I think most laser cutters in the $2500 - $5000 have their own proprietary software . . . but is there any reason why LightBurn wouldn’t work with a Trotec Speedy or BossLaser type machine? I’ve become so familiar (and fairly adept) with LightBurn that I wouldn’t want to switch to anything else when I upgrade.
It will work with BossLaser systems as they use Ruida and Trocen controllers. Trotec systems are very pricey, and in order to support a system I need long-term physical access to it to reverse engineer the control protocols, or help from the company that makes it. In the case of Trotec systems, they’re out of budget for the time being.
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So, when shopping for a laser in the $2500-$4000 range, I should ask what kind of CONTROLLER they use . . . and if it’s Ruida and Trocen, then I can use LightBurn, right? I might not be asking this question intelligently, but is there a list of what controllers LightBurn can currently access, e.g. GRBL, Smoothieware, Fabkit, Ruida, and Trocen?
That’s pretty much the list. Ruida and Trocen are the DSPs, and the others are DIY-style gcode systems.
For reputable dealers in the US, Boss Laser, AP Lazer, DLM, and Laguna Tools are all decent. Aeon Laser, Thunder Laser, and G Weike are Chinese, but also have great reputations.
If you want a Ferrari, Trotec, GCC, Universal, and Epilog all use servos and sealed metal RF excited tubes, but will also come with proprietary software. Trotec’s Job Control looks pretty cool. Epilog and Universal, if I remember right, are basically a print driver and are limited. Not sure about GCC.
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