Laser engraving is sensitive to path duplication, node density, and stroke strategy. A file can look fine on screen but engrave poorly because the laser is a physical tool following geometry at speed.
Auto-trace tools often create overlapping segments, tiny micro-loops, and excessive anchor points. On a laser, that turns into double-burning, uneven shading, hotspots, and longer runtimes.
An engraving-ready SVG should have deliberate visual hierarchy: bold primary contours, simplified internal detail, and consistent spacing so the burn reads clearly on real materials.
Pick images with clean subject separation and readable edges. Diffuse lighting, minimal noise, and a simple background produce better boundary detection than busy textures or harsh shadows.
For crisp engraved drawings, a single-stroke centerline approach often engraves faster and cleaner than double outlines. For silhouette-style engraving or cutting, closed outlines are preferred. Choose based on your material and desired look.
Reduce anchor point count aggressively while preserving shape. Smooth Bézier curves engrave more evenly, avoid machine hesitation, and keep SVG files editable.
Remove duplicate paths, weld endpoints, fix open contours, and verify there are no self-intersections. Then test-run with a small sample size to confirm burn contrast and detail readability.
High-contrast photos with clean edges work best: portraits on simple backgrounds, product shots with strong silhouettes, logos, and line-based imagery. Busy textures (grass, hair noise, fabric weave) require stronger simplification to engrave well.
Most commonly because of duplicate paths, overlapping segments, and dense micro-details. The laser ends up passing multiple times over the same area. Node reduction and overlap cleanup usually fixes this.
SVG is ideal for engraving workflows and design tools. DXF can be provided when you need CAD/CAM compatibility, but for pure engraving control software (like LightBurn) SVG is typically the most straightforward format.
Use our laser engraving preset to get simplified, burn-safe geometry with clean paths and optimized detail.
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