So i just got my first laser engraver which is the portable Atomstack P9 M50 10W version. My laser is an outside closet due to not having the proper space in my house. Ive seen videos of hoe to center the artwork by using the Frame/fire method but that only works when you sre directly connected via usb to the laser. My desktop is in my living room and there is no way to connect them physically. I can laser files via microSD card but my problem lies on how can i properly center it without eye balling it? Will the Lightburn Bridge work on a GRBL machine like mine ? If so ill have to buy it and go that route to be able to use the Fire/frame method.
No. Bridge only works on Ruida machines.
Offline controllers typically have a way of framing with some button combinations or something similar. Are you certain your laser does not have this?
Alternatively, I’d suggest creating 2 files:
- First file contains your normal design.
- Second file contains a design which contains a frame shape around where your design would be with very low power settings.
Then run the frame file first so that you can position your work material. Then run the second job.
Thanks for clarification on the bridge. The laser does have a Frame button after i click on the file to load but let’s say my project is smaller than the actual piece I’m printing on. Also is it possible to make a Circle frame around the design or possibly find the middle of a circle area? I’d like to be able to almost perfectly line up with a coaster.
Couple of suggestions in this case.
- Create a circular frame using the alternative method I described earlier.
- Make the circle match the exact size of the coaster
- Position your actual design centered in the circle
- Save your 2 files and proceed as described
Alternatively, you could create a jig for your laser that allows you to repeatably position a coaster. Then you would need to align your design only once and then repeat.
Finally, you could burn position marks onto a spoil board that match positions in your workspace. This would allow you to position the coaster onto the spoil board using the position indicators and have it match the location in your workspace relatively closely. This would work well if your tolerances were within 1 or 2 mm.
You could consider a hardware solution also. If you could get another computer to connect to your laser that would allow for some flexibility. There are methods of connecting the laser wirelessly similar to LightBurn Bridge but those would be unofficial methods.
So when you say create a 2nd design with the frame around the design on lower power is that to mark down on the project then once that is done i load the 1st design and when i press Frame to just align it up with the 2nd designs marks and then start it? As for making a perfect circle frame id just create a circle around the design and when i click frame it should frame in a circle and not a square correct? Most of my prints have been wording or a picture without a border so it frames as a square. Are the unofficial methods using a raspberry pi with virtualhere on it then connect the pi to the laser and in lightburn it should be able to see it as connected? Is that what you are referring to? This method
Sorry if im being a bother, im just trying to get this thing dialed in little by little
No. Assuming you’ve created the frame object around the primary design, by aligning your work piece with the frame file you should be able to directly run the second. It’s already aligned.
No. You’d run the circle frame design as a job, not as a frame operation. This is a workaround if you didn’t have a frame function or if the frame function is inadequate for your needs, as is potentially in this case.
That is one of the potential methods, yes.
I think This is what you’re referring to regarding the 2nd frame lines and such? I will be buying a pi and doing as i showed in the video above.
No. But that’s closer to the jig idea that I also listed as an option.
I was able to figure it out by creating a frame for the design as the 1st layer of the art piece shape and have it do 3 passes with a 600mm/min at the lowest power to see the laser as a guide. Once i have it aligned i just let it start doing the 2nd layer which is the design. Thanks! Also, what were the alternative methods for the light burn connection? I cant seem to find a reasonably priced raspberry pi at the moment
I have seen no positive reports of these solutions actually working with LightBurn but there are bluetooth to serial adapters or potentially telnet to serial using something like LaserGRBL solution WiFi with ESP8266 – LaserGRBL. I think potentially there could be a telnet to serial usb type solution created but I haven’t seen it done.
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