Material Test Grid¶

The Material Test Grid generator creates parametric test patterns to help you find optimal laser settings for different materials. Instead of manually creating test squares, Rayforge automatically generates a grid with varying speed and power combinations.

Overview¶

Material testing is essential for laser work - different materials require different power and speed settings. The Material Test Grid automates this process by:

Generating test grids with configurable speed/power ranges
Providing presets for common laser types (Diode, CO2)
Optimizing execution order for safety (fastest speeds first)
Adding labels to identify each test cell's settings

Creating a Material Test Grid¶

Step 1: Open the Generator¶

Access the Material Test Grid generator:

Menu: Tools → Material Test Grid
This creates a special workpiece that generates the test pattern

Step 2: Choose a Preset (Optional)¶

Rayforge includes presets for common scenarios:

Preset	Speed Range	Power Range	Use For
Diode Engrave	1000-10000 mm/min	10-100%	Diode laser engraving
Diode Cut	100-5000 mm/min	50-100%	Diode laser cutting
CO2 Engrave	3000-20000 mm/min	10-50%	CO2 laser engraving
CO2 Cut	1000-20000 mm/min	30-100%	CO2 laser cutting

Presets are starting points - you can adjust all parameters after selecting one.

Step 3: Configure Parameters¶

Adjust the test grid parameters:

Test Type¶

Engrave: Fills squares with raster pattern
Cut: Cuts outline of squares

Speed Range¶

Min Speed: Slowest speed to test (mm/min)
Max Speed: Fastest speed to test (mm/min)
Columns in grid represent different speeds

Power Range¶

Min Power: Lowest power to test (%)
Max Power: Highest power to test (%)
Rows in grid represent different power levels

Grid Dimensions¶

Columns: Number of speed variations (typically 3-7)
Rows: Number of power variations (typically 3-7)

Size & Spacing¶

Shape Size: Size of each test square in mm (default: 20mm)
Spacing: Gap between squares in mm (default: 5mm)

Labels¶

Include Labels: Enable/disable axis labels showing speed and power values
Labels appear on left and top edges
Labels are engraved at 10% power, 1000 mm/min

Step 4: Generate the Grid¶

Click Generate to create the test pattern. The grid appears on your canvas as a special workpiece.

Understanding the Grid Layout¶

Grid Organization¶

Power (%)     Speed (mm/min) →
    ↓      1000   2500   5000   7500   10000
  100%     [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]
   75%     [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]
   50%     [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]
   25%     [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]
   10%     [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]   [  ]

Columns: Speed increases from left to right
Rows: Power increases from bottom to top
Labels: Show exact values for each row/column

Grid Size Calculation¶

Without labels:

Width = columns × (shape_size + spacing) - spacing
Height = rows × (shape_size + spacing) - spacing

With labels:

Add 15mm margin to left and top for label space

Example: 5×5 grid with 20mm squares and 5mm spacing:

Without labels: 120mm × 120mm
With labels: 135mm × 135mm

Execution Order (Risk Optimization)¶

Rayforge executes test cells in a risk-optimized order to prevent material damage:

Highest speed first: Fast speeds are safer (less heat buildup)
Lowest power within speed: Minimizes risk at each speed level

This prevents charring or fire from starting with slow, high-power combinations.

Example execution order for 3×3 grid:

Order:  1  2  3
        4  5  6  ← Highest speed, power increasing
        7  8  9

(Fastest speed/lowest power executed first)

Using Material Test Results¶

Step 1: Run the Test¶

Load your material in the laser
Focus the laser properly
Run the material test grid job
Monitor the test - stop if any cell causes problems

Step 2: Evaluate Results¶

After the test completes, examine each cell:

Too light: Increase power or decrease speed
Too dark/charred: Decrease power or increase speed
Perfect: Note the speed/power combination

Step 3: Record Settings¶

Create a material settings reference:

Material	Thickness	Operation	Speed	Power	Notes
Birch Plywood	3mm	Engrave	5000 mm/min	40%	Perfect contrast
Birch Plywood	3mm	Cut	500 mm/min	80%	2 passes
Acrylic (clear)	3mm	Cut	300 mm/min	90%	Clean edge

Material Database

Consider documenting your material test results for quick reference in future projects.

Advanced Usage¶

Combining with Other Operations¶

Material test grids are regular workpieces - you can combine them with other operations:

Example workflow:

Create material test grid
Add contour cut around the entire grid
Run test, cut free, evaluate results

This is useful for cutting the test piece free from stock material.

Custom Test Ranges¶

For fine-tuning, create narrow-range tests:

Coarse test (find ballpark):

Speed: 1000-10000 mm/min (5 columns)
Power: 10-100% (5 rows)

Fine test (optimize):

Speed: 4000-6000 mm/min (5 columns)
Power: 35-45% (5 rows)

Different Materials, Same Grid¶

Run the same grid configuration on different materials to build your material library faster.

Tips & Best Practices¶

Grid Design¶

✅ Start with presets - Good starting points for common scenarios ✅ Use 5×5 grids - Good balance of detail and test time ✅ Enable labels - Essential for identifying results ✅ Keep squares ≥20mm - Easier to see and measure results

Testing Strategy¶

✅ Test scrap first - Never test on final material ✅ One variable at a time - Test speed OR power range, not both extremes ✅ Allow cooldown - Wait between tests on same material ✅ Consistent focus - Same focus distance for all tests

Safety¶

⚠️ Monitor tests - Never leave running tests unattended ⚠️ Start conservative - Begin with lower power ranges ⚠️ Check ventilation - Ensure proper fume extraction ⚠️ Fire watch - Have fire extinguisher ready

Troubleshooting¶

Grid doesn't appear on canvas¶

Check: Make sure you clicked "Generate" in the settings dialog
Check: Zoom out - the grid might be outside the visible area
Try: Use View → Zoom to Fit (Ctrl+0)

Labels are missing¶

Check: "Include Labels" checkbox is enabled
Check: Labels extend beyond the grid - zoom out to see them
Note: Labels add 15mm margin to left and top

Test cells execute in wrong order¶

Rayforge uses risk-optimized order (fastest speeds first)
This is intentional and cannot be changed
See Execution Order above

Grid is too large for material¶

Reduce: Number of columns/rows
Reduce: Shape size (try 15mm or 10mm)
Reduce: Spacing (try 3mm or 2mm)
Calculate: Use formula in Grid Size Calculation

Results are inconsistent¶

Check: Material is flat and properly secured
Check: Focus is consistent across entire test area
Check: Laser power is stable (check power supply)
Try: Smaller grid to reduce test area

Technical Details¶

File Format¶

Material test grids are stored as:

Import Source: Virtual path [material-test] with JSON parameters
Workpiece: References the import source
Layer: Regular layer (can be mixed with other operations)

Serialization¶

The test grid parameters are stored as JSON:

{
  "type": "MaterialTestGridProducer",
  "params": {
    "test_type": "Engrave",
    "speed_range": [1000, 10000],
    "power_range": [10, 100],
    "grid_dimensions": [5, 5],
    "shape_size": 20.0,
    "spacing": 5.0,
    "include_labels": true
  }
}

Simulation Mode - Preview test execution before running
Raster Engraving - Understanding engrave operations
Contour Cutting - Understanding cut operations