LightBurn Complete Settings Guide

What Is LightBurn?

LightBurn is the industry-standard laser control software for diode and CO2 lasers. It handles design, import, layer management, and machine communication in one application. This guide covers every significant panel and setting.

Interface Overview

• Left toolbar: drawing tools (rectangle, circle, polygon, text, node editor, boolean operations)
• Right panel: Laser control — Start, Stop, Frame, and device settings
• Bottom panel: Cuts/Layers — where your speed/power/mode settings live
• Center: canvas — your working area
• Top: numeric input fields for selected object position, size, rotation

Cuts/Layers Panel (Bottom)

Every object in LightBurn is assigned to a layer (colored line in the panel). Each layer has independent settings:

• Layer color: click to change. Objects assigned to this layer use these settings.
• Speed: how fast the laser head moves in mm/min or mm/s.
• Max Power: maximum laser power during cutting/engraving.
• Min Power: minimum power during acceleration/deceleration. Set 0-15% for most work. Higher min power = burnt corners.
• Output checkbox: when unchecked, this layer is ignored during the job. Use to preview layout without cutting.
• Show checkbox: toggles layer visibility in canvas. Doesn't affect output.

Mode Options

• Line — traces paths (outlines only). Use for cutting and thin outlines.
• Fill — raster-fills shapes. Use for solid area engraving.
• Fill+Line — fills then traces outline. Best quality for engraved shapes.
• Offset Fill — fills with concentric offsets instead of raster lines.

Cut Settings Editor (Double-click a Layer)

Opening a layer in the full editor reveals additional per-layer controls beyond the main panel:

• Speed and Power: same as in the main panel but editable.
• Passes: how many times to repeat this operation. Essential for thick cuts.
• Z offset per pass: moves the Z axis down each successive pass. Use for materials where you want to maintain focus through multiple passes in thick material.
• Kerf offset: expands or contracts paths by half the laser's kerf width. Use for press-fit parts or precise dimensions.
• Priority: determines which layers cut first. Lower number = cuts first. Cut internal shapes before external profiles (prevents parts falling before all cuts complete).
• Tab/Bridge: adds small uncut tabs to hold cut parts in place. Set tab length and spacing.
• Air Assist: if your machine supports it, set per-layer air assist on/off.

Image Mode Settings

When you import a raster image (JPG, PNG) for engraving, LightBurn offers several conversion modes:

• Threshold: converts to pure black/white. Best for line art and logos.
• Dither modes (Jarvis, Floyd-Steinberg, Stucki, Atkinson, Ordered, Newsprint): simulate grey via dot patterns. Best for photos on wood.
• Grayscale: varies laser power to create grey tones. Best for stone, anodized aluminum, and machines with accurate power control.
• DPI: the image resolution. Usually lock to your LPI setting for best results.

Frame and Positioning

• Frame button: traces the bounding rectangle of selected objects at a safe Z height (no firing). Shows you exactly where the job will happen. Always run Frame before starting a job on a new setup.
• Origin / User Origin: sets where the job's 0,0 point is. Options: Current Position, Absolute Coords, User Origin (a saved position).
• Set Laser Position: click anywhere on the canvas while holding Ctrl to move the laser head there.

Common Features

• Array: Edit → Array. Creates a grid of copies. Set rows, columns, and spacing.
• Boolean operations: available in Arrange menu or left toolbar. Weld (merge shapes), Subtract, Intersect, XOR. Essential for creating complex cut paths.
• Text tools: Draw → Text. Supports all installed system fonts. Weld text into a single shape for clean cutting. Variable text for serial numbering.
• Node editor: press N or select the node tool. Edit individual path points — move, add, delete, break curves at nodes. Essential for cleaning up imported SVG paths.
• Material Library: Window → Material Library. Stores and applies layer presets per material. Best time-saving feature in LightBurn.

Rotary Attachment Setup

LightBurn has native rotary support for engraving cylindrical objects like tumblers, bottles, and pens:

• Enable under Edit → Device Settings → Enable Rotary.
• Set your rotary's roller diameter or chuck type — this determines the circumference LightBurn calculates for accurate scaling.
• LightBurn substitutes the Y-axis for rotation, so your design's vertical dimension maps to degrees of rotation around the object rather than linear travel.
• Always run Frame first with the rotary engaged to confirm the object clears the gantry through a full rotation before firing.
• Mirror or flip designs as needed — text and logos often need a horizontal flip depending on which side of the rotary faces the laser.

Camera (Optional)

LightBurn supports a USB camera mounted inside your laser enclosure:

1. Tools → Camera Control
2. Capture an image of your workspace with material placed
3. Align your design visually over the camera feed
4. Start the job — design is positioned exactly as you see in the camera

Requires a one-time camera calibration (LightBurn walks you through it). Extremely useful for aligning designs to pre-cut or pre-marked material.

Console and Machine Settings

• Console panel: shows raw GCode communication with the machine. Useful for troubleshooting — you can type commands directly.
• Device Settings (Edit → Device Settings):
  • Start From: where the laser starts each job (User Origin, Current Position, Absolute)
  • Scan Angle: angle of raster fills (0° = horizontal lines, 90° = vertical)
  • Scan Optimization: how LightBurn optimizes the order of cuts for minimum head travel

Common Problems and Fixes

• Job runs but nothing fires: check that the layer's Output checkbox is enabled and Min/Max Power aren't both set to 0.
• Engraving looks striped or banded: usually a belt tension or acceleration mismatch — lower engrave speed or check belt tension before blaming the software.
• Design offset from where Frame showed it: confirm Origin mode matches your workflow — mixing Current Position and Absolute Coords between framing and running is the most common cause.
• Colors not separating into layers correctly: LightBurn assigns layers by exact stroke color on import — SVGs with slightly inconsistent colors (e.g., near-black vs pure black) can split unexpectedly into extra layers.

LightBurn Tips

• Set 'Cut Inner Shapes First' in optimization: prevents parts from falling before all their cuts complete.
• 'Flood Fill' for efficient long engraves: instead of scanning line-by-line left to right, flood fill fills the entire canvas efficiently, reducing head travel.
• Preview (Alt+P): simulates the job before running. Shows timing estimate, fire pattern, and any obvious errors.
• Autosave: LightBurn autosaves every few minutes. Recover from File → Recent.
• Keyboard shortcuts: T for text, R for rectangle, E for ellipse, N for node edit, F3 for frame, F5 for preview. Learn these and your workflow speeds up dramatically.