Troubleshooting Font Output on Laser Engravers and Plotters
Something's not right with your font output. This guide covers the most common problems and their causes, with specific solutions for each.
Problem: Double stroke / hollow letters
Cause: You're using a regular TTF/OTF font, not a single-line font. TTF fonts are closed outlines — the machine traces both edges. Solution: Use a Pathhaus single-line font instead. If you must use a TTF font, use Pathhaus's SLF Tracer to extract the centerline. This is the most common problem beginners encounter and has only one real solution: switch to SLF fonts.
Problem: Jagged, angular curves
Cause: Too many nodes (typically from unoptimized fonts) causing the machine controller to interpolate linearly between nodes instead of following smooth bezier curves. Solution: Run Pathhaus optimization with the preset for your machine type. Check the node count in the Pathhaus Node Counter before and after. If the problem persists after optimization, your machine software may be converting beziers to linear segments — try a different import format (SVG vs. DXF) or update your machine software.
Problem: Inconsistent burn depth / varying darkness
Cause: Machine head slowing at high-node-density points, causing longer laser dwell at those points. Solution: Reduce node count with Pathhaus optimization. Also check that your machine's acceleration settings are appropriate for the speed — very high speeds with low acceleration values can cause the head to oscillate around nodes. Start with a moderate speed (3000–4000mm/min for diode lasers) and increase gradually.
Problem: Paths appearing in wrong order / inefficient travel
Cause: SVG paths are exported in document order (typically left-to-right, top-to-bottom), not optimized travel order. Solution: Enable Travel Optimizer in Pathhaus Studio before exporting. Also enable "Optimize Cut Path" in LightBurn if using LightBurn. For AxiDraw, enable "Optimize Path Order" in the AxiDraw Inkscape extension. Using multiple optimization layers gives the best travel efficiency.
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