Multiple Z Axis changes in a single file

I’m relatively new to Lightburn coming to this from a Glowforge (yes some of us do graduate to other lasers :wink:).

Edited to fix measurements…

I’m trying to figure out how to adjust the Z axis on my Aeon Mira 7 as I need to move it more than once in the file. For my test file on .125in acrylic I have a score first, that needs to be at .125, a score defocused slightly above that an engrave even more defocused and the cut back at .125. How do I set this up in Lightburn? I have turned on the Z axis controls and also turned on Relative Z Axis Controls and Optimize Z Moves. Is there an order I should do them in? And how do I setup the original focal length for the relative Z to go from? I tried a test before turning on the last 2 controls which didn’t work, but I realized after reading other posts that I needed to set the last 2 controls as well.

I’ll be where my laser is in the morning to do the tests again. Just trying to sort out how to set this up in my test file.

Thanks for any help you can offer. Some of my other laser buddies who are also in the process of moving up from a Glowforge want to know as well - I’m the guinea pig :smiley:

I’m confused by your units. You say you’re cutting 3mm acrylic but then using dimensions like 0.125, etc.

I wouldn’t think you need to go to such lengths to cut 3mm Acrylic with a 40W laser. The depth of focus has to be larger than 3mm, so adjusting between 0.055in isn’t going to be that dramatic. Also, if you’re scoring on the surface, why isn’t your cut focus set to halfway through the material?

FInally, the obvious answer is multiple layers of the same object if all you’re doing is change the Z between them and there are a variety of ways to sort the cut order once you have separate layers.

I tend to refer to .125inch material as either 3mm or .125 in. Sorry if I left off the inch notation. I need some of the scores to be defocused so slightly above the material. And each of these is on a different layer. I just need to figure out how to move the Z axis for each.

And I just realized that I will have to adjust how I measure this as the way a Glowforge does the focus is not the same as it uses material thickness, not where to focus. So in this case my defocus of the engrave would need to be 2-3 mm above the ideal focus.

I did get it to work by turning on all 3 Z axis settings. So my test file scores a line at the focus height, moves the bed down slightly for another score, down again for the engrave and up to cut.

Relative Z enabled means that the Z height of the machine when you start the job is “zero”, and all other heights will be relative to that. So to defocus, you’d set a layer with a 0.125" (3mm) offset, and just set the other layers to zero Z offset. The system will emit the appropriate Z moves when the layers change.

Thanks. Yes I figured out I hadn’t enabled 2 of the 3 Z axis settings I needed and it’s working great now.

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