If you run a CO2 laser with a Ruida controller, Light Lane is a modern alternative to RDWorks. Ruida support is in beta. The protocol work runs via an external helper binary that you download once from the Light Lane website. What works, works well. Not every Ruida machine has been tested, and transport edge cases may exist.
Switch to Ruida mode in Settings under Machine. The controller selector changes and a dedicated Ruida sidebar appears on the right. It includes build, size, delivery, and geometry controls.
Import your SVG file onto the canvas. Click Build RD in the sidebar. Light Lane calls the lightlane-ruida helper, which parses the SVG, applies geometry transforms, scales to your workarea size, and produces an .rd file. If your design is larger than the workarea, a dialog asks whether to auto-fit (scale down proportionally), clip to bounds, or dismiss so you can adjust manually.
To send to your machine, either click Send via USB, enter your machine's IP and click Send via Ethernet, or save the .rd file to a USB stick and transfer it manually. A log panel at the bottom of the screen shows timestamped output from the helper binary. Errors appear highlighted in red.
The helper is distributed as a free installer from the Light Lane website. Once installed, Light Lane auto-detects it and shows a status badge in the toolbar (OK or Missing).
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Support status | Beta (Shipping) | Not tested across all Ruida hardware. Edge cases may exist on specific models. |
| Required tier | Pro | Ruida mode requires a Pro subscription or active Pro trial. |
| Input format | SVG only | One file at a time. Non-SVG artwork must be exported as SVG before import. |
| Output format | .rd file | Generated by the external lightlane-ruida helper binary. |
| Delivery options | USB serial, Ethernet (UDP), local .rd file | All three available from the Ruida sidebar. |
| External helper | lightlane-ruida binary | Free download from the Light Lane website. Auto-detected after install. |
| Pass count | 1-10 | Configurable in the Ruida sidebar. |
| Oversize handling | Auto-fit or clip | Dialog prompts if design exceeds the configured workarea size. |
The Ruida pipeline from SVG import to delivery.
Yes, you need it. All Ruida protocol work runs in the external lightlane-ruida binary. Light Lane orchestrates the pipeline and provides the UI, but the helper handles SVG parsing, geometry transforms, and .rd file generation. Download the free installer from the Light Lane website. Once installed, Light Lane auto-detects it and the toolbar badge shows OK.
Yes. The lightlane-ruida helper is distributed as separate installers for macOS and Windows.
No. Ruida mode accepts SVG only, one file at a time. If your artwork is in another format, export it as SVG from your design tool before importing into Light Lane. Non-SVG drops show a warning dialog.
Download and run the lightlane-ruida installer from the Light Lane website. The installer places the binary in the correct location and handles dependencies. After installation, reopen Light Lane and the badge should switch to OK.
We are actively expanding hardware testing and improving the helper. The beta label comes off when we are confident in broad hardware coverage. If it works on your machine today, it is fully usable. If you hit an issue, share the log output with us and we will investigate.
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Last updated February 21, 2026
