Essential / Shared Settings
Several settings in the Cut Settings Editor are shared among nearly all laser types and Layer Modes.
Note
See Additional Options for information on specialized settings not covered on this page.
Essential Settings¶
The settings near the top of Cut Settings Editor are fundamental to all laser operations. You can edit many of these settings directly in the Cuts / Layers Window as well.
Click any option in the images below to jump directly to the relevant section for that option, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.
Right: Essential settings for a DSP laser
Name¶
You can rename layers to help keep track of their settings and purpose in your project.
Output Switch¶
Toggle the Output switch on or off to determine whether a given layer is included in the output when you Preview, Start, Send, or save a project in machine-specific format.
The color of layers not set to output will be faded in your Workspace.
Speed¶
The maximum speed the laser will reach when cutting or engraving your design.
Higher speed values can decrease the amount of time your laser spends completing a job, but also tend to produce lighter marks or shallower engravings than slower speed values. Cutting through many materials requires relatively slow speeds, though the exact values vary significantly depending on your laser and material.
Note
Depending on your laser, its firmware settings, and the design you tell it to cut or engrave, the laser may not actually reach the speed you set. Consult your laser's manufacturer for guidance on the maximum speed your laser is capable of.
Always pay attention to units of distance and time when entering Speed settings
When entering Speed values recommended by your laser's manufacturer or other LightBurn users, make sure to use the same units of distance and time as those from the recommendation, or to convert the values to your preferred units.
A given number of millimeters per second is much faster than that same number in millimeters per minute. Mixing up units can lead to reduction in power output due to unexpectedly high speeds, or excessive power output — and even fire — due to unexpectedly slow speeds.
Change your displayed units in the Units and Grids tab of the Settings window. LightBurn automatically converts any existing values when you switch between units.
Default Speed Switch (Ruida Only)¶
Enable this switch to use the default Speed setting from the laser's controller. You can adjust this default through the controller's display.
Max Power¶
Tip
Use the Material Test to find optimal settings for your laser, material, and desired outcome.
The maximum power level the laser will reach when cutting or engraving your design.
High power levels produce darker marks and deeper engravings, and relatively high powers are required to completely cut through many materials.
GRBL Power Ramping
GRBL-based lasers ramp up to the maximum power level as they increase in speed, only reaching Max Power when they also reach the Speed you've set. If you set a Speed higher than your laser can actually reach, it will never reach Max Power either.
See Troubleshooting: Low or No Power Output for more information.
Min Power¶
Note
This setting is only shown when you're using a DSP laser or are engraving an image using Grayscale Mode, with any type of laser.
Min Power determines the power level the laser will use when it travels at slow speeds, such as when it slows down to reach the ends of lines, changes directions, or turns corners.
Some DSP controllers refer to this as the Corner Power for this reason.
The laser's controller will automatically ramp power between Min and Max Power as it accelerates to the maximum Speed you've set.
Min Power Troubleshooting
Reduce Min Power if your laser is scorching or charring your material when it turns corners, or increase it if it's having trouble cutting through material on corners.
See Troubleshooting: Corners Are Too Dark, Too Light, or Missing for more information.
Default Power Switch (Ruida Only)¶
Enable this switch to use the default Max and Min Power settings from the laser's controller. You can adjust these defaults through the controller's display.
Constant Power Mode (GRBL Only)¶
By default, LightBurn uses Variable Power mode (M4), which ramps the power level of the laser up and down with the speed, producing a more consistent burn.
However, if you ask the laser to move faster than it's able, it will never reach the requested speed or the requested power level. It's generally best to stick with the default of Variable Power mode and adjust the speed to be within the range your machine can achieve, but if you want the same behavior as LaserGRBL, whch defaults to Constant Power (M3), you can enable this option.
See Troubleshooting: Low or No Power Output for more information.
Air Assist¶
Enable this switch to turn on Air Assist, if your laser supports it. Air assist can help in cutting through material.
Users with GCode-based lasers can select whether their air assist is activated by an M7 or M8 command in Device Settings.
Note
This setting is available for DSP and GCode-based lasers only.
If your laser has no air assist, or it must be activated manually, enabling and disabling this switch will have no effect.
Mode Dropdown Menu¶
Select Line, Fill, or Offset Fill from the dropdown menu to change how the laser will cut or engrave graphics assigned to a given layer.
Images are automatically set to Image Mode and this dropdown menu is not available for layers they are assigned to.
Additional Options¶
The settings presented in the Cut Settings Editor depend on the selected Layer Mode and the type of laser you're working with. Select an option below to learn more about different groups of settings.
Note
Some options in the Cut Settings Editor are hidden if you have Beginner Mode enabled.
For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.