Laser design on a Chromebook, a Mac or any computer
Most laser software installs on Windows, sometimes on a Mac, and rarely on a Chromebook. Laser Studio runs in a web browser instead, so the design work can happen on whatever computer is at hand: a classroom of Chromebooks, a tablet with a keyboard, or a laptop away from the workshop. The finished file then goes to the computer that runs the laser.
A typical way to work
- Choose your machine under Machine and job (xTool models, LightBurn diode lasers, Ruida CO2 lasers, or any work area you type in). The canvas shows that work area at true size.
- Draw shapes, add text, import an SVG drawing or a photo (or trace a picture into lines to cut or score), and give each part a layer: cut, score, fill engrave or picture engrave.
- Look at the estimated job time, then save the design as an xTool
.xcs, a LightBurn.lbrn2, an RDWorks.rld, an SVG or a DXF file. - Open that file on the computer connected to the laser, check the settings for the material, and run it.
For classrooms and makerspaces
- Nothing to install and no account to create.
- Work in progress is kept in the browser on that device, so a student can close the tab and continue later on the same computer.
- Pupils can bring their own fonts as
.ttfor.otffiles. - SVG and DXF files work with the software of most other laser makers, so one design lesson fits different machines.
Limits to know about
Laser Studio does not send jobs to the laser, and settings saved in a file are only as good as the values entered: new layers start with moderate starting values that must be checked for each machine and material. Test on scrap before cutting the final piece.
More about what this app opens and saves: Laser Studio.