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Tracing a Hand-Drawn Image in Beam Studio
Introduction to the Trace Image Feature
Beam Studio lets you engrave hand-drawn images by scanning them with the machine’s camera. To start, I made a small sketch and placed it inside the machine, as shown on the right.
Scanning the Bed
First, we scan the bed to see the drawing. Click the camera icon and drag a box around your sketch. This part should be familiar by now.
Tracing the Image
After scanning, click the “Trace Image” button (marked by the red arrow). A box will appear—resize it to cover the area you want to trace, then click next. Beam Studio will create a bitmap version of your drawing.
At first, the trace might not look great. Adjust the threshold slider to improve the image.
Final Trace Result
Once you’re happy with the traced image, click okay. Now you have a scanned version of your drawing that you can edit.
Important Note
It’s usually not a good idea to cut directly from a scanned image because all the small imperfections are captured, making the cutting path very wiggly and slow.
Want to Cut Your Drawing?
No problem! To cut your drawing cleanly, use the offset tool. This helps smooth out the edges.
Select your traced image and click “Offset.” In the box that opens, choose “Round Corners” and “Outward” direction. Use a small offset distance to smooth the lines without changing your design too much.
Final Tips
You can also engrave the drawing and use a bigger offset to cut around it, like we did here. Now, Fluxspace’s love for FLUX inc. laser cutters is forever etched in wood!
Project Examples
Have a solution to this challenge you want to share? Take a photo or video of your prototype, post it on social media, and don’t forget to tag us @fluxspace_io
