Changing the order of operations

Set an explicit layer order and check the real sequence in Preview.

Video lesson · 3:06Captions are shown in the video

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PDF53 KBPractice guide, LetterLesson steps, independent practice and explained answer checks.changing-the-order-of-operations-guide.pdf · Revision 1
PDF53 KBPractice guide, A4Lesson steps, independent practice and explained answer checks.changing-the-order-of-operations-guide-a4.pdf · Revision 1
ZIP95 KBPractice filesLetter and A4 guides plus four editable starter and answer projects.changing-the-order-of-operations-practice-files.zip · Revision 1

Checked with Beam Bench 0.2.37

Written guide

Set an explicit layer order and check the real sequence in Preview.

Lesson guide

Target order for this example. The layer names describe this project; they are not material settings.

Open order-start.lzrproj. The stored starting layer order is Outline, Opening, Artwork. Keep No Machine selected.
In Run, open Optimization. Turn on Enable, check Layer under Order by, click OK, then return to Design. Keep the other supplied options.
Preview the original order with Show Travel off. Go to start and use Next segment to see the outside rectangle first. Close Preview.
Select Artwork and click the left-pointing Move up button twice at the top of Layers. Artwork becomes first.
Select Outline and use the right-pointing Move down button once. Read the tabs left to right: Artwork, Opening, Outline.
Reopen Preview, hide travel, go to start and step through. Check Fill first, opening second, outside last. Save a separate copy and compare with order-finished.lzrproj.

Independent practice

Open order-practice.lzrproj. This time the starter order is Opening, Outline, Artwork. Enable Optimization and Layer ordering, then finish with Artwork, Opening, Outline.

Preserve the 55 x 35 mm outline, 8 mm opening and 28 x 14 mm filled artwork.
Step through Preview to identify the first burn operation and the last boundary.
Save your own copy before comparing with order-practice-answer.lzrproj.

Which operation should start first?
Which boundary should be last?
Why does a completed Preview picture alone not prove the sequence?

Explained answer

Practice result: The tabs read Artwork, Opening, Outline. Optimization is enabled with Layer as its ordering criterion.
Project geometry: The demonstration uses a 50 x 30 mm frame, 6 mm opening and 24 x 12 mm filled area. Practice uses different sizes. Reordering layers does not change geometry or membership.
Check the sequence: A completed image contains every operation. Stepping from the start shows which is planned first and last. Color identifies a layer; it does not assign the sequence.

order-start.lzrproj
Demo starter: Outline, Opening, Artwork.
order-finished.lzrproj
Demo answer: Artwork, Opening, Outline.
order-practice.lzrproj
Practice starter: Opening, Outline, Artwork.
order-practice-answer.lzrproj
Practice answer: Artwork, Opening, Outline.

The 1 mm Fill interval makes this software example easy to inspect. Before a real job, verify the chosen ordering options and Preview the resulting plan again.

Matches the demonstrated Beam Bench 0.2.37 interface. Panel layout may differ in later versions.

English · Revised 2026-11-02