TheLab.ms Wiki

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## THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, USE FOR REFERENCE ONLY

## Lightburn Basics in TheLab

This page is intended to give the user just enough info to be able to start down the road of using one of TheLabs laser machines. It is not intended to be all encompassing.
Use it as a starting point in your journey.

**Please for your safety as well as the safety of the machine please ask a makerspace member for a walkthrough of the actual cut/engrave process on the chosen machine when making your first attempt.**

### Machine Driving Software

The software used within TheLab to generate and deliver the machine driving Gcode data to the laser machine is Lightburn.

* [[https://lightburnsoftware.com/| Lightburn the Company]]

Lightburn is a licensed product and appears to no longer support a lower priced Makerspace version. TheLab has a limited number of licences, two of which are used on machines in TheLab. One in the atrium, the other attached to the laser machines within the vent room.

While Lightburn can be used to fully design your project one can also use any design software that supports exporting your project in a file format acceptable for import to Lightburn.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/FileManagement/#import| Lightburn File Import]]

For instance some folks use the open software Inkscape for the initial design, export the design as a Lightburn supported format, then import that into Lightburn for refinement/execution.

When exporting from a non Lightburn product it is best to export using a generic form of the export format rather than a particular products possible proprietary form. 

### First Project

The following Lightburn link walks one through a sample coaster project starting with an introduction to the UI, through design all the way to running the job on a laser.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/GetStarted/FirstProject/|Lightburn First Project]]

It is recommended you work through this process up to the point of actual machine usage on your own. Once to the point where the laser machine is involved we recommend asking a fellow makerspace member to help walk you through the last part. Laser machines, like most machines, can be dangerous if operated improperly.

### Some General observations

### Preparing To Cut

### Coordinate and Job Origin
 As a beginner you probably want to use absolute coordinates, which is the easiest to work work with and understand.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/CoordinatesOrigin/|Coordinates and Job Origin]]



###Cut selected graphics (or not)

Sometimes it's helpful to enable “cut selected graphics”. If your project contains multiple objects, choosing “cut selected graphics” will cut only those selected. This gives you an opportunity to verify the cut parameters without processing the entire project.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/LaserWindow/#cut-selected-graphics|Cut Selected Graphics]]


### Verify laser Focus

See the laser machine specific document for details on how to verify laser focus

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/FocusTest/|Lightburn Builtin Focus Test]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfGlZGhh144 | Alternative - Laser Ramp Testing to find best focus distance]]

### Preview your design

Previewing will allow you to visually confirm what the final cut/burn will look like once complete. This will help eliminate mistakes and wasted target material.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/Preview/#using-the-preview-window| Lightburn Preview Window]]

### Framing

It’s always a good idea to “Frame” your cut before executing. While “Framing” shows what your end product will look like, Framing will outline your selected objects letting you verify your project cut/burn falls completely within the target material.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/LaserWindow/#framing|Laser Window - Framing]]
### Cuts/Layers

##### Power/Speed Testing

The depth of the burning and the charing left behind during engraving is highly dependent upon the speed the laser moves as well as the power applied to the laser.
To visualize what a current setting will result in it may be helpful to create a small test object within your project. Then burn/cut that single object.

Referencing a laser materials library that is associated with the target machine may also prove to provide as starting point when selecting power/speed settings. Refer to the Materials Library section within this document for pointers to that functionality.

The following links are discussions of setting the power and speed for particular layers.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/CutsLayersWindow/|Cuts/Layers window]]

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/CutSettingsEditor/|Cut settings editor]]

##### Lightburn builtin material test

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/MaterialTest/|Lightburn Material Test]]

##### Miscl Cuts/Layers

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Explainers/LayerModes/|Layer Modes]]

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/UI/ColorPalette/#tool-layers|Special Tool Layers]]

### Lightburn Materials Library
A materials library is a compilation of power/speed settings for engraving or cutting various materials of varying thicknesses. It might be generated by the laser manufacturers, software support providers or  via contributions from forum or makerspace members. The compilations, if properly formatted can be loaded into Lightburn so they are available for use within the UI. These are generally starting point settings. Your specific settings will depend on the machine as well as the material being worked with.

* [[https://docs.lightburnsoftware.com/latest/Reference/MaterialLibrary/|Materials library, adding custom, importing existing]]

### Cut/Engrave your job

 If you are satisfied the above suggested observations, go ahead and run your job

Send it: Run your job in Lightburn
 Don't go far!: You need to keep an eye on the laser during the entire job. When lasers catch things on fire, and at times the do, they tend to do so quickly.

## Emergency shutdown, Fire actions….


### Other Learning Videos

* [[https://www.youtube.com/@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy/videos|Louisiana Hobby Guy]]

##### Learning sites:
* [[https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=laser+cutting| Udemy.com]]

* [[https://www.linkedin.com/learning|LinkedIn Learning]]