Checkered type pattern on laser engraving

Hello everyone,
I’m trying to engrave some photos with lots of black backgrounds.

I’ve tried a few settings and in the forum, I can’t seem to find the same issue I’m having.

3mm basswood. Getting weird checkered patterns. It doesn’t seem to be conclusive to the grain of the wood, and feel like something in the code?

Any ideas or info would be very helpful. Thank you!

That could be something to do with your image… (Moiré patterning?)

Have you tried a different image and if so do you get the same result?

It happens on every images with the dark deep black.
An almost all the photos I do.
Just less noticeable

Here the original photo.

Not much to edit with the black… that’s where the pattern shows up the most.

Current settings
Except laser power was at 50% in the original posted photo.

Did you try different brands of plywood? It may be a residue from the machines handling the plywood. Or try sanding it lightly before laser engraving.

From looking on your original photo, I’d rule out moiré pattern, as your original photo has no rasterization…

And for being a hardware effect or code problem, the pattern seems not regular enough to me.

Admittedly, all just guesswork.

Thanks for the reply, I’ll try sanding it. It’s hard not think it’s a code / hardware problem.

I read on another post trying to use the usb vs send and start on Luban.


If you use Luban, do you see this in Luban gcode preview too? What else slicing software do you use if not Luban?

If it’s there, please roll back one or two Luban Versions and compare the preview.
You should even be able to use another gcode preview software or online preview but maybe you have to change the .nc extension to .gcode.

Could test with a smaller fill interval (.07) and a lower laser power to compensate for the closer lines.

Admittedly, the close-up makes me think if it is material related or code related… In that test you’re burning so deep the top layer is obviously gone… Still, to be sure, I’d recommend to try another wood brand. Also, what others suggested: Load the code into some GCode-Previewer and check if you can spot the pattern there.

I think it’s from pressure from the rubber-faced rollers in the wood process.

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