Setting Z axis to move once per layer

[cggorman (Chris)]

This is well known and discussed behavior among regulars. Whether it’s intended, unintended, or a bug is (to my knowledge) unknown to the masses.

The easiest and cleanest workaround is to clone your cut layer into multiple nearly identical copies with the exception of the Z offset. Done this way, it will cut one pass on all shapes within the layer, move z, repeat all cuts, move z, etc. I use this technique when appropriate and find it quite beneficial. You can also save the specifics to your material library for easier setup in the future.

To my knowledge, majority (or entire) credit for this game-changing technique goes to @parsec.

Lightburn Super Trick

Hello to all. Instead of making multi-pass cuts in intricate details where laser burns the same segment over and over again and that sometimes leads to material burn… You can automatically make 1 pass cut plus 1 pass cut plus 1 pass cut and so on to let material cool a bit. Using Lightburn sub-layers like in the enclosed example. It take a few seconds more but gives much better results. At the end of the job start the job again (3 times in this case) or use cut job with 9 cloned sub-layers, …

An example I made:

Neje 4 Max issue with automated Z step commands

I use both Z offset and Z step per pass often. The only way I know to get the behavior you expect is to use multiple layers. The cleanest (IMO) way to accomplish that is to use sub-layers. Optimization won’t get you there, but can help fine tune behavior in conjunction with the sub-layers. Here is a simple job I ran today. 5 shapes on one layer. Z offset, plus 2 pass, plus Z step per pass. I use a “base” or “park” z value and adjust height from there depending on burn requirement. My “base…