Best Laser Engraving or Cutting Management Software for Manufacturers

8 Best Laser Engraving or Cutting Management Software Review

Designing for laser cutting or engraving projects is simpler than other 3D printing or CNC methods. You only need a 2D image with outlined pieces and anchor points. However, the catch is with the type of supported file type.

As mentioned earlier, the design file for laser cutting or engraving must be a vector file. Some of the supported formats are PDF, EPS, SVG, DXF, DWG, etc. These files are typically created in software that is dedicated.

We have picked seven of the best laser cutting/engraving software that allows design and facilitates machine control and communication.

Let’s check out the top laser cutting and engraving software:

DraftSight

Cost: $200/year (Approx.)

Specialty: Getting sharp enough lines/edges for single cut

The best part of using DraftSight is that it helps keep the edges very accurate, neat, and sharp. If you’re regularly using SolidWorks for 3D modeling, you will love DraftSight by Dassault Systèmes.

It carries all the same attention and expertise over detail. The only difference is it’s turned towards drafting 2D vector drawings. This is the most important particular requirement for laser cutting.

Using DraftSight, you can perfect the image you want to upload to the laser cutter. The most helpful feature it provides is image trace. It can turn most JPEG, PNG, or BMP images into vector angles, curves, and/or lines.

Under the print option, it also has the hairline function that can determine line width. This is especially handy for laser cutting because it’s set to be the exact width of a single pass of the cutter. The laser printer typically rasterizes the wider lines with a series of passes.

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TurboCAD

Cost: TurboCAD Designer for $60

Specialty: Cleaning up and copying the design

TurboCAD is equipped with an array of features for an easier laser cutting experience. The design of it mimics AutoCAD. Yet it’s so much more than a cheap spinoff.

With the Overkill tool, you can remove overlapping lines and arcs in a design. The event viewer keeps track of redundancies and changes. To copy the design, you can use the PDF Insert/Underlay tool. The smart detectors will automatically snap to match the reference design.

Adobe Illustrator

Cost: $240/year (Approx.)

Specialty: Vector line illustration

The industry standard for vector illustrations and logo creation over the years, Adobe Illustrator is definitely the most widely used design software. The artboard setup feature makes it stand out with flying colors. You can lay your designs out all in one screen for a preview of how they fit over the material. You can set up as many artboards as you want in a single view.

Illustrator is perfect for graphic designers/artists and laser cutters alike. If you’re using laser cutting software for the first time, you simply need to learn a few standards and best practices to optimize your design for laser cutting.

Inkscape

Cost: Free

Specialty: Exhilarating design experience

Inkscape is one of the best open-source alternatives to Adobe Illustrator. Most importantly, it’s free. It has constantly been improving and making its place more solid as laser cutting software. It’s really handy since it uses SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) as the native format.

You can manipulate and use SVGs to your liking without paying anyone since this format is royalty-free. For those just starting out in the laser cutting process and software, it’s a very easy step in the ladder to climb.

Another reason why Inkscape is so handy and popular is that it’s availability across operating systems and the easy-to-use interface.

LightBurn

Cost: $80 for DSP controllers, $40 for G-code controllers (Approx.)

Specialty: Numerous file format support

LightBurn is an all-in-one package with control and editing options. You can import the most common bitmap and vector graphic image formats. In LightBurn, you can either create new art or edit/arrange to exist.

You get a variety of laser-cutting settings once you are done with editing. The specified commands for parameters such as cutting speed, laser power, number of passes, etc., are directly sent to the machine. Most of the G-code controllers and laser cutters in the market are supported in LightBurn. This makes it very reliable and demandable.

OpenBuilds CAM and Control

Cost: Free

Specialty: Controlling any machine

OpenBuilds CAM is an amazing web-based Laser Cutting and Milling G-code Generator. The online platform allows users to share projects with others. For digital fabrication, OpenBuilds has 2 programs: OpenBuilds Control and OpenBuilds CAM. CAM generates G-code using a web application, and the tools in Control provide support for laser cutting and milling.

The Control software is compatible across operating systems (macOS, Windows, Linux). It can simulate and preview the G-code before transferring it. Both programs support most laser machines and CNC. Moreover, both are free.

LaserGRBL

Cost: Free

Specialty: Engraving and cutting

LaserGRBL has a vectorization tool, and with it, it can cut based on raster images. This laser cutting and engraving G-code generator and streamer are compatible with Windows. It’s also GRBL compatible, as the name suggests.

The software has no special requirements other than the operating system. You can create customized buttons on the user interface. You can also generate G-code for engraving and cutting all in one place. What makes LaserGRBL so uniquely specialized is the features, especially the vectorization tool.

LaserGRBL is known for more of its features like smoothing spot removal. These features ensure it produces impressive results.

PrismERP:

Rather than the options mentioned above, if you want to get a customized ERP system for your laser cutting management system, PrismERP is the best solution. They offer ERPs according to your business needs and operations.

Only thing you can do is to send your requirements and get your system prepared accordingly. Due to higher flexibility and customization options, you no longer worry about its compatibility and paying a considerable amount simultaneously.

Final Thoughts

The appropriate software solution varies among users. However, these laser cutting and engraving software are equipped with features for most preferences. Hopefully, this shortlist has been helpful with choosing the right one for your cutting and engraving functions in manufacturing.