Bas Relief for CNC Carving and Engraving

What this workflow supports

• Control relief height before moving into feeds, speeds, stock, and toolpath setup
• Use depth-map exports for CNC workflows that start from grayscale depth
• Use STL exports for mesh review, prototypes, and vendor communication
• Keep readiness notes with dimensions and units visible

Design the surface before designing the toolpath

CAM software decides how the cutter moves, but the quality of the carve starts with the relief surface. Smooth transitions and clear silhouettes usually make the CAM stage easier to reason about.

• Reduce image noise before it becomes unnecessary tool movement
• Keep high areas readable without making depth changes too abrupt
• Leave border clearance for clamps, stock edges, and finishing passes
• Use the target material and tool size to decide how much fine detail is realistic

Where MintForged ends and CAM begins

MintForged creates the raised design and export files. CAM still handles tool selection, toolpaths, feeds, speeds, stock setup, workholding, and machine-specific validation.

• Export depth maps when the CAM workflow starts from grayscale depth
• Export STL when mesh inspection or prototype printing is useful
• Check the exported relief in your CAM tool before cutting material
• Run conservative test cuts when material, tool size, or depth is uncertain

Common CNC relief problems to catch early

Most avoidable CNC relief issues are visible before toolpathing if you review the surface carefully.

• Background texture that creates needless carving time
• Tiny ridges that no chosen tool can reproduce cleanly
• Sharp height changes that force rough-looking transitions
• Borders that leave too little room for holding, trimming, or finishing

Frequently asked questions