Prepare a photo for a CNC relief
Choose a source image with useful shape information, crop it for the finished plaque, and avoid common lighting and background problems.
Workshop notes
Practical guides for photo-to-relief CNC work
Use these step-by-step notes to prepare a source image, understand what a depth map encodes, bring a relief into CAM, and inspect a model before machining or printing. Advice is general; always verify settings against your machine, material, and CAM software.
Start with the workflow you need
Read a depth map and bring it into CAM
Understand grayscale height values, inversion, physical depth, previewing, and the checks to make before generating a toolpath.
Check a 3D relief before machining
Inspect scale, thickness, edges, and mesh integrity before committing material to a CNC or 3D printer.