Overview
LightBurn replaced the miserable software that ships with most laser machines, and it did so by covering the whole job in one application. Artwork can be drawn in it, imported from vector or raster files, arranged on a representation of the bed, assigned cut settings per layer, and sent straight to the machine over the connection it already has. There is no export step and no second control program.
The drawing tools are real rather than a token gesture. Bezier paths, boolean operations, offsetting for kerf compensation, node editing, arrays, text on a path with true type support, welding and trimming, and measurement tools. Imported artwork can be cleaned up in place, which matters because vector files from elsewhere arrive with duplicate lines and open paths far more often than not.
The machine side handles what actually determines whether a job comes out. Per-layer power and speed, multiple passes with a step down, air assist control, cut order and direction, tabs to keep parts from dropping, kerf offset, and a camera calibration path for placing artwork on material already on the bed. Raster engraving includes several dithering methods and a grayscale mode with power mapping for photographic work.
What it does well
Design and control together
Draw, import, arrange, assign settings and run the machine from one application with no export step in between.
Vector editing
Bezier paths, node editing, boolean operations, offsetting for kerf, welding, arrays and text on a path with real font support.
Cut settings per layer
Power, speed, passes, air assist, cut order and direction assigned per colour layer, saved as reusable material libraries.
Raster engraving
Multiple dithering methods plus a grayscale mode with configurable power mapping for photographic engraving.
Camera alignment
Calibrate an overhead camera to place artwork accurately on material that is already sitting on the bed.
Changes in this build
- Controller support extended to more current machine boards.
- Node editing reworked with better handling of imported paths that have duplicate points.
- New material library entries covering common plywood, acrylic and leather settings.
- Faster preview generation on large raster engraving jobs.
- Fixed a job ordering defect when using multiple passes with a step down.
What is in the package
- LightBurn installer, 64-bit
- Controller profiles for common machine boards
- Material settings library
- Camera calibration tools
- Multilingual interface files, 14 languages
System requirements
| Processor | Any x64 processor, dual core or better |
| Memory | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB for large raster jobs |
| Graphics | Any adapter with OpenGL support |
| Storage | 500 MB free |
| Display | 1366 x 768 minimum, 1920 x 1080 recommended |
| System | Windows 8 through Windows 11, 64-bit |
Installation
- Extract the archive and close any running instance.
- Run the installer to the default location.
- Apply the included configuration step before the first launch.
- Add your machine using the device wizard and confirm the bed size and origin corner.
- Turn the update check off in preferences.
Before you start
Always confirm the origin corner setting, a wrong origin mirrors every job.
Material library settings are machine specific, numbers from a different laser are a starting point only.
Run a framing pass before cutting so the job is where you think it is on the material.
Questions about this title
Does it control the machine directly?
Yes, it sends jobs over the machine connection with no separate control program.
Can it import vector files?
Yes, the common vector and raster formats import and can be edited in place.
Is camera alignment supported?
Yes, with a calibration routine for placing artwork on material already on the bed.
Does it do photo engraving?
Yes, with several dithering methods and a grayscale power mapping mode.
About this listing
This entry was checked on a clean install of Windows 8 / 10 / 11 (64-bit) before it was published, and it is rechecked whenever the package is rebuilt. The figures on this page come from the site index rather than from the publisher, so the download count is what people here have actually pulled.
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