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      Laser Window in Lightburn for CO2 Lasers

      The Laser Window in Lightburn allows you to select the laser you are using, see its connection status, send jobs to the laser, and control various aspects of how jobs are run. This article explains the different functions and settings available in the Laser Window.

      Laser Window Overview

      1. Connection Status

        • The status at the top of the Laser Window shows whether Lightburn is communicating with your laser.
        • Disconnected: Lightburn is not currently communicating with your laser.
        • Ready: Your laser is properly connected and communicating with your computer.

      2. Control Buttons

        • Start: Begins your engraving job.
        • Stop: Aborts the current job completely.
        • Pause: Stops the engraving temporarily; clicking again resumes from the same spot.
        • Send: Transfers the current job to the laser for running it directly from the laser, useful for production runs.

      3. Framing Buttons

        • Standard Frame: Previews the job position on the laser using a rectangular bounding box.
        • Rubber Band Frame: Traces a path around your design as if a rubber band is stretched around it.

      4. File Management

        • Save: Saves the current design as a machine-ready file in the appropriate format for your laser (e.g., RD files for Ruida controllers, G-Code files for G-Code lasers).
        • Load: Loads and runs a previously saved file.

      5. Positioning Controls

        • Home: Sends the laser to its home position (right rear on Razer series lasers).
        • Go to Origin: Moves the laser to the last user-set origin.

      Job Origin Settings

      1. Job Origin Grid

        • Available when Start From option is set to Current Position or User Origin.
        • Select the starting point for the engraving relative to the current laser position or user-set origin.

      2. Start From Options

        • Absolute Coordinates: The graphic's location in Lightburn mirrors its position on the laser's work area.
        • Current Position: Starts engraving from the laser's current position relative to the job origin.
        • User Origin: Starts engraving from a manually set origin point on the laser.

      Additional Settings

      1. Cut Selected Graphics

        • Ignores other layers set to output and only runs the currently selected graphic.
        • Use Selection Origin: Calculates the job origin from only the selected parts.

      2. Optimize Cut Path

        • Enables or disables the path optimizer to plan the cutting path.
        • With it disabled, the order is based on the sequence the shapes were drawn.

      3. Show Last Position

        • Places a crosshair cursor in the edit window at the laser head's location.
        • Updated when jogging the laser within Lightburn.

      4. Optimization Settings

        • Opens a window to change options controlling the cut planner.

      Device Management

      1. Devices Button

        • Opens the Devices window to add, remove, or edit device profiles.
        • Right-clicking the button closes and reopens the connection to the selected device.

      2. Communications Tab

        • Select the port your laser communicates with.
        • Choose which laser to operate if multiple are connected.

      Conclusion

      You have now learned how to use the Laser Window in Lightburn to manage and control your CO2 laser. These features help optimize your workflow and ensure efficient laser operations. For further assistance, refer to Lightburn documentation or support channels. Happy engraving!