Getting Started with LightBurn on a Galvo Fiber Laser (EZCad2)
8 min read · Updated October 11, 2026
Galvo fiber lasers are fantastic for marking metal: fast, precise and permanent. Most of them ship with EZCad2, which works but is dated and hard to learn. LightBurn supports EZCad2-based (BJJCZ) controllers, so you can use the same modern interface you may already know from diode or CO2 lasers.
Before you start, check that your LightBurn licence covers galvo devices. LightBurn licences galvo support separately from GCode and DSP (Ruida) machines.
Before you connect
- Back up your EZCad folder. It contains your machine's correction (.cor) file and settings. You'll need them in LightBurn.
- Close EZCad. Only one program can talk to the controller at a time.
- Note your lens size (field size), for example 110 × 110 mm or 175 × 175 mm, and your laser source power and type (Q-switched or MOPA).
Adding the galvo laser in LightBurn
- Connect the laser by USB and power it on.
- In the Devices window, click Find My Laser or Create Manually, and choose the galvo / EZCad2 (BJJCZ) device type.
- Enter the lens field size exactly as in EZCad.
- Import your machine's correction (.cor) file in the galvo device settings, or copy the lens correction values from EZCad. This is what keeps squares square and circles round.
- Set the laser source type and maximum frequency range to match your machine.
Key galvo settings explained
| Setting | What it does | Typical starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | How fast the beam moves (mm/s) | 1000–3000 mm/s for marking |
| Power | Percentage of the source's power | 40–90% depending on the metal |
| Frequency (kHz) | Pulses per second; lower is hotter and deeper | 20–60 kHz |
| Q-pulse width (MOPA only) | Length of each pulse; affects colour and finish | Varies, test it |
| Line interval (hatch) | Distance between fill lines | 0.01–0.05 mm |
Starting points for common jobs
- Dark mark on stainless steel: slower speed, high power and a fine hatch (around 0.01–0.02 mm), sometimes with two passes at crossed angles.
- Anodized aluminium: high speed and low-to-medium power. The goal is to remove the coloured layer, not to burn into the metal.
- Deep engraving: many fast passes rather than one slow pass, with a small Z step if your machine has motorised focus.
- Colour marking (MOPA): requires careful tests of speed, frequency and pulse width. Small changes produce very different colours.
Use the Material Test tool with speed and frequency on the two axes. It is the quickest way to find a clean, high-contrast mark on a new metal.
Focus and framing
Galvo lasers have a short, sharp focal point. Use the red-dot preview (framing) to position your design, and set the working height precisely, often with the focus distance from your lens's specification. A few millimetres out of focus makes marks weak and blurry.
Safety
- Fiber lasers (around 1064 nm) are invisible and can cause permanent eye damage. Always use the correct goggles and an enclosure where possible.
- Metal marking produces fine fumes. Use extraction or a filter.
- Never mark reflective or unknown materials without testing at low power first.