V-Carve Text · 5 minute guide
V-Carve Text: Depth Maps from Any Font
A V-carved groove is geometry, not generation. Pick a font, set the bit angle and depth budget, and export a true 16-bit depth map that cuts exactly as calculated.
What this tutorial covers
- Why a V-carve depth map is exact geometry rather than an AI guess, and what that buys you.
- How to read the measured stroke ratio so you pick a font that survives a V bit.
- Setting the bit angle and depth budget, and what flat-bottomed clamping means on the part.
- Exporting a 16-bit PNG at true millimetre scale and dialling in your LightBurn 3D slice depth.
- Batching one depth map per name so a run of tags shares a single machine setup.
Validate the workflow on your machine
Treat the finished file as a controlled starting point, not a universal machine recipe. Confirm the artwork dimensions after import, verify focus and lens selection, and run a small test on scrap from the same material batch before committing the production piece. Change one variable at a time when tuning speed, power, frequency, line interval, or pass count. Record the machine, source wattage, lens, material finish, focus method, and final settings with the saved job. That short production note makes the result repeatable for the next operator and prevents a strong screen preview from being mistaken for a proven burn.