In this STEAM classroom project, students turn a meaningful photo into a laser-engraved souvenir using image selection, photo editing, LaserMaker picture adjustment, shallow engraving, and cutting. The lesson connects digital media, memory preservation, image quality, material processing, and hands-on making.

1. Lesson Overview

1.1 Project Goal

Students will select and process a photo, prepare it for laser engraving, set LaserMaker picture and processing parameters, and create a physical photo souvenir such as a small ornament, display piece, or keepsake.

1.2 Recommended Classroom Use

2. Learning Objectives

2.1 What Students Will Learn

2.2 STEAM Skills Developed

2.3 Responsible Making

Photo projects should be handled respectfully. Students should not use another person’s photo as a prank, and they should ask for permission before engraving, publishing, or displaying photos of other people.

3. Real-World Context: Why Engrave a Souvenir Photo?

A photo can record a meaningful moment, a graduation memory, a family event, or a special place. By turning a photo into an engraved object, students can explore how digital images can become long-lasting physical keepsakes.

In this lesson, students consider how to process a photo so the laser engraving effect is clearer and more suitable for the selected material.

4. Design and Engineering Considerations

Before editing the photo or setting laser parameters, students should analyze the souvenir as both a digital image and a physical workpiece.

5. Lesson Procedure

5.1 Measure and Plan the Photo Size

Start by choosing the photo and deciding the finished size. Students should record the length and width in millimeters before processing the image.

Students can also sketch the planned workpiece shape and photo placement before moving into image processing and LaserMaker setup.

5.2 Choose a Suitable Photo

Photo engraving results are affected by material, laser power, laser speed, and photo quality. When selecting a photo, students should consider resolution, subject clarity, contrast, and output size.

If the photo comes from scanning or a digital camera, students should pay attention to pixels, sharpness, and scan quality. The source lesson uses a sample photo with a resolution of 1920 × 1200 pixels and a clear outline.

5.3 Process the Photo for Engraving

Even a good photo may need editing before it can produce a clear engraving effect. Students can use image processing software to improve contrast, apply a sketch-style effect, and sharpen the line details.

Open the photo in the image editing software and prepare it for engraving. The source lesson demonstrates this workflow using Meitu Xiuxiu.

Increase the contrast under the basic adjustment menu so the subject and background become more distinct.

Apply an artistic sketch effect to convert the photo into a style that is easier to engrave clearly.

Increase sharpness to strengthen the line outline and improve detail visibility.

Save the edited image with a clear file name so it can be imported into LaserMaker.

5.4 Import and Adjust the Photo in LaserMaker

Open LaserMaker, click Open on the toolbar, and select the processed photo file.

Select the opened picture, click Picture on the toolbar, and open the Picture Adjustment window. In the source workflow, the DPI value is set to 95 as a suitable image resolution parameter.

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a rectangle along the picture border. This rectangle can be used as the outer cutting path for the engraved photo piece.

5.5 Set Engraving and Cutting Parameters

Select the photo object and open the processing layer settings for shallow engraving. In the source workflow, the material is set to basswood plywood, the process is set to shallow engraving, and the processing thickness is set to 0.1 mm.

Select the rectangular outline and assign it to the black cutting layer. In the source workflow, the material is set to basswood plywood, the process is set to cutting, and the processing thickness is set to 3 mm.

Finally, arrange the processing order as shallow engraving first and cutting second. This keeps the workpiece stable while the image is engraved.

5.6 Test, Debug, and Improve

Before making the final photo souvenir, students should test the engraving effect on the selected material. The source lesson suggests testing shallow engraving with a speed value of 400 and a power value of 20, then observing the result and adjusting parameters as needed.

6. Finished Project

After the final settings are confirmed, students can complete the shallow engraving and cutting process. The finished piece should preserve the photo’s main visual information while showing a clear engraved effect on the selected material.

7. Extension Challenge

After completing the souvenir photo project, students can select other photos suitable for laser engraving, such as family photos, building photos, school activity photos, or travel memories.

They can also use the same workflow to create photo ornaments, keychains, small display plaques, or other memory-themed laser projects.

8. Inspiration Gallery

The following examples can be used for classroom discussion, design inspiration, and student reflection. Encourage students to compare photo choice, contrast, engraving clarity, material effect, and final presentation.