Skip to content

Common Grbl Setups

If you have a GCode-based system, like a Shapeoko, Eleksmaker, X-Carve, or Acro system, you might need to make some simple changes to get the most from LightBurn.

Quick Reference

  • You might need to adjust your spindle max RPM value ($30) to match the LightBurn default (1000) or vice versa. The value in LightBurn is called "S-Value Max", in the Device Settings.
  • You might need to enable "Laser Mode" if you have GRBL 1.1f or later ($32=1)
  • If you have an older version of GRBL (prior to 1.1f) it's highly recommended to upgrade the firmware, as Laser Mode also prevents the machine from pausing with every power change. The pause, which happens on older versions, or when not using Laser Mode, will cause excessive burn spots when engraving images.
  • If your machine uses negative workspace coordinates you'll need to apply a workspace offset (G10 L2 P1 xx yy).
  • Set your machine status reporting to be relative to the workspace origin, not the machine origin ($10=0).
  • Make sure the controller is reporting positions in mm, as expected by LightBurn ($13=0)
  • If your machine does not have homing switches (also called limit switches) you will need to home it manually if you want to use Absolute Coords or User Origin modes

Grbl Flavors

Grbl firmware was originally designed for CNC machines and 3D printers, with laser support added more recently. It is highly configurable, and this is both a blessing and a curse. The "standard" way a CNC machine is configured is somewhat different from the way laser machines often are. Luckily this is easy to change, and easy to switch from one to the other.

The more recent versions of Grbl (1.1f and up) support two things that are incredibly useful for lasers. The first is Laser Mode, enabled by setting $32=1 in the firmware settings. Laser mode eliminates the pauses that happen when changing power output, because Grbl knows it's controlling a laser which reacts instantly, instead of waiting for a spindle to change RPM.

The second is a feature called variable power mode, or the M4 command. In this mode, Grbl adjusts the laser power as the machine speeds up and slows down, making for very consistent cutting and marking. Older versions of Grbl do not have this feature, and simply run the laser at a constant power output for the duration of a cut. Since the machine needs to slow down to take sharp corners, this means corners get over-burnt, while long straight lines end up lighter.

This also has the benefit that when the laser comes to a complete stop, the beam turns off (zero speed equals zero power), meaning that pausing a job automatically turns off the laser. This is not always true with other versions of Grbl.

If you aren't already running Grbl 1.1f (or later) on your controller, we highly recommend it for laser use. If this isn't an option, that's ok, but your results won't be as good, and pausing the laser runs the risk of leaving the beam on and ruining the job.

Getting Machine Settings

Many GRBL based machines allow the settings of the machine to be easily exported or viewed. For advanced configuration like adding limit switches, updating firmware, or setting up a new controller, you'll need to interact with these values. LightBurn makes this easy to do by using the Console window or the Machine Settings window to copy, update, or reset your Machine Settings.

Opening the Machine Settings window allows you to more concisely see the parameters labeled for you. You can from this window, also export them to a file for later restoration, like we did in our GRBL flashing guide here.

In the Console, enter $$ to ask the controller to return to you the machine's configuration in that window. This is often easier to do, as it avoids any potential of LightBurn not knowing custom configuration a vendor may have made.

Shapeoko, XCarve, and other negative workspace systems

Shapeoko machines typically use Grbl 1.1f, as do newer X-Carve and some other systems, but as they are designed as CNC machines, they are typically configured for negative workspace coordinates, which LightBurn doesn't support. This is an easy thing to work around though, using a workspace offset.

We'll use a Shapeoko XXL as our example setup. This machine has an 812mm x 812mm working area, and the origin is set to the rear-right, with negative numbers going down and to the left (onto our workspace). We're going to leave the direction alone, but change the origin position by using this command in the LightBurn Console window:

G10 L2 P1 X-812 Y-812

That command says "set an offset" (G10 L2) in the first coordinate system (P1) of X -812 and Y -812. (If your machine is a different size, use your width and height values in mm instead of the 812's shown here, and remember the minus signs - those are important)

This shifts the origin point of the machine left and forward by the size of the workspace. Then you tell LightBurn that the origin is at the front-left of the machine, instead of the rear-right, and you're done.

When you want to go back to using your machine for CNC use, clear the offset with:

G10 L2 P1 X0 Y0

It is simple to set these up as macro buttons in the LightBurn console window. Enter the first command into a macro and call it "Use Laser", and enter the second command into a different macro and call it "Use CNC". When you want to use your laser, click the "User Laser" macro button, and when you're done and want to switch back to CNC, click the "Use CNC" button.

After setting this, you will also need to make sure your machine is reporting coordinates relative to this workspace origin, instead of the absolute machine zero. Do this by entering $10=0 in the console.

X-Carve

X-Carve machines sold prior to January 2018 generally run an older flavor of Grbl (1.0c) which does not support the variable power (M4) command, meaning you'll need to use the Grbl-M3 device in LightBurn. Machines sold after that date use Grbl 1.1f, and will work with the standard Grbl device in LightBurn if the following settings commands are entered in the console:

$30=1000
$32=1

These two lines:

  • Set the spindle max value ($30) to match LightBurn and Grbl's default setting (1000)
  • Enable laser mode ($32=1)

Other machines

If you aren't sure how to configure your machine, there are some simple steps to take that can help. First, figure out which firmware you're running. In LightBurn, when you first connect to the machine, the console window will usually show a 'hello' message from the controller. For Smoothieware boards it's just "Smoothie". For Grbl, it will be "Grbl 1.1f [$ for help]" or similar - this tells you it's Grbl, and which version. Machines using Grbl 1.1f or later will support the M4 variable power command, and just use the "Grbl" driver in LightBurn. Grbl 1.1e or older (Grbl 1.0, Grbl 0.9, etc) must use the Grbl-M3 device in LightBurn.

With the driver identified, it's time to find the machine origin. First, home the machine by pressing the Home button (Home) on the Move window.

In the console window, type

G0 X0 Y0

then hit enter. Your machine will head toward its origin position. This isn't always the same as where the home position is. Usually the home position is in one of the corners. Most often it will be the rear-right, or front-left of the machine. In some cases, it might be the center of the work area. If your machine does this, skip ahead to Center Origin Machines below.

After it stops moving, type

G0 X10 Y10

then hit enter. If your machine moves 10mm into the work area on both axis that's good - it means your machine uses positive workspace coordinates. You simply set the origin in LightBurn to match the machine origin discovered above. If your machine bumped the rails, it uses negative coordinates.

Negative Coordinate Machines

If your machine uses negative coordinate space, we need to offset the origin.

LightBurn wants positive workspace numbers, like this:

This image shows the origin at the front-left, with positive X values moving to the right, and positive Y values heading to the rear of the machine.

A negative workspace system looks like this:

In this image, the origin is at the rear-right of the machine. The X and Y directions are the same as before, but now, to move into the work area, you would need to use negative numbers. Instead, we're going to set up a work offset.

You'll need to know the total distance your machine can travel in both axis. For a Shapeoko XXL, for example, it's 812mm in X and Y. For a 500x500 X-Carve, it's 250mm in X and Y. By applying a workspace offset that is the size of your machine area, we can shift the offset to the opposite corner, like this:

Enter the following command:

G10 L2 P1 X-250 Y-250

in the console, and hit enter. Note that the '250' above should be replaced with the total travel width and height of your machine. If your machine had a 600mm width and 400mm height, you would use:

G10 L2 P1 X-600 Y-400

This command offsets the origin by the given amounts. If the origin used to be in the rear-right of the machine, and you offset it in the negative direction by the width and height of the work area, you've moved the origin to the front-left.

If you enable a workspace offset, you will also need to make GRBL report its location relative to this shifted origin, instead of in "machine space" by setting $10=0. Some systems, like Easel or Carbide Motion, may need a different value, so it is good to remember the existing setting.

Center Origin Machines

Some systems have their origin in the center of the workspace. After homing your machine, enter this command in the console and hit enter:

G0 X0 Y0

That command says "rapid move to coordinate 0,0"

If your machine travels to the center of the workspace instead of the rear-right you will still need to move the origin just like in the "Negative Coordinate Machines" above, but only by half the size of your workspace. Follow the directions for a negative coordinate space machine, but divide your workspace numbers in half before issuing the GCode offset command.

Machines without homing sensors / limit switches

If your machine does not have homing switches (also called limit switches) you will need to home it manually if you want to use Absolute Coords or User Origin modes. You can do this in a couple ways:

  • With the machine off, manually move the laser head to the origin position (usually front-left), then power up the machine. Until you tell it otherwise, the power-on location of the controller is treated as the zero position.
  • With the machine powered, jog the laser head to the origin position. In the console window, type: G92 X0 Y0 and press (enter). The G92 command tells GRBL to set the current location as the specified coordinate, so you're telling the machine "this is zero". You will also need to set $10=0 for this to work correctly.

XTool Wi-Fi Upload

As of LightBurn 1.2.02, we do not support uploading GCode to the XTool family of lasers via Wi-Fi. The upload mechanism is significantly different than that of the currently supported methods, and that development hasn't yet been completed. Thank you for understanding.