LaserGRBL — The Complete Guide: Laser Engraving and Cutting on GRBL Machines

LaserGRBL is open-source software (GPL-3.0) for controlling laser engraving and cutting machines based on the GRBL controller — most of the small and mid-size laser machines on the market. It prepares the file, translates it into G-code and streams it to the machine, all from one window. It runs on Windows.

LaserGRBL

Arkypita

G-code sender and image/vector converter for laser engraving and cutting jobs on GRBL-based machines.

Get it from the vendor

What you get

Image engraving — turning a picture into engraving lines with dithering and greyscale options.
Vectors — importing SVG and vectorising an image for outline cutting.
Power and speed — tuning to suit the material and thickness.
Machine control — jogging, zeroing, framing the work area and stopping.
Preview — checking the path and estimated time before running.

Who it suits

Fabrication shops, student labs and owners of a small laser machine: engraving nameplates, marking parts, cutting panels from wood and acrylic. For complex designs it is better to prepare the file in a vector editor and import it; for CNC mills and non-laser machines there are better-suited tools.

Related tools

For preparing vector files for cutting — Inkscape. For sending G-code to GRBL mills — Universal Gcode Sender. For controlling the machine from a browser — CNCjs.