Table of Contents

Controlling the laser engraver

I mainly use the laser for engraving vectors, I have no plan in raster engraving (=pictures), so the instructions and workflow follow this. I do my best to find a workflow that works 100% under Linux.

The controlling board uses an Arduino Nano with GRBL 1.1f.

Drawing

Using the good old Inkscape.

Adding hatches to fill letters

Need this Inkscape Extension : https://github.com/KnoxMakers/KM-Laser Be careful, download the correct version for your Inkscape version.

Gcode generation

Need this Inkscape Extension : https://jtechphotonics.com/?page_id=2012 Be careful, download the correct version for your Inkscape version.

Sending the Gcode to the machine

Using the good old UGS, classic GUI https://github.com/winder/Universal-G-Code-Sender

Note: I tried Laserweb4, on two different computers, very slow (in fact, freeze computers) so better not use it.