Why are the edges of my 3D component or imported STL jagged and stair-stepped?

Why this happens

3D components are raster-based (a grid of Z heights, like a heightmap image), not true 3D meshes. Edge quality depends on how many grid points cross the component:

1. Modeling Resolution set too low in Job Setup for the job size.
2. The component occupies a small fraction of a large job. The resolution budget is spread across the whole job area, leaving few grid points for your model.

The fix

1. Set the Modeling Resolution in Job Setup when you create the job. The official documentation describes Standard (fastest) as acceptable for most parts, recommends High (about 3 times slower) for relatively large parts (over about 18 inches) that still have small details, and Highest (about 7 times slower) for very large parts (over about 48 inches) with small detail. Better resolution makes the computer slower, so choose the best balance for your part and hardware.
2. Make the model big relative to the job. Model or import in a job barely larger than the component, then scale or copy it into the production layout afterward, or machine from the dedicated file.
3. For a crisp silhouette: create a vector boundary from the component and run a profile pass around it. The cut edge is then vector-crisp regardless of raster resolution.
4. Some forum users report an extra-high resolution option that appears when you hold Shift while starting a new job. This is not in the official documentation, so treat it with caution and test on a small job first, because memory use and calculation time climb fast.

Pro tips

• For how the Modeling Resolution setting works and which level to pick, see the entry on Modeling Resolution. For importing a model, see the entry on importing STL and OBJ files.
• Jagged on screen is not always jagged in wood. The 3D view decimates for display. Judge from a Toolpath Preview at high simulation quality before changing your setup.
• Very large jobs at high resolution can crawl or crash on modest RAM. See the performance entry.