Hi,
I currently use LB for my China Blue Ruida controller.
I have just purchased the LaserPecker 2 and wondered if I would be able to get it running on Lightburn (the current software is rubbish).
Many thanks for any help and happy christmas.
Jamie
I’d never heard of this but took a look through the link you posted. It’s a neat little machine. My first reaction was that no, LB would likely not work on this machine because it’s not using a standard XY movement model implying that it must require some specialized code to control the direction and aim of the laser.
However, I saw this specification page for the previous version of this laser that says it supports g-code.
This could mean that the logic to handle the laser movement and focus is all embedded in the controller.
What’s not clear is if the g-code processing is done in the software layer or the firmware layer.
Do you have this laser on-hand right now? Do you know if you can pass g-code directly to the laser? Or does it have to be pre-processed by the proprietary software?
If the controller can take g-code, you might be able to connect this to LightBurn. Or else just generate the g-code in LB and pass it to the proprietary software to run.
At the Github for an inkscape plugin for those models, it states “LaserPecker App has a built-in Gcode converter”. The ‘app’ is available on windows.
Sounds like has to do some kind of manipulation within the application. It’s also apparently wifi and works with any ‘smart phone’…
It has galvanic mirror controls… The first video is interesting.
Most of those turn out to be proprietary.
Maybe one of the Lightburn people can address it.
Good luck.
Thanks for the reply guys @berainlb & @jkwilborn .
I do have the laser to hand, I know that as @jkwilborn says there is a gcode generator for inkscape - GitHub - yy502/inkscape-laserpecker: An Inkscape Gcode generator extension for LaserPecker.
This generates the gcode which you save and then open via the Laserpecker app (there is a mobile and Windows/OSX - but don’t think the app actually does anything other then pass it to the laser as it can be run without being connected once it has been sent.
Happy to do give anymore information if I can.
Many Thanks
I have just generated the gcode via the the inkscape plugin - don’t know if that helps at all?
Cheers
examplelaserpecker.txt (2.7 KB)
From the wording it seemed that the app was responsible for the gcode conversion.
Try one thing. See if you can connect to the laser from LightBurn. What happens? It would be interesting if it would connect and we can get Console access to it.
I don’t know how Lightburn handles the wifi connection to a grbl device that’s usually expected to be USB, don’t know if it’s a ‘generic’ type connect…
Can you get the LaserPecker to connect to your lan?
I suspect that there is some kind of translation occurring. They have to convert to drive the galvanic mirrors, not steppers, but that shouldn’t be a show stopper.
If you want to know if lightburn will work, you could start by generating the art and gcode via lightburn.
That way we can examine the ‘source’ with more details on how you have it configured to run.
These processors are getting cheap, along with memory. It can probably store a lot of gcode on board.
Makes you wonder what happens when you run out of memory?
Good luck, let us know what happens…
Found this in another forum:
I have an LP2, which can be controlled over USB serial. By looking at the handshake part, it’s the same data format as the LP1 (Pro). So I can just sniff serial packets for reverse engineering when I have time.
As far as I was told that the engraving commands including data format are encrypted. Not sure if that’s true or just a lie to stop me from trying
So sounds like LightBurn could theoretically find the laser and connect since it shows up as a USB Serial device. However, it’s apparent it’s not speaking g-code. Any g-code translation is likely happening in the software. So looks like for now the only potential option would be to generate gcode in LB and pass to proprietary software.
Any news ? My LaserPecker 2 just arrive yesterday :).
Did you try generate G code from LB and upload it to LP2 ?
AFAIK Inkscape plugin https://github.com/yy502/inkscape-laserpecker cant generate code for trolley/slab/cylinder.
LB support rotary axis, would it be good to have full control of LP2 thru G code generated from LightBurn
Sorry not getting notifications and just seen the replies. Not had a chance to play around anymore yet. I know Lightburn are making a Galvo version so still hope, maybe? Hopefully will have a ply around next week and see.
There is a YouTube video of a guy using laserweb to create the gcode. The initial set up on laserweb requires settings best addressed in the video. You have to tell it it’s marlin, you use -50 for the x and y as LP’s start at 0 and go -50mm offsets to create the 100mm workspace, etc.
Once you have that set, you drag your jpg, vector or restore file into the gcode generator in laser web. Next you have to download it and edit the gcode using notepad by replacing all GO[space] with G1[space]. Save it and send it through drop box to find the edited code in your laserpecker app gallery.
Perhaps this will give you smart guys enough info to figure it out to use light burn. The only reason I see using the laserweb is the options for cutting or printing seem more expansive. Look up laserweb laserpecker on you tube to find it
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