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Understanding Operations

Operations are the core of how Rayforge converts your designs into laser instructions. This page explains what operations are, the different types available, and how to choose the right one for your project.

What is an Operation?

An operation is a processing step that converts geometry (shapes, images, paths) into toolpaths - the actual instructions that tell the laser where to move and when to fire.

Think of it like this:

  • Your design is what you want to create (a logo, a box, a photo)
  • An operation is how you want to create it (engrave, cut, etc.)
  • The toolpath is the specific commands that make it happen

Example:

Design: A circle
Operation: Contour Cut
Result: Laser traces the circle outline and cuts it out

Design: A circle
Operation: Raster Engrave
Result: Laser fills the circle area with back-and-forth scanning

Operation Types

Rayforge provides several operation types, each suited for different tasks.

Contour (Vector Cutting)

What it does: Follows the outline of vector paths.

How it works: - Traces the edges of shapes - Laser follows the path continuously - Can cut through material or just mark the surface

Best for: - Cutting out shapes - Outlining designs - Creating perimeters - Precise vector work

Example uses: - Cutting box parts - Creating stencils - Outlining logos - Cutting acrylic shapes

Settings: - Power: High for cutting, low for marking - Speed: Slow for cutting, faster for marking - Passes: Multiple for thick materials

Raster (Image Engraving)

What it does: Scans back and forth to engrave images.

How it works: - Divides area into horizontal scan lines - Laser moves left-to-right, then right-to-left - Power varies to create shading - Like a printer printing an image

Best for: - Photo engraving - Grayscale images - Filled areas - Textures and patterns

Example uses: - Engraving photos on wood - Creating gradients - Filling shapes with texture - Bitmap graphics

Settings: - DPI: Resolution (300-500 typical) - Speed: Medium to fast - Power: Varies with image darkness - Line spacing: Controls density

Depth (3D Engraving)

What it does: Varies engraving depth to create 3D relief.

How it works: - Similar to raster but controls depth - Lighter areas = shallow engraving - Darker areas = deeper engraving - Creates raised or recessed surfaces

Best for: - 3D relief carving - Topographic maps - Embossed text - Artistic depth effects

Example uses: - Carving landscapes in wood - Creating textured surfaces - Embossing designs - Depth-based artwork

Settings: - Depth map: Grayscale image (black=deep, white=shallow) - Max depth: Maximum engraving depth - Passes: Multiple passes for depth - Power/Speed: Control cutting per pass

Shrink Wrap

What it does: Creates a tight boundary around selected objects.

How it works: - Calculates minimum outline containing all objects - Useful for grouping or creating boundaries - Can add offset/margin

Best for: - Creating cut boundaries around complex designs - Grouping multiple objects - Adding margins for cutting

Example uses: - Outlining scattered elements - Creating packing boundaries - Adding cut lines around designs

Material Test Grid

What it does: Generates a power/speed test matrix.

How it works: - Creates grid of test squares - Each square has different power/speed combination - Helps find optimal settings

Best for: - Testing new materials - Finding cut settings - Optimizing engraving parameters

Example uses: - Testing wood power/speed combinations - Finding acrylic cut settings - Optimizing leather engraving

See Material Test Grid for details.

Choosing the Right Operation

Decision Tree

What do you want to do?

Cut out a shape?
  ├─ Vector design → Contour
  └─ Raster design → Trace first, then Contour

Engrave an image/photo?
  ├─ Flat engraving → Raster
  └─ 3D relief → Depth

Mark/score surface?
  → Contour (low power)

Fill an area with texture?
  → Raster

Test material settings?
  → Material Test Grid

Operation Comparison

Goal Operation Why?
Cut through material Contour Follows edges precisely
Engrave a photo Raster Variable power for shading
Create 3D effect Depth Controls engraving depth
Mark outline only Contour Low power, just surface marking
Fill shape with pattern Raster Scans fill area
Test settings Material Test Grid Systematic testing

How Operations Process Geometry

Understanding how operations work helps you prepare files correctly.

Contour Processing

Input: Vector paths (lines, curves, shapes)

Process: 1. Extracts path outlines 2. Determines trace direction 3. Generates G-code to follow paths 4. Adds lead-in/out if configured

Requirements: - Vector geometry (not raster) - Closed paths for cutting shapes - Open paths for lines/curves

Raster Processing

Input: Raster images (photos, bitmaps) or filled vectors

Process: 1. Rasterizes geometry at specified DPI 2. Divides into scan lines 3. Converts pixel darkness to laser power 4. Generates back-and-forth scanning G-code 5. Applies overscan if enabled

Requirements: - Image data or shapes to fill - Resolution (DPI) specified - Power range configured

Depth Processing

Input: Grayscale image (depth map)

Process: 1. Reads depth map (black=deep, white=shallow) 2. Calculates multiple passes 3. Each pass engraves at different depth 4. Builds up 3D relief incrementally

Requirements: - Grayscale depth map - Maximum depth specified - Material capable of depth engraving

Multiple Operations on Same Geometry

You can apply different operations to the same object:

Example: Logo

  1. Raster engrave to fill the logo shape
  2. Contour cut to outline and cut it out

Layer setup: 

Layer 1: Logo Engrave (Raster)
  └─ Logo shape

Layer 2: Logo Cut (Contour)
  └─ Logo outline

Why separate layers? - Different operations need different settings - Control execution order (engrave first, cut last) - Easier to enable/disable independently

See Multi-Layer Workflow for details.

Common Operation Mistakes

Using Contour for Photos

Problem: Trying to contour a raster image.

Why it fails: Contour needs vector paths, not pixels.

Solution: Use Raster operation, or trace the image first.

Using Raster for Cutting

Problem: Using raster to cut out shapes.

Why it's inefficient: Raster scans entire area, very slow for cutting.

Solution: Use Contour operation for cutting outlines.

Wrong Power/Speed for Operation

Problem: Using cutting settings for engraving (or vice versa).

Result: Either doesn't work or damages material.

Solution: - Contour (cutting): High power, slow speed - Raster (engraving): Medium power, medium-fast speed - Contour (marking): Low power, fast speed

Forgetting Multi-Pass

Problem: Trying to cut thick material in one pass.

Result: Doesn't cut through, or excessive charring.

Solution: Use multiple passes at lower power each.

Operation Settings Overview

Power

What it controls: Laser intensity.

Range: 0-100% (or 0-1000 in G-code)

Guidelines: - Cutting: 70-100% - Engraving: 20-60% - Marking: 10-30%

Speed

What it controls: How fast the laser head moves.

Units: mm/min (or mm/sec in some systems)

Guidelines: - Cutting: 100-500 mm/min (slow) - Engraving: 500-3000 mm/min (medium) - Marking: 1000-5000 mm/min (fast)

Passes

What it controls: How many times to repeat the operation.

When to use: - Thick materials (can't cut in one pass) - Deep engraving - Better quality (multiple light passes vs one heavy)

DPI (Raster Only)

What it controls: Resolution of raster engraving.

Guidelines: - 300 DPI: Good for most photos - 500 DPI: High detail work - 200 DPI: Fast, lower quality

Trade-off: Higher DPI = more detail but larger G-code files and slower execution.

Operation Execution Order

Operations execute in a specific order:

  1. Layer order (top to bottom in layer list)
  2. Within a layer: Defined by workflow
  3. Within operation: Path ordering (can be optimized)

Important: Layers execute sequentially, not in parallel.

Example execution: 

Start Job
  Layer 1: Engrave
    Operation processes all workpieces in layer
  Layer 2: Cut
    Operation processes all workpieces in layer
End Job

Why order matters: - Engrave before cutting (so parts don't move) - Multiple passes in sequence - Heat management (alternate areas)

Advanced: Operation Transformers

Operations can have transformers that modify the toolpath:

Common transformers:

  • Overscan: Extends raster lines for smooth acceleration
  • Tabs: Adds holding tabs to contour cuts
  • Optimize: Reorders paths for efficiency
  • Kerf: Adjusts for material removal (planned feature)

Where to configure: Layer workflow settings

See individual feature pages for details.

Tips for Operation Selection

  1. Start with the right operation - It's easier than trying to fix wrong choice
  2. Test on scrap - Try operation settings on waste material first
  3. Use Material Test Grid - Find optimal settings systematically
  4. Check examples - Look at similar projects for guidance
  5. Understand your goal - Cut through? Mark surface? Engrave detail?