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Circle Center Finder

The Center Finder tool is found in the Laser Tools menu. It is useful for finding the center of circular stock, as well as defining that stock in the LightBurn workspace.

Laser Tools Menu

Getting Started

  • Home the machine.
    • If you machine does not have home switches make sure to start the machine with the laser head at the 0,0 point of your work space (Typically lower left corner for g-code machines)
  • If the stock you are referencing is light or can be moved easily make sure to secure it some how so it does not get bumped during the operations.

Setting the Points

Point 1

Jog the laser head to the first position on the edge of your circle, as shown in the wizard.

Note - You must JOG the laser with the laser control panel or from the Move tab for Center Finder to work.

Wiz point1 Laser Tools Menu

Point 2

Jog the laser head to the next position on the edge of your circle, as shown in the wizard.

Wiz point2 Laser Tools Menu

Point 3

Jog the laser head to the last position on the edge of your circle, as shown in the wizard.

Wiz point3 Laser Tools Menu

Move to Center

The last step will show you the calculated center of your circle and allow you to jog to that point.

Wiz point2 Laser Tools Menu

It will also allow you to create a "Guide Circle" on Tool Layer 1 that will give you a representations of your stock in the workspace.

Guide Circle

Setting Origin

Absolute Origin

If you use "Absolute Origin" for your workflow, move your design to the guide circle, and make sure your "Start From:" point is set to "Absolute Coords"

User Origin - Center

If you use "User Origin" for your workflow, make sure the center radio button is clicked. Center_Origin

After you move the laser to the center of your work press the "Origin" button on your DSP control panel or the "Set Origin" Button on the Move tab. Origin

Notes

  • The more on accurate your point placement is, the better. If you have a red dor laser that is accurate, one trick is to try to split the dot on the edges of your stock.
  • You can set the points in any order. The guide is just a helpful reference.
  • This tool can find the center of any shape that can be "described" with a circle diameter.

Shapes like Squares (pick 3 corners)
square

Equilateral Triangles
triangle

Hexagons

hexagon

Troubleshooting

  • Set a Point Wrong - Hit the "Reset" Button. This will clear ALL points saved. Just start from the current point. You can set the points in any order.
  • Unable to query the current position of the laser - This happens when Lightburn is unable to get the position of the laser from the control. Often the laser is still moving, or another command is still in process. Click ok, and try again after waiting for a few seconds. If it continues happening make sure the control is still connected and is showing "Ready" at the top of the "Laser" Tab.

unable_to_query

  • Not enough seperation between points - You have not moved the laser away from the last point or not far enough to make a good calculation. Try moving farther away and set the point again.

seperate

  • Unable to Calculate Center - Lightburn can't calculate center, or it would be outside your workspace. This typically happens on machines without home switches and that were not started properly. Restart your machine with the head at your machine origin and try to run the wizard again.