Laser pointer offset
Compensate for the offset between your machine's alignment pointer and the actual burn position.
Many lasers have a low-power alignment pointer (a separate red dot or a low-power preview from the main laser) used for framing without firing the main beam. Sometimes that alignment pointer is mounted slightly off from where the main laser actually fires. The offset is small but consistent.
If you frame with the pointer and the burn lands offset from where the pointer walked, this page shows how to measure the offset and compensate for it.
What you need
- A piece of scrap material.
- Calipers.
- ~10 minutes.
Steps
1. Confirm the offset exists
Frame a small rectangle. Without moving the material, run a low-power burn of the same rectangle. Measure the difference between where the frame went and where the burn happened. If the difference is non-zero and consistent, you have an offset.
2. Find the offset
Cut a small crosshair at full power. Without moving anything, run the alignment pointer in a tight box centered on where you expected the burn. Measure the distance from the crosshair to the alignment-pointer center: that is your offset, in X and Y.
3. Compensate
Two equivalent options:
- Adjust job origin in the Cuts/Layers panel by
(-offset_x, -offset_y). The frame and burn align after this. - Move the design on the canvas by
(-offset_x, -offset_y)before running. Same outcome, but baked into the project.
Both are per-job.
4. Re-test
Frame the rectangle again. The frame should now match where the burn would land.
Verify it worked
A test burn lands within ~0.2 mm of where the alignment pointer indicated.
When this matters
- Precision placement work where you align by eye (positioning a logo on a pre-printed surface, engraving over a feature).
- Camera-based alignment is unaffected, the camera sees the burn, not the pointer.
When it does not
- Most general-purpose engraving where you place the material against a stop or jig.
- Workflows where you rely on the camera overlay for placement.
Related
- Device Settings dialog
- Camera panel: alternative placement method
- Frame and preview