I have a PSD project that I created with the intent of importing into LightBurn in 3 layers, red, blue, and black. They are for inside cuts, outside cuts, and engrave - for the different settings of the laser. What is the best process to use to get this into LightBurn? I understand that LightBurn doesn’t natively import psd files, so I expect some conversion to take place somewhere. If I need to use illustrator, I guess that’s ok, I’ll just have to learn that application. I’d really like to be able to nail down a dependable workflow so I can repeat my work for different projects. I did try converting the psd into an AI to import it, and although it does import it, it doesn’t separate the layers, and it adds some weird bounding boxes, due to my illustrator ignorance.
thank you so much for your help in the past - this software and forum really are a great representation of how great this process (continual development) can work.
How about importing your image into LightBurn and do an ‘image trace’. Then you can assign the different parts to their own layer. There might be a training video on image trace in LightBurn. I think I saw one on Youtube.
Thank you for your reply. My current work around is doing almost that. I can export each layer as an image and import them into LightBurn. As long as you don’t move any of them, they stay aligned. I have imported other .AI vectors into LightBurn, and it retained some layers, but I would like to have details about the requirements so I can perform this at-will.
LightBurn handles layers based on color and not anything else. There’s certainly been some great debate over this when it comes to importing things like AI that support their own version of layers internally. We’ve discussed implementing support for that in the future, but as it stands right now we only support what is basically the industry standard when it comes to lasers, which is to use colors to differentiate.
So, for one, I would highly recommend working directly in a vector-native program like Illustrator. That will be a much cleaner flow if your desired end result is vectors and not images. Unless you need a ton of layers that allows you to basically stick to easy primary colors and know exactly which ones they will get mapped to.
Once you have an actual vector format like AI or SVG (honestly, SVG is going to be the best experience) all you have to understand is that what we will try to do is map the color you used for a shape in your design to the nearest color in our built-in color pallet. Once we’ve mapped that color we will assign it to that LightBurn layer. There’s really nothing more to how we handle layers.
Thank you so much! I’m willing to learn illustrator to get this accomplished. When I import the PSD into illustrator, there are the three colors (blue, red, black) but they don’t separate. Do I need to name them or something? Or maybe there is a template I can look at? I doubt I’ll ever need more than just a few layers, so I shouldn’t get too populated on the colors.