Galvo Framing
Note for Gantry users
This section covers Framing behavior for Galvo lasers. If you have Gantry laser, see Framing.
Just as previewing helps you verify that you've applied your layer settings properly, Framing lets you check that your design is set to output in the right spot in your laser's work area.
As we noted on the previous page, Galvo lasers always output graphics according to an Absolute Coordinates positioning system — your graphics will be marked in your laser's work area in the location that corresponds to their position in your LightBurn Workspace.
Galvo lasers use a red dot light that outlines projects in your laser's work area, allowing you to see where your design will output on a physical object, and you have a few options to determine just how the red dot outlines your project.
Click the Frame button in the Laser Window or press F1 to open the Live Framing window and start framing your job.
Note
Mac users need to hold the Fn key while pressing F1 to open the Live Framing window.
By default, the Live Framing window will also open when you press the Start button in the Laser Window, but you can disable Require framing before start in your Device Settings.
There are quite a few settings in the Live Framing window, but many are advanced options you don't need to worry about just yet. We'll focus on the different styles of Framing, and a few other controls.
Framing Styles¶
The different options determine how the red dot light represents your shapes, and which shapes are shown.
Bounds¶
Commands the red dot light to trace a path defined as the smallest possible rectangle that will fully contain all graphics you're sending to the laser.
This mode is extremely fast, but doesn't represent complex shapes well.
Hull¶
Commands the red dot light to trace the smallest possible path that fully contains all graphics in the design you're sending to the laser, as if a rubber band were stretched around them.
It is nearly as fast as Bounds, but gives a much closer fit for rounded or smooth shapes.
Contour¶
Commands the red dot light to trace a path that follows the exact contours of your shapes — it takes the longest to draw, but it's the most accurate.
Frame Individually¶
When you're using Bounds or Hull mode, this option determines whether to trace a single frame around everything in your project, or a separate frame around each individual shape.
This option is grayed out when using Contour framing.
Nudging, Rotating, and Rescaling¶
While framing, you can nudge, rotate, and rescale graphics, adjusting them in your Workspace and live-updating them in your laser's work area.
| Key(s) | Result |
|---|---|
| Left / Right / Up / Down | Move graphics by 1 mm |
| Shift + arrow keys | Move graphics by 5 mm |
| Ctrl + arrow keys | Move graphics by .2 mm |
| Page Up | Scale graphics up |
| Page Down | Scale graphics down |
| . (period) | Rotate graphics 15° clockwise |
| , (comma) | Rotate graphics 15° counter-clockwise |
| Shift+. (period) | Rotate graphics 5° clockwise |
| Shift+, (comma) | Rotate graphics 5° counter-clockwise |
| Ctrl+. (period) | Rotate graphics 45° clockwise |
| Ctrl+, (comma) | Rotate graphics 45° counter-clockwise |
If your keyboard doesn't have Page Up or Page Down, try using Fn+Up or Fn+Down.
Troubleshooting¶
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If the framing location or scale is inaccurate, you may need to adjust your laser's focus, or fine-tune the values found in Device Settings → Galvo and Basic Settings → Red Dot.
See our video guide for more information on adjusting red dot alignment.
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If Contour framing doesn't work, try toggling off Enable Blanking, in Device Settings, under IO Port Settings.
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For information on framing behavior when using a rotary, see Rotary Mode (Galvo).
Job Control Options¶
You can also Start, Stop, and Pause your projects from the Live Framing window, which remains open while your job is running. These same options are available in the Laser Window, and we cover them in a bit more detail on the next page.
For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.