Material Test
LightBurn has a built-in test pattern generator to help you find the best settings for your laser and any material you're working with.
To open the Material Test Generator, go to the Laser Tools Menu and select Material Test.
Material Test Example
On the left side, each row is labeled with the engraving speed. Along the bottom, columns are labeled with the power level used. At the top, the sample shows additional universal settings — in this case, Interval, Passes, and Frequency — that are used for each box in the grid.
Using The Material Test Generator
After opening the Material Test Generator, you'll be able to configure your test pattern. By default, the Material Test Generator will create a 10x10 grid of boxes with varying Power and Speed. Use the Param dropdown to select different parameters to test.
Positioning
The output location of the test grid is determined by the Start From mode you select before opening the Material Test Generator. Current Position and User Origin work exactly as they do for all other output, while Absolute Coordinates location is controlled by the X/Y Center options in the Material Test configuration.
Test Configuration
Use the settings below to configure your test grid. The parameters tested can be Power, Speed, Interval, or Passes. Frequency and Q-Pulse width can also be tested, if your laser supports those settings.
| Test Grid Settings | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Count | How many rectangles are in each row/column |
| Param | The setting being tested along this axis |
| Min | The lowest value to be used for this setting |
| Max | The highest value to be used for this setting |
| Height/Width | The height/width of each rectangle in the test grid |
| Y Center/X Center | The position of the center of the test grid (if using Absolute Coordinates) |
Cut Settings
The three buttons at the bottom of the dialog box open the Cut Settings Editor, where you can adjust the settings to use in your test. There are two switches to enable or disable the text labels and border.
| Button | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Edit Material Setting | Base settings for the test — the two settings chosen in Param will be varied in the grid, but all other settings applied here will apply to every test box |
| Edit Text Setting | Settings to use for the text labels |
| Enable Text | This switch controls whether text labels are output |
| Edit Border Setting | Settings to use for the border around the test grid — available in LightBurn 1.5 and higher |
| Enable Border | This switch controls whether the border around the test grid is output |
Warning
When entering Speed values recommended by your laser's manufacturer or other LightBurn users, make sure to use the same units of distance and time as those from the recommendation, or to convert the values to your preferred units.
A given number of millimeters per second is much faster than that same number in millimeters per minute. Mixing up units can lead to reduction in power output due to unexpectedly high speeds, or excessive power output — and even fire — due to unexpectedly slow speeds.
Change your displayed units in the Units and Grids tab of the Settings window. LightBurn automatically converts any existing values when you switch between units.
Running the Test
The buttons on the right side allow you to Preview the test grid, Frame to check output location, run the laser, and more.
| Laser Controls | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Preview | Generate a preview of the test grid |
| Frame | Frame the test grid to see its position on the material |
| Start | Start running the material test |
| Pause | Pause the material test |
| Stop | Stop running the material test |
| Save RD File/Save GCode | Device-dependent — if available, saves the test grid in RD or GCode format |
Material Test Cutting and Engraving Order
The order in which test boxes are cut or engraved is determined according to an ascending list of potential risk of burning or charring material.
In other words, boxes with the highest Speed, lowest Power, lowest Interval, and fewest Passes will run first, followed by the next highest, lowest, fewest, and so on.
Saving and Exporting
There is also a dropdown allowing you to select a saved Preset. This is useful if you have custom settings you like to run frequently, such as a smaller test pattern you want to use on metal tags, or a range of settings you want to test on various woods.
At the top are buttons allowing you to save, delete, export, and import presets.
To locate the presets saved on your computer, go to File → Open Prefs Folder. You'll find the material_test_presets.lbmt file inside the presets folder.
Presets can also be exported in a User Bundle.
Built-in Presets
LightBurn provides four Built-in Presets for users with Diode or CO2 lasers. All four are selectable from the dropdown menu in the Material Test Generator dialog window.
Related Topics
For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.