3D Preview¶

The 3D preview window lets you visualize your G-code toolpaths before sending them to your machine. This powerful feature helps you catch errors and verify your job setup.

Opening 3D Preview¶

Access the 3D preview:

Menu: View → 3D Preview
Keyboard: Ctrl+3
After G-code generation: Automatically opens (configurable)

Mouse Controls¶

Rotate: Left-click and drag
Pan: Right-click and drag, or middle-click and drag
Zoom: Scroll wheel, or Ctrl + left-click and drag

Keyboard Controls¶

R: Reset camera to default view
Home: Reset zoom and position
F: Fit view to toolpath
Arrow keys: Rotate camera

View Presets¶

Quick camera angles:

Top (1): Bird's eye view
Front (2): Front elevation
Right (3): Right side elevation
Isometric (4): 3D isometric view

Display Options¶

Toolpath Visualization¶

Customize what you see:

Show Rapid Moves: Display travel moves (dotted lines)
Show Work Moves: Display cutting/engraving moves (solid lines)
Color by Operation: Different colors for each operation
Color by Power: Gradient based on laser power
Color by Speed: Gradient based on feed rate

Machine Visualization¶

Show Origin: Display (0,0) reference point
Show Work Area: Display machine boundaries
Show Laser Head: Display current position indicator

Quality Settings¶

Line Width: Thickness of toolpath lines
Anti-aliasing: Smooth line rendering (may impact performance)
Background: Light, dark, or custom color

Playback Controls¶

Simulate job execution:

Play/Pause (Space): Animate toolpath execution
Speed: Adjust playback speed (0.5x - 10x)
Step Forward/Back: Advance by individual G-code commands
Jump to Position: Click timeline to jump to specific point

Timeline¶

The timeline shows:

Current position in job
Operation boundaries (colored segments)
Estimated time at any point

Analysis Tools¶

Distance Measurement¶

Measure distances in 3D:

Enable measurement tool
Click two points on toolpath
View distance in current units

Statistics Panel¶

View job statistics:

Total Distance: Sum of all moves
Work Distance: Cutting/engraving distance only
Rapid Distance: Travel moves only
Estimated Time: Job duration estimate
Bounding Box: Overall dimensions

Layer Visibility¶

Toggle visibility of operations:

Click operation name to show/hide
Focus on specific operations for inspection
Isolate problems without regenerating G-code

Verification Checklist¶

Before sending to machine, verify:

Toolpath is complete: No missing segments
Within work area: Stays inside machine boundaries
Correct operation order: Engrave before cut
No collisions: Head doesn't hit clamps/fixtures
Proper origin: Starts at expected position
Tab positions: Holding tabs in correct locations (if used)

Performance Tips¶

For large or complex jobs:

Reduce line detail: Lower display quality for faster rendering
Hide rapid moves: Focus on work moves only
Disable anti-aliasing: Improves framerate
Close other applications: Free up GPU resources

Troubleshooting¶

Preview is blank or black¶

Regenerate G-code (Ctrl+G)
Check that operations are enabled
Verify objects have operations assigned

Slow or laggy preview¶

Reduce line width
Disable anti-aliasing
Hide rapid moves
Update graphics drivers

Colors not showing correctly¶

Check color by setting (operation/power/speed)
Ensure operations have different colors assigned
Reset view settings to defaults

Next: Settings & Preferences →