OpenGL requirements

LightBurn Software Questions
1

apologies if this is the wrong place, I wasn’t sure if it shod be here or in the hardware section.

I wish to run the lightburn s/w when the board arrives. However right now with my 3d printing s/w openGL requirements of 2.0 or higher for the newer versions. I was wondering if the same is required by lightburn software? If so then I’ll have to get a new laptop unless it can all run a raspberry pi 3+

I would really hate to install everything then find out that my laptop can’t run it.

Thanks in advance
Madison Rae

2

LightBurn uses software rendering for everything, and only uses your graphics card (DirectX) for some of the camera capture operations.

3

Thanks then I will add the laptop upgrade on the less immediate upgrade list.

Is lightburn s/w and hardware easily ran off a raspberry pi 3b+ chance?

Thanks again

4

you do know there’s a free trial version(s) you can test for yourself with right? And you can use it to create designs and setup etching layers, cut layers etc BEFORE you even have the laser cutter.

5

Hello DougL

Yes I have already downloaded the trial but just haven’t installed it yet. My thinking was that it was a timed trial and was waiting until I actually got … now get :grin: the c3d laserboard in, buying me a little bit of time and on hand cash before the trial ends and I order the license key for it.

I do tend to overthink many things, and often spend more time and money trying to, for a lack of better words, reinvent the wheel. However, this time instead of just trying to do things cheaper or differently i feel it is better to ask first and do things with the things that they are already made. In example the c3d camera, initially i started looking for a more economical substitute. But in the end I went with the official lb camera hopefully saving me stress of trying to reinvent the wheel lol

But a definite big thank you for the tip on the software, it will be great to hit the ground running by getting a jump on the s/w learning curve.

Madison Rae

6

C3D? so you have a K40 now which has the m2 board in it? If so, you can and should use the K40 Whisperer software and get familiar with laser cutting and etching. Things like setting layer colors, powers and speeds will xfer to Lightburn.

Heck, you could even use Lightburn in demo mode to generate your SVG files which you’d then import into K40 Whisperer. And what every you do put air assist on the machine if you don’t have it already. it does more than just blow smoke around and mostly it makes better cuts by blowng debris away and also blows out flames and protects your lens. maybe consider the combo lens protector and air assist nozzle I hacked together - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2970371

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@DougL yes I already have the k40 and the first thing I’ve done was throw away the software usb key and installed k40 whisper :+1: here is one of the pieces I was exploring with before the M2 board went bad. The replacement came today from the manufacturer but even before then I already knew that i would be moving to a C3d board if not just for the camera alone, but because from reading, the c3d is just a better board all around.

I’ve only had the chance to use it about a week before the board went out and was just starting to learn about the focal point and different lenses and are not knowledgeable of them yet. (Ive attached a few test pieces) This is why I haven’t bought or made the air assist yet.

My current plans of learning and upgrading are relatively along the lines of this;

Machine familiarity ie- safety and proper use, etc

Software (Which I’m sure will be a lifetime adventure)

Hardware upgrades - (not necessarily in order)

C3d Laser board, camera, air assist, better front panel then the stock (current front panel pi c below), improved air exhaust (inside and out), open the available cutting area, a z axis table, a rotary attatchment.

At least this is my current immediate/short term upgrade plan.

As far as my thought of future upgrades I was thinking good ricci 60 to 80 watt tube, a matching PSW, water chiller. Or just a bigger machine all together

Of like everything all depends upon time, money and what i am actually doing with it.

I would be definitely interested in learning of any other suggestions or areas that I should place as a priority in planned course of upgrades

Trust me I am by far no expert, probably not even an amateur and possibly just barely a noob when it comes to this. I could probably be best described as a over thinking tinker with too much time on her hands with a budget too small to go on a spending spree :upside_down_face: lol

Thanks again !
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8

@DougL does the air assist you suggest allow room for the red dot light that came with my k40? Or should I still look at a different air assist model?

9

I don’t know how your red dot light works. you can see how the nozzle slips on the lens cap so you shold be able to see if it can be positioned to work with the pointer. I purchased a combiner mirror and put the red laser inline with the cutting beam so it goes down through the lens.

I see you have the digital display. Don’t give it more then 30-35% power until you have measured the actual current flowing through the tube. Many found themselves with weak or dead tubes only to find out they were running at 50-75% on the meter and it was 120% power on the tube and burned it out. The cheap tubes they ship with can’t be driven at full 24mA and need to be run at 18mA max if you want the tube to last very long.

I recommend reading everything on the FAQ of http://k40laser.se

10

No. LightBurn is compiled native for speed, and a PI, despite being really fast for a hobby board, is just not that fast as a desktop host. I’ve used a text editor on it and that alone was painful enough. There’s also a good chance I can’t get all the libraries we need on it - this was the case when I first looked into it.

11

@LightBurn hi there thank you for that bit of info. It helps and only means that for my medium to long term planned purchases will just be a new laptop. Right now for all I know everything will be steller on my 2010 laptop lol.
Thanks again for everything

Madison Rae

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