Installation & Set up
1.How to set up LightBurn so that the the laser head does not return to the home position after power on?
Click "Edit" - "Machine Settings" and a window will pop up. Switch the homing cycle from "True" to "False". Then click the "Write" button below and click "OK" to complete the setting.
2.How to set the User Origin?
Click “Window” - “Move”. Open the “Move” tab and click the “Set Origin” button to set it.
3.LaserGRBL and Lightburn fail to connect to the laser engraver after successful driver installation.
Check if the Emergency Stop button is pressed. If is, turn it clockwise to pop it up and then reconnect the laser engraver.
Product Usage
1.The laserGRBL software suddenly stops during the engraving process.
A.Check whether the product is still connected to LaserGRBL.
B.Check whether the power supply is on and whether the red indicator light on the laser module is on.
C.Check whether the driver is installed successfully.
2.LaserGRBL fails to connect to the product.
A.Check if the driver has been installed on the computer.
B.Comfirm whether the baud rate is 115200 and the port selection is COM3.
C.Check whether the USB cable is not plugged properly or damaged. Replace the USB cable if it is damaged.
3.The machine moves normally,but the laser does not light.
A.Check whether the wire connecting to the laser module is loose;
B.Adjust the laser power to the maximum.
4.Engraving or cutting does not achieve the desired effect.
A.Check if the laser focal length is correctly adjusted.
B.To achieve a better effect,we suggest following the recommended operating parameters in the user manual.
C.Check if the laser lens is covered by foreign objects and keep it clean and clear.
D.Confirm whether the software settings are wrong (for LightBurn).
E.If the material for engraving or cutting is distorted and uneven,please ensure it is flat and even before proceeding.
F.The cutting speed is not recommended to be lower than 120 mm/min.For cutting thicker materials,we suggest cutting them in separate passes.If the speed is too low,it may cause serious burning around the cutting edge.
5.LightBurn fails to connect to the product.
A.Make sure the driver has been installed. You can install it from the following link: https://mecpow.com/pages/driver-files. Once the driver is successfully installed, you should see “COM3” in the port selection.
B.Check if the baud rate is 115200.C. Check whether the USB cable is plugged improperly or damaged. Replace the USB cable if it is damaged.
6.The LightBurn software suddenly stops during the engraving process.
A.Check that the product is still connected to LightBurn.
B.Check if the power supply is on and the the red indicator light on the laser module is on.
7.The alarm sounds and flashes.
A.Check if the emergency stop button is pressed. If yes, turn it clockwise to pop up the emergency stop button.
B.Check if the flame sensor is triggered by a fire in the engraving area.
C.Check that the engraver is not tilted beyond 50±5° and triggering the alarm.
D.If all the above problems are settled, press the reset button to reset the machine.
8.What are the causes of frequent false alarms?
Bright light or direct sunlight may cause the flame sensor to falsely trigger the alarm. Reducing the ambient light brightness can effectively avoid false alarms. If you can't change the ambient light brightness, please switch off the flame sensor.
9.The engraved image is distorted.
A.The timing belts are not tightened,resulting in slippage.
B.The wheels are loose, causing slippage.
C.The timing belts or pulleys are defective.
10.The Laser does not stop moving after hitting the limit switch.
A.The connection of the limit switch is poor. Re-connect it.
B.Check if the limit switch is damaged.
11.What is the MicroSD port on the control box used for?
When using the app to control the engraving machine, it is necessary to store the engraving files in the MicroSD card and insert the card into the MicroSD port.
12.How to make sure that the engraving range is within the engraved object?
Click “Frame” to preview the engraving range. If the engraving range is beyond the engraved object, move the object or the laser head to adjust it.
13.Can the engraving machine beused on an iPad?
Yes.
14.What if the laser module is not raised high enough?
Loosen the screws in the dovetail groove on the back of the laser module. Then move the dovetail groove down to the screw holes below. Insert the screws into the screw holes and tighten the screws to secure the dovetail groove.
15.What are coordinates and job origin?
There are a few ways to tell LightBurn how to place the project within the work area of the machine. You can select them in the "Start From" box on the Laser tab:
Absolute Coordinates
Absolute Coordinates is the simplest - the page grid you see in the main editing window represents the machine's work area. Anything you place in that area will be cut at the corresponding location on the machine.
In the image below, it starts from the Absolute Coordinates, with the Job Origin set to the lower left. The green square in the lower left of the image represents the Job Origin, and the red square in the same place shows the Machine Origin. In "Absolute Coordinates", these are always in the same place. When you start the job, the laser head is going to move slightly up and to the right from the Machine Origin, engrave the circle, and go back to the Machine Origin when the engraving is complete.
Current Position
Current Position is probably the next easiest to use. When you press the Start button, it will cut relative to the current position of the laser head. You use the "Job Origin" control in the Laser window to tell LightBurn how to position the job relative to the laser. As the image is shown below, it starts from the Current Position, with the Job Origin set to the lower left. When you start the job, the laser head is going to move slightly up and to the right from wherever it is, engrave the circle, and go back to where it started when the engraving is complete.
If it starts from the Current Position with the Job Origin set to the center, the current position of the laser head will be the center of the engraved image.
User Origin
User Origin works almost identically to the Current Position, except that the starting location is "programmable". You tap the laser head to the position you want your job to start, hit the "Set Origin" button, and then you are free to move the laser head again. If you specify the "User Origin" as the "Start From" value, the laser head will move back to that programmed location and start the job from there.
Material
1.Can the engraving machine engrave on the metal surface?
For stainless steel, laser engraving can be done directly on its surface. Other metals, such as iron, aluminum and copper, can only be carved with a coating applied to their surface.
2.Can the product cut through metal?
A laser engraving machine with a laser power of 33W can cut 0.1mm stainless steel, a laser engraving machine with a laser power of 22W can cut 0.08mm stainless steel, and a laser engraving machine with a laser power lower than 22W cannot cut metal.
3.Can the machine engrave on glass or ceramics?
Yes. Glass needs to be painted on the surface and ceramic needs to be applied with heat transfer paper on the surface.
4.Is it possible to engrave on coating layers?
Yes. For coated layers, the engraving speed must be fast. For grayscale images, we recommend that you use LightBurn for engraving. Grayscale engraving with LaserGRBL is much slower, so the engraving results will not be as good.
5.Can you engrave on a 3D object, such as a water bottle?
Yes. It needs to be used with a rotary roller. Connect the rotary roller to the Y-axis motor.
Protection & Maintenance
1.There are noises during the engraving process.
A. Check if the noise is coming from the motor. If it is coming from the motor, replace the motor.
B. Check whether the screws on both sides of the X-axis are fixed tightly.
2.Does the machine require maintenance?
A.The laser module has a regular life expectancy of 10,000 hours or more. The service life can be affected by the environment. When the lens of the laser module is found to be scorched yellow or blurred, it needs to be replaced.
B.Regularly check the fit tightness of the timing belts and pulleys.
C.Regularly check whether the belts are notched or bent. The belts are equipped with steel wires, and bending is likely to cause the wires to break.
3.How to maintain the laser module?
A.Maintain the laser head by regularly cleaning or replacing the lens.
B.The regular service life of the laser module is more than 10,000 hours. For better engraving effects, we recommend that you replace the laser module after use of 10,000 hours.
4.How often should I replace the lenses of the laser module?
Smudged lenses can seriously affect the quality of engraving or cutting. Thus, we recommend that you replace the lenses once a month.