As developers, we are used to deploying code that moves pixels on a screen. But there is something incredibly satisfying about deploying code that cuts through steel.
I work with industrial laser cutting machines (specifically Fiber Lasers) at Arcus CNC, and one thing I’ve noticed is that many engineers treat laser cutters as "magic boxes." You feed them a DXF file, and a part comes out.
But under the hood, a laser cutter is just a robot executing a script. Understanding that script—G-Code—can help you optimize your designs, reduce production time, and get cleaner cuts.
Here is a look at the "code" behind the hardware, and how to optimize it.
The "Assembly Language" of Lasers: G-Code
Most laser cutters (from hobbyist diodes to our high-power industrial fiber lasers) run on G-Code. It’s the standard instruction set for CNC machines.
When you hit "Start" in your software (like LightBurn or CypCut), your vector design is compiled into coordinates and commands.
A typical snippet looks like this:
G0 X10 Y10 ; Rapid move to start position (Laser OFF)
M3 S1000 ; Laser ON at 100% Power (Spindle speed/Power)
G1 X50 Y10 F2000 ; Linear cut to X50 at 2000mm/min feed rate
G1 X50 Y50 ; Linear cut to Y50
M5 ; Laser OFF
- G0: Rapid movement (traveling without cutting).
- G1: Controlled movement (cutting).
- M3/M5: Fire laser / Stop laser.
- S-Value: Controls the laser power (Pulse Width Modulation).
- F-Value: The feed rate (speed).
Optimization Tip 1: The "Node Count" Problem
In web dev, we worry about DOM size. In laser fabrication, we worry about Node Count.
If you export an SVG from Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape without cleaning it up, curves are often rendered as thousands of tiny straight lines (segments).
The problem: The machine's controller reads every single line of G-Code. If you have 1,000 nodes for a simple curve, the machine tries to accelerate and decelerate for every micro-segment. This causes:
Jitter: The machine shakes.
Burn marks: The laser dwells too long in one spot.
Slow processing: The buffer fills up.
The Fix: Simplify your paths before sending them to the machine.
In LightBurn: Use the "Optimize Selected Shapes" tool.
In Code: If you are generating SVGs programmatically (e.g., using Python), use a path simplification algorithm (like Ramer-Douglas-Peucker) to reduce redundant points.
We tested this on an Arcus Fiber Laser Cutter. By reducing node count by 40% on a complex art piece, we reduced the cutting time by nearly 15% because the servo motors could maintain a higher constant velocity.
Optimization Tip 2: Accounting for "Kerf" (The Physical Margin)
In CSS, we have margin and padding. In hardware, we have Kerf.
The laser beam is not infinitely thin. It has a physical width (usually between 0.05mm and 0.2mm depending on the focus lens).
If you need a hole to be exactly 10.0mm to fit a bearing:
If you cut ON the line: The hole will be 10.0mm + Kerf ≈ 10.1mm (Too loose).
The solution: You must apply a "Kerf Offset" (shifting the cut path inward by half the beam width).
Most CAM software handles this, but if you are designing precision parts for CNC manufacturing, knowing your machine's specific Kerf value is critical.
Hardware Matters: The Servo Loop
Software optimization can only go so far. At the end of the day, the code is executed by physical motors.
At Arcus, we use high-inertia servo motors in our machines. Why? Because when the G-Code commands a sharp 90-degree turn at 500mm/s, a stepper motor might lose steps (skip), ruining the part. A closed-loop servo system corrects its position in real-time, ensuring the physical cut matches your digital code perfectly.
Summary
Laser cutting is the bridge between software design and hardware reality. By treating your manufacturing files like code—optimizing nodes, managing offsets, and understanding the execution environment—you can build better hardware, faster.
If you are interested in industrial laser tech or want to see the machines we build, check out Arcus CNC.
Top comments (0)