CO2 ideal motion model
CO2 Engraving Fill-Time Estimator
Estimate ideal parallel-fill motion from filled area, line interval, feed, passes, and quantity. Keep one-time setup separate and use a timed run to account for acceleration, overscan, travel, handling, and other excluded time.
Content reviewed 2026-11-02. Verify the applicability of each source before using a value in a quote.
Input to record
Filled scan area in mm², approved line interval in mm, feed with an explicit unit, passes, quantity, and one-time batch setup minutes.
Output to carry forward
Ideal scan length per pass, ideal motion per piece and batch, and ideal motion plus entered setup. It is not a production cycle-time guarantee.
Ideal fill-time estimator
Use the filled scan area, an approved line interval, feed, and passes. This ideal motion model assumes uniform parallel fill at constant feed. It excludes acceleration, reversal, overscan, travel, image processing, handling, and cooling delays.
Example values demonstrate the equation only; they are not recommended material or machine settings. A smaller line interval increases modeled path length; select interval from quality tests, not from this time model.
Enter area, interval, and feed to calculate.
Use a representative timed run for a production quote. Compare it with this ideal estimate, then document the missing motion and operations separately; do not add an unexplained correction factor.
Sources and scope
Content reviewed 2026-11-02. A documentation reference supports the stated method or data only; it does not approve settings on another machine.
- LightBurn 2.1 Fill Mode
Defines line interval and fill behavior. The area/interval/feed model on this page is an explicit ideal-motion approximation, not LightBurn’s Preview time calculation.
Showing 4 of 4 rows
| Topic | Reference | Shop action | Source | Applicability | Confidence | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal path length | For uniform parallel fill, L ≈ A ÷ h. A is the filled scan area in mm² and h is line interval in mm. | Keep interval tied to the quality test. A bounding box may overstate filled area; skipped gaps may still create travel. | Geometric approximation; LightBurn Fill Mode interval definition | Uniform parallel fill with continuous full-speed scan segments. | Ideal approximation; not a CAM path. | 2026-11-02 |
| Ideal motion time | t ≈ (A ÷ h) ÷ v × passes, with v in mm/s. Batch motion = t × quantity. | All passes are assumed to scan the same area at the same feed and interval. | Dimensional arithmetic using supplied inputs | No acceleration, reversal, or travel-time model. | Deterministic arithmetic; production time needs measurement. | 2026-11-02 |
| Worked arithmetic | Illustration: 10,000 mm² ÷ 0.1 mm = 100,000 mm per pass. At 100 mm/s, one pass is 1,000 s. | Values demonstrate the equation only. They are not material settings or a measured shop benchmark. | Calculated example | The stated ideal-motion assumptions only. | Arithmetic illustration. | 2026-11-02 |
| Additional time | Overscan, acceleration, scan direction/grouping, travel, processing, loading, cleanup, and cooling can change elapsed time. | Use Preview and a timed representative job; keep one-time setup separate from per-piece work. | LightBurn Fill Mode behavior; shop timed record | Exact controller, artwork, machine, and quality requirement. | Unmodeled time is not estimated here. | 2026-11-02 |
Reference workflow
- Match the job, material, machine head, and quality requirement to a row.
- Confirm the source, review date, and confidence before copying the value into a quote worksheet.
- Use a measured result or current OEM record when the row is marked as required or unverified.