Step​

  1. Open the layer's workflow in the right panel.
  2. Click the Add Step button and choose Offset Fill.

Step 3: Configure Settings​

Adjust the line interval, offset and fill direction to match your material and desired finish.

Offset Fill operation result

Key Settings​

The step settings dialog has four tabs: Step Settings, Laser, Post Processing, and Workpieces. Settings are described in tab order below.

Offset Fill Settings​

Offset Fill step settings

The Offset Fill group on the Step Settings tab controls the fill pattern.

Line Interval​

The distance between neighbouring fill rings. Smaller values give a denser fill with more rings and longer job times; larger values are faster but leave more space between the rings.

Line Interval defaults to the laser spot size and has a range of 0.01–50.0 mm.

Offset​

The distance of the first ring inside the outline. With the default of 0.0 the first ring lies on the outline; a larger value leaves a margin between the outline and the fill. This is useful when a separate Contour pass will finish the edge.

Range: 0.0–20.0 mm. Default is 0.0.

Fill Direction​

The order in which the rings are cut:

  • Outside-Inside (default): the outermost ring is cut first and the fill works toward the center
  • Inside-Outside: the innermost ring is cut first and the outline ring is cut last

Laser settings​

Laser settings

Power, speed, and laser head selection live on the Laser page of the step settings dialog. A new Offset Fill step starts at 80% power.

Power (%):

  • Laser intensity for the fill
  • Match your material's requirements

Speed (mm/min):

  • How fast the laser moves
  • Match your material's engraving speed

How Offset Fill Works​

  1. Closed shapes — Open paths are dropped; each closed shape is handled together with its holes
  2. First ring — The outline, moved inward by the configured offset
  3. Further rings — Each next ring lies one line interval inside the previous one; rings around holes grow outward from the holes at the same time
  4. Completion — Rings are added until the shape is filled
  5. Cutting — The rings are cut along their center line in the chosen fill direction

Post-Processing​

Offset Fill post-processing settings

Offset Fill operations support:

Tips & Best Practices​

Choosing the Line Interval​

  • Start from the default (the laser spot size) for a closed, even fill
  • Increase the interval for a visible ring pattern or a faster job

Combining with Contour​

Clear the inside of a shape with Offset Fill, then finish the edge with a Contour pass. Set the offset so the fill leaves enough room for the contour cut.

  • Wavefront — Concentric fill expanding from the pocket center
  • Contour — Cutting along vector outlines
  • Engrave — Filling areas with raster engraving patterns
  • Smooth Path — Refining toolpath edges