Sub-Layers
Sub-Layers allow you to assign multiple cut or engraving settings to the same layer and geometry. This can enable the use of single-setup etching and cleanup passes for Galvo lasers, as well as staggered engraving, cutting, and other operations for more complex jobs, regardless of machine type.
All settings of individual Sub-Layers are independently editable and presented as tabs in the Cut Settings Editor. Click a tab to access and adjust that Sub-Layer's settings.
You may have up to 11 Sub-Layers per layer.
Note
See Main / Shared Settings for information on applying essential settings like Speed and Power.
See Additional Options for information on specialized settings not covered on this page.
Creating and Managing Sub-Layers¶
Click any option in the image below to jump directly to the relevant section for that option, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.
Adding 
¶
Click the plus icon to create a new Sub-Layer, with the Default Settings of the parent layer.
Duplicating 
¶
Click the duplicate icon to create a new Sub-Layer, with identical settings to the currently-open Sub-Layer.
Deleting 
¶
Click the minus icon to delete the currently-open Sub-Layer. This option is not available if you have only one Sub-Layer.
Enabling and Disabling¶
Toggle the Output switch on or off to determine whether a given Sub-Layer is included in the output when you Preview, Start, Send, or save a project in machine-specific format.
The universal Output switch at the top of the window determines whether an entire layer, including every Sub-Layer, is output.
Rearranging Sub-Layers¶
Click and drag a Sub-Layer's tab to change the order in which it will be output. Sub-Layers are output in sequence, starting from left to right.
Naming Sub-Layers¶
To keep track of the purpose of individual Sub-Layers, you can give them unique names in the Sub-Layer Name field.
Sub-Layers in the Cuts / Layers Window¶
In the Cuts / Layers Window layers with Sub-Layers display their mode as Multi, and you may not edit the modes of individual Sub-Layers through that window. as seen below.
Click an individual Sub-Layer tab in the Cuts / Layers Window to edit a limited number of settings.
You can reorganize, as you can within the full Cut Settings Editor in the quick settings, by clicking and dragging. Sub-Layers are output in sequence, starting from left to right.
Legacy Behavior: Fill + Line
In older versions of LightBurn, Fill+Line mode allowed primitive Sub-Layer use to draw an outline around an engraved shape. This has since been superseded. The legacy behavior can be approximated with Sub-Layers, one for Fill and a second one for Line with the same base motion settings.
Danger
LightBurn will automatically convert pre-1.2 project files with Fill+Line settings to Sub-Layers in 1.2, including Fill+Line behavior. This produces two layers, one with your legacy Fill settings, and a subsequent layer with Line settings, to be run afterwards. Going backwards from current project files to pre-1.2 LightBurn is likely to result in breakages involving Sub-Layers due to how complex the changes are.
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.