printing to a laser engraver without human interaction?

[Janger]

Are there laser engravers which you can just 'print' to with any program like word? i.e. they have a printer driver interface so I could use batch files or programming to shove .PDF's to the printer and the laser just engraves it.? I know there are various parameters which would need to be defined as well, speeds and feeds and such. I want to set up things to print to the laser and not have to interact with lightburn etc. Things like text, serial numbers, graphics. Some things would be static but other engraving needs would change from print to print, like dates. Or if there is some other option to programatically control the laser? I don't want to write GCode... A galvo head or an xy head machine would probably be fine.

Another basic question - with the continuing "Enshitification" of the internet and difficulty in searching for good material is there a good resource on laser engraving to go read?

 

[PeterT]

When I sent files out for laser cutting/printing in the past they tend to have specific preferred file format requirements that their app can 'read' with little oversight. I think the apps vary by the machine because I have noticed variations among vendors. Maybe a function of what app gets packaged or loaded on the laser? Its been changing over the years but a recent inquiry said they could read a bunch of formats over & above the typical CAD formats like .DWG .DXF I seem to recall Adobe files like .AI & .PSD & .PDF were OK now. But I was never really clear if that was a 99% correct file & they still ran their own diagnostics? They can even cut based on a .jpeg but there I'm unclear again - is it a conversion app they have or is it kind of assisted manual tracing?

Some prior DX* files I've sent needed to be tweaked on my end, apparently there are different resolution settings when it exports from native format. So CAD circles could come out like faceted arcs in real life if you didn't check. Also 'cutting' vs shallow 'engraving' on the same part I seem to recall distinction as separate color/layers on the input file. A good resource on this stuff might be @Mcgyver I seem to recall he bought some equipment.

 

[DavidR8]

The Lighburn site has excellent tutorials.
AFAIK there is no way to skip the lighburn step insofar as there’s also no way to skip the CNC control software when running a CNC mill.
That said, you can design directly in Lighburn. Draw shape, add lettering etc all within the program.

 

[jcdammeyer]

The Lighburn site has excellent tutorials.
AFAIK there is no way to skip the lighburn step insofar as there’s also no way to skip the CNC control software when running a CNC mill.
That said, you can design directly in Lighburn. Draw shape, add lettering etc all within the program.

LightBurn Software

LightBurn laser engraving and cutting software for personal and professional laser cutters.

lightburnsoftware.com

Note the free trial is for 30 days. After that G-Code generating version is $87. Goes up to almost $300 depending on output features.

 

[PeterT]

Lightburn is what a local (Calgary) laser burner referenced as their app now that I think of it.

 

[whydontu]

Not sure how simple you would like, but two minutes with Word generated this. Entered text in Word, print to .PDF, import PDF into Lightburn, a couple of clicks to size and frame, then hit start. Sample is on a scrap of MDF, no attempt to do anything fancy.

My ancient rotary engravers could do batch files and serialized labels, but they all use proprietary software. I do have the software, but it only runs on Win98.

Vision Engraving make machines and software for production, the software will do what you describe but $$$

Express Engraving Software | Vision Engraving & Routing Systems

Need Vision Express Engraving Software? Contact Vision Engraving & Routing Systems for affordable computerized engraving equipment & CNC routers.

www.visionengravers.com

 

[PeterT]

Entered text in Word, print to .PDF, import PDF into Lightbur

That looks crisp. Good to know. I think that's the key bit (PDF) which almost all programs can do. When I submitted some CAD drawings, mix of cutout & engraving, it was no problem but they still had to edit out the drawing border & title box etc. if those happen to come along for the ride.

 

[Mcgyver]

A good resource on this stuff might be @Mcgyver I seem to recall he bought some equipment.

Will do my best, but technically I will have to ask the people are a great resource. They won't let me touch the damn thing. i told them I want to be fully trained on it so I could use it whenever I wanted. Like herding cats, couldn't make it happen. I think they made sure training was for a day I wouldn't be in.

There is probably software out that will convert about anything, but standard fair is DXF's for profile burning. Not sure about the engraving, it will definitely do it but not sure the process. I want to see the job # and part # on every part (heat number too would be nice for traceability), but that's not happening yet. But hey, I'm used to what I want meaning diddly.