This is mainly experiment to convert 2D artwork into 3D object. Having not professional laser engraver in hand I had limited possibilities to complete this project. Keeping in mind that laser engraver works only with 2 bits images (i.e. black and white) where black color works as engraving area and white is non engraving I had really limited options. The only possible way was to use laser engraver software driver option of rasterizing grayscale image either using halftone method or difusion dither. Since I needed random rasterization method halftone pattern would not work for me so difusion dither method was the only option. To make 2D image look 3D I use very well known Depth Map method. I draw a vector image of Spasskaya tower and recolored it into grayscale. The more recessed surface I needed the more darker it was colored.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First tests of engraving the outline on the paper
 
 
 
3D and 2D engraving
 
 
 
3D engraving result
 
 
I used 3.2 mm thick laser engraving plastic sheet and made in total 25 engraving passes to engrave the artwork. I consider the experiment successful since the result within limited boundaries is really satisfying.
Spasskaya tower
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Spasskaya tower

This is not 3D printing. This project is an experiment to use 2D laser engraver to get 3D object.

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