Laser cutters have become a handy tool in the workshop as it has a wide variety of use cases especially when it comes to engraving and you would like to have an effective way of using your ir laser cutter.
This is where LightBurn comes into play.
LightBurn is a software that manages the operations of your laser cutter by providing features such as creating and editing layouts, and controlling operations.
With an arsenal of tools to make the design of layout as easy as possible, LightBurn comes with a user-friendly interface which is easy to navigate.
This review introduces LightBurn to you and how you can get started with it.
Features of LightBurn
LightBurn offers one of the best laser cutter software with ability to import artwork in the major vector graphic and image formats such as AI, PDF, SVG, DXF, PLT, PNG, JPG, GIF, and BMP.
Below are some of the features that make LightBurn standout as an engraving software for laser cutters.
Friendly user interface
The user interface for LightBurn looks more like a graphics design software, giving you the ability to create the best art with all the tools you need.
The drag-and-drop feature allows you to make quick and easy designs without any prior knowledge in art or graphics design.
30 days free trial
Being a paid software, LightBurn offers you a free trial which gives you full access to all its features. This will give you an insight into its operation so you decide whether you want to continue.
Compatibility across multiple laser cutters
The LightBurn software has support for multiple laser cutters manufacturers such as Trocen, Ruida, TopWisdom and GCode.
This means switching between these laser cutters does not affect your work and you could also own multiple laser cutters and they will all use LightBurn for their design.
Compatibility across multiple operating systems
The LightBurn software can be used on the three most popular computer operating systems; Windows, Mac and Linux.
This means you can use the software regardless of the computer you are using because almost all computers use these operating systems.
Works for multiple laser types
Three types of lasers are supported by the LightBurn software, diode lasers, CO2 lasers and Galvo lasers. Most laser cutters use either of these laser types which makes the software universal and able to work with almost all laser cutters.
Large support
The LightBurn software has a lot of support in the form of documentation, video tutorials, training, and forum, all on its official website. So, you have a large pool of knowledge on any issues you might get, with detailed descriptions on how to solve them.
The forum offers an environment where other users and potential users can discuss issues related to LightBurn, which serves as a community for LightBurn.
Amazing Customer Support
The customer service for LightBurn is very efficient in communication and attending to complaints. They ensure they understand the problem you are facing thoroughly and provide you with detailed step-by-step solutions.
They also follow up to ensure the solutions they gave you actually worked.
Setting up LightBurn
Installing LightBurn
You can download the LightBurn software by visiting ww.lightburnsoftware.com and clicking on the Download/Trial button.
This leads to the page where you download the version of LightBurn you want to use based on your operating system.
After downloading, launch the setup file and follow the steps to install. This process is fairly easy, however, you can follow this video to have a visual guide: https://youtu.be/v3RDzOrlCTM
Tutorial: https://lightburnsoftware.com/pages/tutorials
Setting up process
Launching the LightBurn software with the interface open, this is your workspace where all your work will be done. Then click on devices on the bottom right and you will get a block where you see the Find My Laser button.
At this point, connect the laser controller through the USB cable and follow the prompts to set up.
Here you set up your desired device name, confirm the dimension of the work area and set up Auto-Homing. Once setup, the device will be listed on the bottom right of the workspace.
Drawback
The major drawback of the software is that it only offers a 30-day free trial, so you have to pay to continue using it.
The LightBurn licenses differ so the price you pay depends on your license of choice. The price ranges from $60 to $120 and they are all one-time purchases, meaning you only pay once.
Conclusion
Even though LightBurn is a paid software, the facilities it offers are totally worth it.
The ability to import images of different types and layering them to trace makes the software very helpful. With LightBurn you can design and create amazing works of engraving for your laser cutters.
When it comes to laser operation software, I would advise you to use LightBurn especially if you are a beginner. It makes the work so much easier.