LDS PC 3.X Beta Operation Guide

This page introduces the features of LaserPecker Design Space Beta (LDS Beta) and explains how to use the software to operate the LaserPecker machine.

1. Compatibility & Requirements

• Before installing LDS Beta, please ensure that your machine firmware meets the minimum required version to avoid connection or performance issues.

  Item	Specification
  Software	LDS 3.X Beta
  Machine	LX2
  Firmware Compatibility	V9008.1 or above

• LDS Beta supports both Windows and macOS.

  Items	Minimum Configuration	Recommended Configuration
  Processor	Intel i5-6700HQ	Intel i5-11600 or above
  Operating System	Windows 10 (64-bit) or above
  	macOS 10.15 or above
  Memory	8 GB	16 GB or above
  Display Resolution	1280 × 720	1920 × 1080 or above
  Hard Disk	256 GB	1 TB or above

  Performance Notes

  • Under minimum requirements, all LDS functions will operate, but the software may experience lag or unresponsiveness when importing or editing highly complex images.
  • If the system configuration is below the minimum requirements, LDS may still function, but is more likely to experience significant lag or system crashes, resulting in a poor user experience.
  • Under recommended requirements, LDS will perform more smoothly, including faster import and editing of complex images with reduced latency and improved performance. However, when processing extremely complex images, LDS may still experience some lag.

2. Download & Installation

• Visit our download page to download LDS Beta. Select the appropriate installation package for your operating system.

  

  Note
  If you don’t know how to check your Mac chip, please follow the instructions in this article: How to Check Your Mac's Chip Type.

• (1) Install the appropriate installation file (.dmg for macOS or .exe for Windows) and select your preferred language.

  

  (2) Select the folder you would like to install the LDS software into and start the installation.

  

  (3) After installation, the LDS Beta icon will appear on your desktop.

  

3. Device Connection & Network Setup

• In LDS, click Connect → Select USB → Select the identified COM port (COM14 is an example, COM ports may vary).

  
  

• (1) After the USB connection is successful, click the Gear icon on the upper right corner to open the machine settings interface.

  

  (2) In the Basic Information tab, find the Wi-Fi Settings section and click the Configure button.

  

  (3) Select Wi-Fi and enter the Wi-Fi password (Both the machine and the computer must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. To avoid input errors, we recommend enabling password preview). Click Okay and wait for the Wi-Fi configuration to succeed.

  

• To switch to a Wi-Fi connection, disconnect the USB cable first. In LDS software, click the Connect button and then Connect the device, then switch to the Wi-Fi tab to connect. The next time you use the device, you can connect without a USB cable.

  
  
  

• (1) After connecting via Wi-Fi, click the Gear icon on the upper right corner to open the machine settings interface.

  

  (2) In the Basic Information tab, find the Wi-Fi Settings section and take note of the device's IP address information.

  

  (3) Switch to the IP tab in the Connect Device window and fill in the corresponding IP to establish a connection.

  

4. Interface & Toolbar

• The main interface is the project page. The central area is the canvas, where you can add and edit objects. Toolbars are located at the top and left, and the processing settings panel is on the right.

  

• 

  • 1️⃣ File

    • Open: Open a local project file with the .lp2 extension.
    • Save: Save all new changes in the current project.
    • Save As: Save the project as an .lp2 file.
    • Export As: Export all objects on the canvas as JPG, PNG, WEBP, or SVG files, with options for image quality, scale, pixel ratio, and background color.

    

    2️⃣ Help

    • FAQ: Open the LaserPecker Support Center website.
    • Shortcuts: Open the keyboard shortcut list.

    

    3️⃣ Announcements

    Open the LDS announcement window.

    4️⃣ Laser Safety Officer(LSO) Training

    Open the Laser Safety Officer Training window, which includes safety training videos, Laser Safety Officer (LSO) guide, and a laser safety qualification assessment. This helps users systematically learn laser operation protocols.

    5️⃣ Settings

    Open the LDS settings window.

  • Allows you to select objects on the canvas by clicking or dragging a selection box, enabling basic operations like moving and editing.

    

  • Used to drag the canvas and view different areas on the canvas.

    

  • 1️⃣ Undo: When the user makes a mistake or deletes it by mistake, you can use this button to return to the previous operation.

    2️⃣ Redo: Contrary to Undo, when there are too many undo times, you can use this button to return to the previous step of undo.

    

  • 1️⃣ Cut: Right‑click an element and select Cut to move it to the clipboard. Shortcut: Ctrl + X.

    2️⃣ Copy: Right‑click an element and select Copy to duplicate it to the clipboard while keeping it on the canvas. Shortcut: Ctrl + C.

    3️⃣ Paste: Right‑click anywhere on the canvas and select Paste to place the clipboard content onto the canvas. Shortcut: Ctrl + V.

    4️⃣ Delete: Right‑click an element and select Delete to remove it. Shortcut: Delete.

    

    5️⃣ Select All: Right‑click an empty area on the canvas and choose Select All to highlight every element on the canvas. Shortcut: Ctrl + A.

    

  • (1) On the canvas panel, you can add, rename, or delete canvases.

    (2) Use the controls at the bottom left of the canvas to zoom in or out.

    

• The primary function of the Left Toolbar is to help users quickly import or design a series of patterns, providing tools such as pencil, shape, importing images, or clipart.

  

  • Click the icon to open an image from your computer, or drag and drop an image directly onto the canvas. Supported formats include JPG, PNG, BMP, SVG, DXF, and G‑code.

    

  • 1️⃣ Click the Pencil icon, then hold down the left mouse button and move the cursor on the canvas to draw freehand lines.

    

    2️⃣Click the Pen icon, then click on the canvas to place anchor points. The Pen Tool will create vector paths between the anchor points.

    

  • Click the icon to switch to the Text Tool. Click anywhere on the canvas to insert a text box. You can edit the font, size, line spacing, column spacing, and alignment using the options at the top. Double‑click the text to edit its content; click outside the text box to exit editing mode.

    

  • Click the icon to switch to the Shape Tool, which can generate lines, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, stars, and hearts.

    

  • Click to open the Clipart library, which offers a variety of vector graphic assets.

    

  • Users can add local images to the My Projects list. This feature requires logging into an account and supports synchronizing and managing projects across multiple devices.

    

  • LDS 3.0 integrates several features—Barcode Generation, Matrix Array, Circular Array, Material Test Array, Batch Fill, and Puzzle—into the Tool Center, making it easier for users to find and use them.

    

    1️⃣ Code Generation

    • QR Code

      Enter the text content, select the error correction level (default is 30%), and click Confirm to generate a QR code on the canvas.

    • Barcode

      Only letters or numbers can be entered. Click Confirm to generate a barcode on the canvas.

    2️⃣ Matrix Array

    After creating an element, select it and click the Matrix Array feature. A settings window will appear. Enter the desired number of rows and columns—the canvas will preview the array in real time—then click Confirm to generate the array.

    

    3️⃣ Circular Array

    After creating an element, select it and click the Circular Array feature. A settings window will appear.

    

    • XY Coordinates: Set the center point of the circular array.
    • Start/End Angle: Defines the starting angle of the first element based on the selected element. For example, 0° means no rotation, 10° means the first element is rotated 10°.

    

    • Step (Angle Between Copies): Controls the angular difference between adjacent elements.
    • Copies Count: Sets the number of elements in the array.
    • Auto Rotate: Determines whether each element rotates along the circle.

    

    4️⃣ Material Test Array

    After creating or importing a design, select the element, set the processing mode, and click the Material Test Array feature. A settings window will appear.

    

    Configure the processing parameters and edit the array as needed, then click Confirm to generate the array.

    

    5️⃣ Batch Fill

    This feature automatically fills the same design onto multiple identical material surfaces.

    Select the element to be filled, then follow the software’s guidance to select the fill area. Click Fill to complete the operation. For a detailed guide, see: Batch Fill Function of LX2

    

    6️⃣ Puzzle

    Click the Puzzle function, set parameters such as rows and columns, and click Confirm to generate the puzzle pattern.

    • Random: Randomly changes the connection shapes between puzzle pieces.
    • Tab Size: Controls the overall size of the connection structures (tabs/grooves) between pieces.
    • Jitter: Controls the degree of randomness along puzzle edges. Higher values make the shape more irregular.
    • Rows/Columns: Sets the number of rows and columns.
    • Width/Height: Sets the dimensions of the puzzle.

    

• The Edit Bar appears below the Menu Bar at the top of the workspace. There are tool options for editing the size, orientation, offset, alignment, and other functions on the objects in the workspace.

  • (1) Positioning

    You can customize an object's position on the canvas by entering coordinate data in the text box.

    

    (2) Resize

    You can adjust the width and height of an element by entering specific values in the text box or by directly dragging its border. When locked, the aspect ratio remains fixed; when unlocked, the width and height can be modified independently.

    

    (3) Rotation

    You can rotate an element from 0° to 360° by entering an angle in the text box or by dragging the corners of its border.

    

    (4) Corner Radius 

    Apply rounded corners to rectangles, polygons, and stars to soften their edges.

    

    (5) Number of Corners

    The number of corners for polygons or stars created on the canvas can be modified in the edit bar.

    

    (6) Alignment

    This function aligns selected elements. Options include: Align Left, Align Vertical Center, Align Right, Align Top, Align Horizontal Center, Align Bottom, and Align Center.

    

    (7) Merge (Boolean Operations)

    Combine selected elements using Boolean operations to create new custom shapes. Functions include: Union, Subtract, Intersect, and Exclude.

    

    (8) Flip

    Flip elements horizontally or vertically.

    

    (9) Distribute

    Adjust the distribution of selected elements. Options include: Distribute Horizontally and Distribute Vertically.

    

    (10) Outline

    Create a new shape by generating an outline of the original element at a specified distance, adjustable via a slider or text input.

    

    (11) Group & Ungroup

    The Group function combines multiple elements into a single group for easier selection and movement. Ungroup separates a grouped set back into individual elements. The software will automatically display the "Group" or "Ungroup" option based on the selection's current state. You can also right-click the selection to group or ungroup.

    Shortcuts: Ctrl + G (Group), Ctrl + Shift + G (Ungroup).

    

    (12) Arrange (Layer Order)

    Right-click a selected element and choose Arrange to adjust its layer order. Elements on higher layers will overlap those on lower layers. Options include: Bring Forward, Send Backward, Bring to Front, and Send to Back.

    

    (13) Lock & Unlock

    Right-click a selected element and choose Lock/Unlock. A locked element cannot be edited.

    

    (14) Show & Hide

    Right-click the selected element and choose Show/Hide. The element will become invisible. To show hidden elements again, right-click an empty area on the canvas and select Show Hidden Elements.

    

    (15) Set Layer

    After selecting an element, you can assign it to a specific layer by choosing a color at the bottom of the software interface. Alternatively, right-click the element and select a different colored circle at the bottom of the pop-up window to switch its layer.

    

  • When text is selected, the edit panel displays text-editing functions. Drag the text border to adjust its width and height, or drag its corners to rotate the text.

    

    • Text Content: Double-click the text box to modify the content.
    • Font: Select a font from the system.
    • Properties: Set the text style and weight (supported by some fonts only).
    • Size: Enter a value to set the font size.
    • Alignment: Set text alignment: Left, Center, or Right.
    • Line Spacing: Adjust the spacing between lines of text.
    • Character Spacing: Adjust the spacing between characters.

    

  • When an image is imported, the edit panel displays image-editing functions.

    

    (1) Image Editing

    • Magic Wand: Remove specific areas of the image. Adjust the Tolerance to define the pixel color range for removal. A higher value includes a wider color range (greater difference), while a lower value targets a narrower range (closer colors).

    

    • Eraser: Erase specific parts of the image. Adjust the size to change the eraser area. A larger value covers a bigger area.
    • Undo & Redo: Undo or redo previous editing steps.

    

    (2) Bitmap Trace

    • Noise Reduction (Range: 0–100): Eliminate image noise. Pixels within a color range lower than this value will not be used to generate vector paths.
    • Smoothness (Range: 0–1): Set the smoothness of the resulting vector path. A higher value creates smoother transitions between adjacent pixels.

    

    (3) Filters

    Click different filters to apply various image effects.

    • Pencil: Adjust the Threshold to change the display effect.
    • Black & White: Adjust the Threshold to change the display effect. Click the Invert button to reverse the image colors.
    • Stamp: Adjust the Threshold to change the display effect (Stamp mode horizontally mirrors and inverts the image).
    • Emboss: Adjust the Intensity to create a 2D embossing-like visual effect.
    • Sketch, Comic 1, Comic 2, and Halftone are additional artistic or comic-style filters. You can switch between them to preview and decide if the result meets your needs.

    

    (4) Image Adjustment

    • Sharpness: A higher value makes image details sharper.
    • Saturation: A higher value makes colors more vivid.
    • Brightness: A higher value makes the image brighter.
    • Contrast: High contrast increases the difference between light and dark areas, making the image more vivid. Low contrast reduces this difference, making the image appear flatter and grayer.
    • Grayscale (Input Levels): Use the left and right sliders to control the image's shadows and highlights respectively. Moving the left slider to the right darkens dark areas; moving the right slider to the left brightens light areas.
    • Invert Colors: Reverses the image colors. This function often achieves better engraving results on dark-colored materials. Decide whether to enable it based on your specific scenario.

    

    (5) Image Crop

    The Image Crop function provides multiple aspect ratios: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 3:4, 2:3, 16:9, and 9:16. Drag any corner of the image to resize the crop box. Click and drag within the box to adjust the area to keep. Click Save to crop out everything outside the box.

    • Free Crop: Click this to freely scale the crop box and flexibly adjust the cropping area.
    • Original Ratio: Click this to automatically adjust the crop box scaling according to the image's original aspect ratio.
    • Crop Dimensions: Modify the size of the crop box in the input field. The cropping area will scale according to the selected aspect ratio.

    

  • Double-click a vector graphic to display its anchor points on the canvas. You can change the shape by dragging these anchor points. Press ESC to exit edit mode.

     

5. Processing Settings Panel

• 

• Click to open the device connection window, where you can connect or switch devices and modify device mode settings.

  

• When enabled, the laser module position is displayed in real‑time on the canvas.

  

• Perform the "Calibrate" function to define the engraving area. The focal distance must be set before use. For detailed instructions, refer to: LX2 Calibrate: Engraving Area Setup

  

• Processing Mode Settings allow you to optimize engraving performance based on the shape and structure of your material. Selecting the correct mode ensures accurate focus, stable operation, and consistent processing results across different application scenarios.

  • The default processing mode. It is suitable for engraving and cutting flat materials.

    

  • Designed for materials with curved surfaces. LX2 supports only smooth curves with an angle of less than 15° relative to the horizontal plane.

    

  • Ideal for processing cylindrical objects. After installing the Jaws / Stud Assembly, place the object on the rotary extension for engraving. The diameter/perimeter of the engraved objects must be entered before use.

    

  • The conveyor feeder is specially designed for LX2, enabling the processing of extra‑long materials, helping you complete larger projects.

    

• Select the speed preference (Normal or High‑Speed mode). In Normal mode, the engraving speed can be adjusted.

  

  High‑Speed mode is an experimental feature. The Laser Module defaults to a faster processing speed (currently only supports Fill Engraving). Optimal engraving results may not be guaranteed in this mode. Improvements will continue.

  

• Displays parameter information for all objects on the canvas, including power, speed, and processing type.

  

6. Processing Parameter Settings

After creating an object on the canvas, clicking on it will open the Processing Settings panel on the right. Here, you can configure the processing types and parameters for the object. 

• LDS software provides four processing modes: Line Engraving, Fill Engraving, Cutting, and Image Engraving, each designed to achieve different processing effects. It is important to note that the available processing modes depend on the file type of the object, as outlined below:
  • Built-in Software Lines & Shapes: Line Engraving, Fill Engraving, Cutting
  • Built-in Software Clipart/Graphics: Line Engraving, Fill Engraving, Cutting
  • Vector Formats (e.g., G-code, SVG, DXF): Line Engraving, Fill Engraving, Cutting
  • Bitmap Image Formats (e.g., JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIF): Image Engraving

    • Line Engraving mode follows the outline of the design to create line-based marks on the material surface. This mode produces a thin engraving line and is suitable for creating fine patterns, text, or symbolic markings. The configurable parameters for Line Engraving are Power, Speed, and Passes.

      Tips
      In Line Engraving mode, using a higher power setting combined with a slower speed can achieve a cutting-like effect on certain materials.

    • In Fill Engraving mode, the laser performs a line-by-line scanning engraving over the colored areas of the design. This mode is typically used to create uniform, flat textures or large-area filled effects on the material surface. The configurable parameters for Fill Engraving are Power, Speed, Passes, Engraving Density, and Overscan.

      (1) Engraving Density: This parameter sets the number of engraving lines per 10mm.

      • Range: 10–300
      • Higher density → finer details, longer processing time
      • Lower density → faster processing, but possible texture loss or rough finish

      

      (2) Overscan: It helps achieve a more uniform engraving result. 

      • Left value: Overscan distance (higher speeds require a longer distance)
      • Right value: Overscan percentage (higher percentage increases distance, requires more space for the Laser Module movement)

      

    • Cutting aims to completely penetrate the material, separating the designed shape from the base material. To achieve effective cutting, it is generally necessary to set a higher power and a slower speed. The configurable parameters for Cutting are Power, Speed, Passes, and the "Lower the Focus" function.

      • Lower the Focus: When cutting thicker materials, enabling the function can appropriately lower the laser's focal point, focusing the energy within the middle layer of the material. 

        This creates a more uniform energy density distribution between the top and bottom surfaces of the material, thereby improving the laser's cutting capability.

      

    • Image Engraving typically involves converting an image to grayscale and then adjusting the laser's power and engraving depth based on different grayscale values. This finally forms a pattern with light/dark contrasts and rich details on the material surface.

      In addition to Engraving Density and Overscan, Image Engraving requires setting the Image Mode (Dithering Algorithm). LDS provides multiple algorithms, including: Grayscale, Jarvis, Burkes, Floyd, Stucki, Atkinson, and Sierra. The default mode is Stucki.

• Parameter	Description	Range / Unit	Applicable Mode
  Power (%)	Laser output during processing. Higher power → deeper engraving or cutting.	1–100 (Integer)	All Modes
  Speed (mm/s)	Laser movement speed. Slower speed → deeper engraving.	Line Engraving: 1–300 Fill Engraving: 1–600 Cutting: 0.1–300	All Modes
  Passes	Number of times the laser repeats the path. More passes → deeper engraving.	1–10 (Integer)	All Modes
  Engraving Density	Number of lines or points per cm.	10–300 (Integer)	Fill / Image Engraving
  	Low density (e.g., 10): 10 lines/cm (1 mm spacing). Faster, suitable for large areas/coarse engraving/shorter processing time.
  	High density (e.g., 100): 100 lines/cm (0.1 mm spacing). Slower, for fine details/longer processing time.
  Overscan	Automatically enabled for Fill or Image Engraving.	Auto	Fill / Image Engraving
  	Purpose: When the laser reaches a design edge, it must decelerate before changing direction. The Laser Module can only accelerate/decelerate within physical speed limits.
  	Benefit: Overscan adds space for acceleration and deceleration (laser off during this movement), ensuring consistent engraving depth across the entire area.

• Processing parameters directly determine engraving depth, clarity, and overall material performance. LDS allows you to use recommended settings from the Material Library or create custom parameter schemes to meet specific project requirements.

  • (1) Click the "Custom Materials" button in the top-right corner to open the Material Library.

    (2) Select your material. The system will automatically configure recommended parameters.

    (3) Refer to Sample Parameters in the interface. Click on a sample to enlarge it and select the set that best matches your desired result.

    

  • If your material is not in the Material Library:

    • Drag the sliders or enter values directly to set Power, Speed, Passes, etc.
    • Test the parameters and adjust until the desired result is achieved.

    

  • (1) After adjustments, click "New Parameter Scheme".

    

    (2) Enter a name for your scheme and click Confirm to save.

    

    (3) To use a saved scheme later, select it from the Custom Parameters Library.

    

  • (1) In the Custom Parameters List, locate the scheme to delete.

    (2) Click the Delete (Trash Can) icon.

    

    Note
    A scheme currently in use cannot be deleted. Switch to another scheme before deleting.

7. Object List & Layers

• After selecting an object, you can assign it to a specific layer by choosing a color at the bottom of the software interface. Alternatively, right-click the object and select a different colored circle at the bottom of the pop-up window to switch its layer.

  

• Click the button at the bottom left of the software to open the object list. Here you can reorder, rename, hide, or lock objects.

  

8. Preview & Process

• Once the device is connected, the area within the grid represents the workable processing area. The software only previews objects inside this area. If any objects extend beyond the processing range, the system will prompt: "Please place the object within the canvas." In this case, adjust the size or position accordingly.

  

• Click the Preview button in the bottom-right corner to open the preview windows.

  • Click "Preview" – the red cross laser will move along the outline of the processing area.
  • After confirming the processing area, click "End Preview".
  • If the processing area is inaccurate, you can adjust the material position or the processed object in the canvas, then preview again.

  

• Click "Process" in the bottom right corner to open the processing preview interface. You can watch the simulation of the processing path and see the estimated processing time.

  

  • Click the play button in the lower left corner to watch the simulation of the processing path.
  • In the animation, the red lines represent the Laser Trajectory, and the black areas represent the actual engraving areas. You can choose to turn the "Laser Trajectory" display on or off.
  • Adjust the Playback Speed to control how fast the animation plays.
  • Zoom in or out on the processing interface to view details.

  

  • Click "Process" in the bottom right corner. Make sure the covers of LX2 are closed and press the device button to start processing.