3-5 Lightburn Camera Preview Operation Guide

Description

This guide explains how to configure LightBurn for FLUX HEXA RF, connect the built-in USB camera, calibrate the camera lens with the LightBurn AprilTags pattern, and align the camera preview with the machine workspace.

The procedure and values below were verified with LightBurn Pro 2.1.03. Menu names may vary slightly in other LightBurn versions.

Step 1

Prepare the machine, computer, and materials

Before opening the calibration wizard, prepare the following items:

• A computer with LightBurn installed.
• A network connection to the HEXA RF and a USB connection to the HEXA RF camera.
• A printed LightBurn AprilTags lens-calibration pattern. Print it at 100% scale without fitting or resizing.
  (You will be guided to print AprilTags lens-calibration pattern in the steps.)
• Four flat, light-colored 3 mm wooden boards for workspace alignment.
• The firmware version of HEXA RF is v6.5.0 or above.

Step 2

Create a new HEXA RF device in LightBurn

Open LightBurn. In the Laser panel, click Devices, then choose the option to create a device manually. When the New Device Wizard asks for the controller, select GRBL and click Next.

Step 3

Select the network connection method

For the GRBL connection method, select Ethernet or Wifi/TCP. Click Next.

Confirm that the computer and HEXA RF are on the same network before continuing.

Step 4

Enter the HEXA RF IP address

Find your HEXA's IP address on the touch screen.
(If your machine hasn't made a WIFI connection, please refer to this article for setting up a connection.)

Enter the current IP address of your HEXA RF, then click Next. Find the machine IP address on the HEXA RF network-information screen.

The test machine used 192.168.1.247. This is an example only; enter the address assigned to your own machine.

Step 5

Set the device name and workspace size

Enter a recognizable device name, such as HEXA RF Wifi. Select Millimeters and set the work area to:

• X-axis length: 730 mm
• Y-axis length: 410 mm

Click Next.

Step 6

Set the machine origin and finish device setup

Select the rear-left corner as the machine origin. Review the summary and confirm the following values:

• Controller: GRBL
• Connection: Ethernet or Wifi/TCP
• Workspace: 730 x 410 mm
• Origin: rear-left
• IP address: the current IP of your HEXA RF

Click Finish. Open Device Settings once more to confirm the values were saved correctly.

Step 7

Verify the machine connection and coordinate mode

Select the new HEXA RF device in the Laser panel. Open the Move panel and click Home to verify that LightBurn can communicate with the machine.

In the main LightBurn window, set Start From to Absolute Coords. 

Before camera calibration, home the machine and move the Z axis to its home/zero position.

Step 8

Open the camera setup wizard

Connect the HEXA RF to the computer by USB-A to USB-B cable.
(The USB-B side is for the machine and the USB-A side is for the computer.)

In the Camera panel on the right side of LightBurn, click Add Camera. Select USB as the connection method.

Step 9

Select the HEXA RF USB camera

Select USB Camera as the camera source. Choose the following video mode when available:

• Resolution: 4656 x 3496
• Format: NV12
• Frame rate: 5.0 fps

Confirm that the preview shows the entire HEXA RF work area and that the image is stable. LightBurn may provide controls for Exposure, Focus, White Balance, Contrast, Hue, and Backlight.

Step 10

Start a new lens calibration

In the camera setup wizard, choose Create a new lens calibration. Download the AprilTags calibration pattern provided by LightBurn, then print it at 100% scale on a flat sheet.

Do not crop, stretch, or rescale the pattern. A distorted print will reduce calibration accuracy.

It's strongly recommended to adhere the printed pattern to a 3mm A4 material such as wood or acrylic to ensure it's as flat as possible when placed in the machine.

Step 11

Capture the AprilTags pattern at the upper-left

Open the HEXA RF lid. Place or hold the printed AprilTags pattern in the upper-left capture area shown by LightBurn.

Keep the sheet flat and approximately parallel to the camera. Make sure all four outer corners and every tag are inside the highlighted capture area. Click Capture only after the entire pattern is recognized.

Step 12

Capture the AprilTags pattern at the upper-right

Move the same pattern to the upper-right capture area. Keep the pattern flat, avoid glare, and make sure no tag is cut off by the edge of the camera view. Click Capture.

Step 13

Capture the AprilTags pattern at the lower-right

Move the pattern to the lower-right capture area. Confirm that the complete pattern is visible and sharply focused, then click Capture.

Step 14

Capture the AprilTags pattern at the lower-left

Move the pattern to the lower-left capture area. Keep all tags visible and click Capture.

Step 15

Capture the AprilTags pattern at the center

Place the pattern in the center of the work area and capture the fifth image. Confirm that LightBurn shows five completed captures before continuing.

If a capture is blurred, cropped, overexposed, or affected by glare, retake that position before selecting a calibration model.

Step 16

Select and verify the lens calibration model

Continue to the calibration-model selection screen. Select the model recommended by LightBurn for the captured images and review the score.

• A score of 85% or higher is recommended.
• The HEXA RF test achieved 93%.

Also inspect the corrected preview. The image edges and AprilTags pattern should be complete and should not show obvious distortion. If the score is below 85%, home the Z axis again, flatten the pattern, improve lighting, remove glare, and repeat the five captures.

Click Finish after the lens calibration passes.

Step 17

Start the camera workspace alignment

After lens calibration, start the camera alignment procedure. Select Overhead-mounted camera, then choose Automatic alignment.

Read the preparation screen carefully. The automatic procedure engraves alignment targets and then uses the camera to locate them.

Step 18

Place the alignment boards and configure the target pattern

Place one flat 3 mm wooden board in each corner of the HEXA RF work area. Keep all four boards inside the camera view and leave enough clear space for LightBurn to engrave the corner targets.

Set the automatic-alignment pattern to:

• Feature Size: 25.0 mm
• Pattern Width: 670.0 mm
• Pattern Height: 370.0 mm
• Preset: Custom

If necessary, click and drag the pattern in the preview so each target lands fully on a board.

Step 19

Focus on the boards and engrave the alignment targets

Use the machine controls to focus on the surface of the 3 mm boards. Close the lid before engraving.
Release the focus probe > Press the AF button on the panel > Place the focus probe back. >> Close the lid.

For the test boards, the following engraving settings were used:

• Speed: 100 mm/sec
• Power: 10.00%

Confirm that the settings are suitable for your material, then start the engraving. Do not leave the machine unattended while the laser is operating.

Step 20

Capture, verify, and finish the workspace alignment

After engraving is complete, open the lid and refresh the camera image. In the alignment wizard, use Discard or retake the image so LightBurn captures the newly engraved targets.

LightBurn should detect eight targets in total. Continue to the verification screen and confirm that:

• All eight targets are detected.
• No corner target is missing, clipped, or misidentified.
• The grid overlay is visible and follows the full workspace.
• The target positions line up with the engraved marks.

If targets are difficult to recognize, use Adjust Camera Image to change exposure, remove glare, and retake the image. If a target is outside the camera view, reposition the boards and repeat the alignment.

Click Finish when the verification passes. The camera setup summary should show green checks for the camera source, lens calibration, and workspace alignment.

Step 21

Backup the Camera Calibration Data

Exporting the calibration data means you won’t have to recalibrate if you switch computers. Follow these steps: Export: In Cameras >> right-click on USB Camera > Export Camera.

Using the calibrated camera preview

Return to the Camera panel and click Update Overlay to capture the current work area. Place artwork over the camera image and verify its position before starting a job. Recalibrate if the camera is moved, the mount becomes loose, the machine geometry changes, or the overlay no longer matches the physical workspace.

#END