LightBurn & Galvos¶

If this is your first time using LightBurn, you'll definitely want to take a look at the user interface guide first and maybe some hotkeys first before diving in.

Getting Started¶

• Glossary

• Galvo Installation - This is Windows-only and covers the driver changes needed to control your galvo laser. If you're not using Windows, you can skip ahead to Galvo Setup

• Galvo Setup (importing configs, getting them from your manufacturer)

  • Lens Correction (Bulge, Skew, Trapezoid, Stretch)
  • Framing Mode
  • Focusing
  • Cylinder Correction
• Galvo Settings
  • Sub-Layers
• Rotaries

Intermediate Mechanics¶

• Changing A Lens
• 3D Sliced Engravings
• Anatomy of a Galvo

Involved Topics & Diagnostics¶

• Laser Timings (for dealing with the physical limitations of galvo heads)
• IO Port Control (external event triggering)

Galvo Crash Course from Laser Everything¶

Our friends at Laser Everything have put together some fantastic videos on using LightBurn for Galvo. We encourage you to check out their YouTube Channel for additional resources.

Frequently Asked Questions¶

Can I import an EZCAD project/parameter/file?¶

LightBurn as of 1.2.00, does not have the ability to import or open EZCAD project files or parameters. Due to the file format not being documented, and the sheer volume of effort to produce a useful, cohesive importer, it simply isn't possible at the moment. The exception to this is lens correction files, as outlined here.

LightBurn on Linux doesn't recognize fiber laser plugged in with USB¶

This is an issue we haven't generally encountered in our own testing in Ubuntu and Fedora, the two distros we support. The laser is treated as a libusb device and should just work. However, this is occasionally an issue with USB permissions. Please try the following, as discussed on our forum.

• Unplug your laser from the computer.

• Run sudo gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/usb.rules (you can use any text editor you prefer) and enter the following contents:

  SUBSYSTEM=="usb", MODE="0666"

• Save the file and close.

• Run: sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

• Now plug your galvo USB connection back into the machine.

• Run LightBurn without sudo and you should be able to automatically find and connect to the device.

Where are the hatch settings?¶

Hatch in EZCAD is the equivalent of "Fill" in LightBurn; looking at the different modes for Cut Settings Editor is highly suggested to make the best use of LightBurn with your galvo. We also have a page comparing EZCAD hatch settings with LightBurn fill settings to help you match the settings you're used to.

It won't connect to LightBurn after moving USB ports!¶

Some lasers require you to fully reboot the device after moving USB ports. The suggested workflow is:

1. Turn the laser fully off.
2. Move the USB cable to the correct port.
3. Turn the laser back on.

Can I convert from EZCAD2 to LightBurn files?¶

As of 1.2.01, you cannot import an Ezcad2 project file to LightBurn directly. If the grid in Ezcad is turned off temporarily, LightBurn can trace screenshots of Ezcad easily to import placement in many situations.

My galvo is trying to engrave my rotary, what's wrong?¶

LightBurn allows you to offset your rotary's "center" when engraving with a rotary, to compensate for the rotary being aligned physically to the frame on a different pattern than your lens. Please see the section on output centers for more information.