Given that UV lasers are now easily available and more and more of them are coming out i was just wondering if there’s any plan to add internal crystal engraving to LightBurn?
So far that’s the one thing that’s forcing everyone to use the manufacturers proprietary software.
Crystal ball:
Hi.
There’s some hope as can be seen in this:
reply from a few days ago.
That said thread is about a specific laser, and a very specific case (a bubblegram inside a sphere), but the basics are the same.
But…
Coaxing a true 3D or even 2 1/2D capability from a 2D software will be challenging to say the least.
However, if separate slices are adequate (usually that is not the prefered visual effect), that can be accomplished with even a manual Z control.
Regards,
Sam
Yep it’s on our wish list - what’s happening in the laser world is that the controller required to perform this (a XY galvo scanhead, with Z axis control) have become more accessible (cheap) primarily from BSL (board manufacturer). However, every manufacturer’s implementation of features like this varies, which makes it hard for us to support.
BSL has been very helpful and we have direct communication, which has led to the support for BSL devices that we currently have - but some machines (including the Omni X) are using commands that we haven’t seen before. So it takes some reverse engineering to build out support for these features. Then there’s adding it to the UI, getting through internal testing, beta, release candidate, and finally out into the world. It’s a process that takes time.
We have 3 omni X’s in-house, and are working on adding Z axis control (for the benefit of all galvo users) - then onwards from there.
Slap a laser on the CNC mill and run MillMage. 
The real magic is converting a 2D image into a 3D image, or Bubblegram. I gave a local vendor a picture of my deceased son and they made it into a 3D image in a crystal cube. I was impressed.
2D > 3D is getting more accessible definitely. We’re likely to focus on starting with .stl and .step import first.
Thats good to hear and things can only improve in the future.
I backed the Xlaserlab E3 Laser on Kickstarter and i left them a comment that they should consider contacting you guys so that their laser may be supported once it on the market and you got the feature implemented.
Hi.
That thought actually crossed my mind, but since I have zero idea whether millmage can (or can not) control a laser unit, I didn’t mention it.
That field truly has taken leaps forward since the computational capacity and especially speed has increased dramatically, allowing more complex algorithms to be run.
Photogrammetry is something I’ve always been intrested in, and at some point I do intend to dig a little deeper now that the more advanced possibilities have become available.
My condolences for Your loss.
That’s a really cool way to remember our loved ones.
Regards,
Sam
The difference between spindle and laser in GRBL is parameter $32. Of course, you would need to select operations that mstch Lightburn. Pocket = Fill and Countour = Line. Now I am actually guessing here, but a little experimenting would determine if I am right.
Yes, it was my son holding his 2-year old daughter. Gave it to my daughter in law.
Hi.
I for one prefer not to guess, there’s generally IMO way too much that to my liking on every discussion forum 
.
That’s very true, I however am not in the position to try that out.
That’s a very nice thing to do, I imagine she was equally impressed.
Regards,
Sam