16-Bit Depth Map Maker for 3D Laser Engraving
Generate AI depth maps for 2.5D relief engraving on wood, slate, and leather. Create dimensional laser-carved artwork with neural depth map generation.
How do you make a depth map for 3D laser engraving?
Upload a photo or illustration to Depth Studio and it generates a grayscale height field, where white is highest and black is lowest, that you export as a 16-bit grayscale PNG, plus an STL or OBJ mesh, for relief carving. 16-bit files have 65,536 height steps instead of 256, so faces and curves carve without visible banding. The deterministic depth engine is free with a free account (every scan runs on our servers; Test Depth Map works signed out); AI Sculpt costs 6 credits.
Depth Studio at a glance: inputs, outputs, limits and cost
| Input | A photo or illustration (PNG or JPEG) |
|---|---|
| Output | 16-bit grayscale PNG height field, plus an STL or OBJ mesh |
| Used by | 3D laser relief engraving, CNC carving software and metal stamp fabrication |
| Best materials | Wood, slate, leather and acrylic; tight-grained hardwoods such as maple, cherry and basswood hold fine detail best |
| Cost | Deterministic engine free with a free account; AI Sculpt 6 credits |
| Limits | Surface relief only. For 3D engraving inside glass or crystal use Crystal Fabricator. Open-grain woods such as oak blur small features. |
What does Depth Studio produce?
- Converts any photographic or illustrative input into high-fidelity depth maps.
- Outputs 16-bit grayscale PNG height fields, plus STL and OBJ meshes.
- Optimized for CNC carving software, 3D laser relief, and metal stamp fabrication.
- Includes Smoothing, Relief Contrast, Edge Bezel and Invert controls, plus background separation.
Customer quotes
Named Reticle Red customers, quoted from their own public posts with permission. They describe the platform as a whole, not one tool, and they are not ratings.
“I love this software!”
“This is the easiest I have seen.”
“Reticle Red is becoming one of my favorite software to use. It has a lot of tools that many others do not, and approaches things differently to create more consistent results. A++”
“Reticle Red definitely takes the guess work out of your design work with tutorials to walk through the process. I highly recommend it.”
Open 16-Bit Depth Map Maker for 3D Laser Engraving — Free to Start See Real Results →
Related Tools & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a depth map and why does relief engraving need one?
A depth map is a grayscale image where brightness encodes height — white is highest, black is lowest. Laser and CNC relief carving reads that height field to vary power or Z-depth, producing dimensional 2.5D artwork instead of a flat mark.
Should I export 8-bit or 16-bit depth maps?
16-bit for relief carving. 8-bit has only 256 height steps, which produces visible stair-stepping (banding) on smooth gradients like faces and curves. 16-bit gives 65,536 steps and carves smoothly.
Which materials work best for 2.5D relief?
Wood, slate, leather, and acrylic all carve well. Hardwoods with tight, even grain (maple, cherry, basswood) hold fine detail best; open-grain woods like oak blur small features.
How is Depth Studio different from Crystal Fabricator?
Depth Studio produces surface relief height fields for carving into wood, slate, and leather. Crystal Fabricator produces 3D point clouds for engraving inside transparent crystal and glass.
Privacy Policy| Terms of Service| Refund Policy| Contact and Support