mikroEngrave - Turn any image into a perfectly optimized laser engraving.

Precision. Speed. Full control. mikroEngrave is a powerful desktop application built for engineers, CNC operators, and makers who demand nothing less than perfection from their laser engraver. Whether you're working with a photograph, a vector logo, or a multi-page PDF, mikroEngrave transforms it into highly optimized G-code that runs faster, cleaner, and more accurately on your machine.

Designed from the ground up to unlock the full potential of Audioms Automatika doo motion controllers, mikroEngrave delivers seamless integration with mikroCNC and Mach3 control software - giving you complete command over laser power modulation, toolpath generation, and G-code efficiency. Runs on Windows 10 and newer.

Why mikroEngrave?

1. Advanced Input Format Handling

• Raster and Vector: Support for standard and popular bitmap formats (PNG, JPG, BMP, TIFF, GIF), as well as vector formats (SVG and PDF). Vector files are rendered through the Qt engine, with the ability to set the target resolution (mm/px) while automatically preserving the aspect ratio.
• Downsampling: Reduction of processing resolution (1x to 5x) for a drastic reduction in the number of G-code instructions, without losing the visual identity of the engraving.

2. Power Modulation Modes (PWM and TTL)

• PWM (8-bit or grayscale): Full range of 256 gray levels (0-255), ideal for photorealistic engravings and depth shading.
• TTL (1-bit or raster): Binary engraving with support for advanced error diffusion algorithms (Dithering): Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, and Bayer matrix.

3. Toolpath and G-code Optimization

• Merge same-value pixels (Run-Length Encoding): An algorithm that merges adjacent pixels of the same power (PWM) or continuous runs of black pixels (TTL) into a single G1 move. Significantly reduces file size and processing time.
• Zig-zag (Bidirectional) scanning: Alternating left-right movement (L→R, R→L) with full support for both TTL and PWM. Preserves Constant Velocity (CV) on the motion controller and eliminates unnecessary returns via G0 commands.
• Overscan: Adds a lead-in and lead-out move before and after each line, allowing the CNC machine to reach full speed before the laser enters the engraving zone.
• Pixel-center sampling: Precise sampling that ensures engraving begins exactly at the specified zero coordinate (Y=0).

4. Advanced Power Calibration (Power Correction)

• Correction of the non-linear laser power response through an adjustable curve with 5 control points.
• Definition of minimum power (Min Power %), preventing "faded" pixels on materials with a high reaction threshold.

5. Post-processors and Controllers

• Audioms mikroCNC and Mach3: Fully customized G-code post-processor dialects.
• Power control: Choose between control via the A axis (e.g. from A0.000 to A0.2550) or via M10 Qx commands (e.g. M10Q255).
• Spindle RPM: Directly sets the S command (100–10000), which in this case is used to control laser power.
• CRLF/LF: Support for Unix and Windows line endings, with precise ASCII encoding. 

Technical Workflow

1. Import and preparation: Load a file. For SVG and PDF, the application displays a preview with a resolution selection along the X axis.
2. Parameterization: Define the resolution (mm/px), Feed Rate (mm/min), scan direction (Horizontal, Vertical, Diagonal ±45°), number of passes, and precode/postcode commands.
3. Generation: The algorithm processes and generates optimized G-code, displaying an estimated engraving time.

DOWNLOADS

User Manuals

Download mikroEngrave

The software is available as an archived structure. After downloading the ZIP archive, extract it into a previously created folder and create a desktop shortcut to the executable file.