Z moving up when trying to cut mutiple passes

i am using a shapeoko with a 7w j tech diode laser. i am trying to cut through 1/8 black acrylic. i enable z and tell it 3 passes and set the laser at the focus point and click start and the z will move up from the focus point to the limit switch and start cutting moving down what appears to be the correct step on every pass moving back up to move and them stepping down on each pass but is way out of focus. the file will run fine other that not stepping down if z is not enabled. it cut the acrylic on 3 passed just not all the way through as i can see it on the back side but without it stepping down on passes it loosing focus. any help will be appreciated as im green to the laser world

Enable ‘Relative Z Moves only’ and ‘Optimize Z moves’. The first setting means that the Z height will start wherever you have it when you start the job and all Z moves (step per pass or offsets) will be relative to that height, otherwise the height is taken from the Material Height on the main page, which is usually not what you want.

The Optimize Z moves just removes excess moves.

thanks this looks to be working

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