Knowledge
Practical LightBurn guides, settings, testing workflows and troubleshooting — written for real workshop use.
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170 articles
Optimize Selected Shapes: Reduce Noise Without Destroying the Design
Simplify imported or traced vectors with tolerance-controlled smoothing and line/arc fitting.
Offset Shapes: Borders, Cut Lines and Inset/Outset Geometry
Create new vector contours at a controlled distance for borders, cut outlines and fit-related geometry.
Boolean Tools and Weld: Combine Closed Vectors Intentionally
Use Union, Subtract, Intersection and Weld for real geometry construction rather than stacking overlapping shapes and hoping Fill interprets them correctly.
Auto-Join and Closing Paths: Repair Small Gaps Efficiently
Join endpoints that are genuinely meant to touch and distinguish bulk auto-joining from deliberate path closure.
Edit Nodes: Repair and Reshape Vector Paths Precisely
Use nodes, segments and curve handles for local vector repair instead of redrawing an entire imported or traced shape.
Open vs Closed Shapes: Why Fill Disappears or Behaves Strangely
Recognize vector paths that do not form a closed boundary and fix the geometry before blaming Fill Mode.
Image Resolution vs Line Interval: Stop Chasing Impossible DPI
Match source detail and scan spacing to the physical laser spot and material instead of assuming more DPI always means more detail.
Trace Image: Convert Bitmap Artwork into Editable Vectors
Use tracing for logos and line artwork while controlling threshold and cleanup so the result does not become a forest of unnecessary nodes.
Threshold vs Grayscale: Choose the Right Image Interpretation
Know when a black/white decision is appropriate and when preserving tonal variation is essential to the engraving.
Dithering Modes: Turning Gray Tones into Laser-Friendly Dot Patterns
Understand why different dithering algorithms distribute on/off dots differently and why there is no single best mode for every photo or material.
Adjust Image: Brightness, Contrast and Gamma
Use LightBurn's image controls to shape tonal information before engraving without confusing image processing with laser power.
Tabs and Bridges: Keep Cut Parts Attached Until You Want Them Free
Use small uncut connections to stop released parts from shifting, falling or being disturbed before the job is complete.
Kerf Offset: Compensate for Material Removed by the Cut
Measure real cut width and compensate fit-critical parts instead of scaling the entire design blindly.
Build Material Settings Scientifically: Test, Change One Variable, Record
Turn material tuning into a repeatable experiment instead of random Speed and Power guessing.
Material Library: Build Reusable Settings Without Losing Machine Context
Store tested Cut Settings by material and operation, while keeping enough context to know which machine and thickness they actually belong to.
Focus Test: Find the Best Focus Instead of Guessing
Use LightBurn's Focus Test on supported setups to compare focus positions systematically before committing to production settings.
Shape Properties: Power Scale and Cut Order Priority
Apply per-shape adjustments without creating another layer, and know the optimization requirement that makes priority values active.
Inner Shapes, Travel Moves and Direction: Practical Cut Optimization
Balance part stability, travel distance and vector direction instead of optimizing only for the shortest theoretical path.
Order by Layer, Group and Priority
Choose a deliberate ordering hierarchy and understand when Shape Properties priorities take effect.
Optimization Settings: How LightBurn Plans Cut Order
Understand the Cut Planner rules that decide layer, priority, inner-shape and travel order instead of treating Preview as a mystery.
Set Start Point and Path Direction for Vector Cuts
Control where a vector path begins and which direction it follows, while understanding that optimization rules can still change final execution order.
Cut Selected Graphics and Selection Origin: Run Only What You Intend
Use selection-based output for controlled partial jobs while avoiding the common mistake of sending an unintended subset or positioning it from the wrong reference.
Move Window: Jogging, Set Origin, Finish Position and Fire
Use the Move Window deliberately for positioning and understand which controls move the machine, store an origin or activate low-power laser output.
User Origin: A Repeatable Custom Reference Point
Set a reusable origin on supported machines so jobs can return to a known material or jig reference even after jogging elsewhere.