Galvo Lens Calibration
All Galvo lenses have distortion which must be corrected in order for output from your laser to have an appearance that's true to the design you see in your LightBurn Workspace.
When working with a new laser, you can usually import lens correction values provided by your machine's manufacturer when you first set up your laser with LightBurn.
If you purchase a new lens for a laser you already own, however, you may need to use LightBurn's Galvo Lens Calibration wizard to find the appropriate corrections.
To open the Galvo Lens Calibration wizard, go to Laser Tools → Calibrate Galvo Lens → 9 Point Correction (Easy).
Requirements¶
To complete the Galvo Lens Calibration process, you will need:
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A properly set up device profile for your laser, with the correct Laser Type and (if applicable) Fiber Type selected in the Device Settings window.
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A material your laser is capable of marking with high contrast. Black construction paper works well for lasers with Fiber sources, and white paper works well for lasers with CO2 sources.
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A ruler or calipers, to measure the distance between markings made on the material you selected.
Galvo Lens Calibration Wizard¶
Field Size and Test Area¶
Each of the fields in this step will be automatically populated based on the Field setting in the Device Settings window, but can be adjusted manually if those settings are inaccurate.
Enter the working area of your lens (this value is usually provided by the manufacturer) as well as the size of the box to output — a value between 85% and 90% of the working area is ideal.
Click Next to continue to the next step, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Laser Output Settings¶
Enter appropriate settings for your laser to mark the material you selected, with strong contrast. If you are unsure what settings to use, try running a Material Test first, or consulting your laser's manufacturer for suggested settings.
The Frame, Start, and Stop buttons work exactly as they do for all other output.
Use the Frame button to verify that the size of the box to output is valid for your laser's working area. Mark the design if it fits, or return to the previous step using the Go Back button, if you need to adjust the size.
Click Next to continue to the next step, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Orientation¶
Select the LightBurn Dragon that matches the orientation of the output from your laser. Only one orientation will match exactly — take care to select the correct one.
Click Next to continue to the next step, Go Back to return to a previous step and adjust settings, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Horizontal Measurements¶
Measure and enter the horizontal distances between lines, as indicated in the graphic. Take care to measure the distances as accurately as possible — the accuracy of the lens correction depends on the accuracy of these measurements.
Click Next to continue to the next step, Go Back to return to a previous step and adjust settings, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Vertical Measurements¶
Measure and enter the vertical distances between lines, as indicated in the graphic. Take care to measure the distances as accurately as possible — the accuracy of the lens correction depends on the accuracy of these measurements.
Click Next to continue to the next step, Go Back to return to a previous step and adjust settings, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Results¶
The final page displays the resulting corrections that will be applied to each Galvo.
Toggle on Maximize working area to increase your laser's Field to the maximize size possible, if a larger possible size is indicated by the measurements you entered. Note that you may see a reduction in power output in areas outside the dimensions specified by the lens' manufacturer.
Click Done to exit the process and automatically apply the corrections to your Device Settings, Go Back to return to a previous step and adjust settings, or Cancel to exit the process (progress will not be saved).
Related Topics¶
For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.