Crystal 3D · Laser Generator Studio
3D Crystal Photo Generator
Turn a 2D photo into a 3D point cloud for subsurface laser engraving inside K9 crystal, with automatic or AI background removal, sculpted shape or AI depth, and DXF, PLY, STL or XYZ export.
- Exports
- DXF (3D points), PLY, STL, XYZ
- Works with
- Subsurface crystal laser software, including xTool's 3D inner engraving
- Materials
- K9 crystal blocks
What it makes
Crystal 3D turns an ordinary photo into the file a subsurface laser needs to engrave a 3D image inside a K9 crystal block: a point cloud, thousands of tiny points positioned in three dimensions. Portraits, pets, couples and logos are the usual subjects for the crystal keepsakes sold at gift shops and online.
How it works
- Pick your crystal. Choose the block size (width × height × depth) and keep a 3 to 5 mm margin.
- Load a photo. A sharp, well-lit photo works best. Transparent PNGs keep their cut-out; for normal photos the background is removed automatically.
- Remove the background. Quick works on plain backgrounds; AI handles busy scenes, people and pets.
- Make it 3D. “Shape + shading” rounds the subject into a sculpted form with relief from the photo. “AI depth” estimates real 3D depth. Set how deep the effect is in millimetres.
- Tune the points. Spacing, extra depth layers, a tone curve and a darkness cut-off control how solid and bright it looks; jitter prevents moiré patterns.
- Check the preview. Rotate the glowing 3D preview to make sure the subject sits inside the block. The point count and a rough engraving time are shown.
- Export DXF, PLY, STL or XYZ.
Starting points
| Subject | Suggested start |
|---|---|
| Portraits and pets | AI background removal and AI depth, depth 12 to 20 mm, 2 to 3 layers |
| Logos and text | Shape + shading, roundness 0.3, detail 0, for clean solid letters |
Protect the crystal. Never let points reach the faces of the block; keep a 3 to 5 mm margin. Always run a small test in a spare crystal before a customer job.
Using the file
Load the point cloud into your crystal laser’s software. On xTool’s UV machines, use 3D inner engraving in xTool Studio; for those, xTool quotes around 60% power for inner engraving, and point density matters more than speed. Other subsurface machines import DXF or PLY point clouds directly.
Surface engraving instead
Without a subsurface laser, you can still put photos on glass and crystal surfaces: see laser engraving glass and Photo Engrave.
Pricing crystal work
Crystal blanks cost more than wood, and dense point clouds take real machine time. Use the engraving-time estimate from the preview in the price calculator before you quote.
Questions
What machine do I need?
A subsurface (inner) engraving laser that marks points inside glass, such as a UV or green crystal laser. A normal CO₂ or diode laser only engraves the surface.
Which file format should I export?
DXF (3D points) or PLY suit most crystal laser software. STL gives a watertight mesh for machines that make their own points. XYZ is a plain list of points. Units are millimetres, centred on the crystal.
How far from the edges should the image be?
Keep a margin of 3 to 5 mm so points never reach the crystal faces, which can crack them.
Does the AI run on your servers?
The AI background removal and depth models download once (about 45 MB and 27 MB) and run in your browser.
What point spacing should I use?
0.08 to 0.15 mm is typical. Tighter spacing looks more solid but takes longer to engrave; the preview shows the point count and a rough engraving time.
xTool is a trademark of its owner. Laser Generator Studio is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.