EzCad3 & JCZ

What the JCZ DLC2 Board Is (And Why Software Support Is Thin)

Your fiber laser's brain is probably a JCZ DLC2 board. Here's what it does, and why it's so hard to find software that works with it.

28 August 2026 · The HagoLaser team · 7 min read

What is the JCZ DLC2 Board?

If you own a galvo fiber laser, chances are its brain is a controller board from BJJCZ – often just called a "JCZ board." For newer machines, this is most likely a JCZ DLC2. You might hear the term thrown around, but what does it actually mean for your workshop?

Think of the DLC2 board as the interpreter between your computer and your laser. Your PC, running software like EzCad3, generates a complex list of instructions: "move the laser spot here, turn the laser on, turn it off, jump there, do it this many times." That list is sent over USB to the DLC2 board.

The board then takes over, buffering those commands and executing them in real-time. It's the DLC2 that actually tells the galvo mirrors where to point and when to fire the laser source, ensuring everything happens precisely and at speed. It’s the conductor of your laser machine’s orchestra, turning your design into physical marks on sterling silver or whatever material you're working with.

EzCad3 and the DLC2: A Bundled Pair

For most of us, our JCZ DLC2 board came bundled with EzCad3 software. This is the common setup in affordable galvo fiber lasers. Older machines with LMC boards typically use EzCad2.

EzCad3 is designed specifically to interface with the DLC2 board. It handles everything from loading your designs to configuring detailed laser parameters. When you press "Mark," EzCad3 compiles all those instructions and sends them to the DLC2 board, which then takes over the actual physical control of the laser and galvos.

The software also manages your machine's critical calibration files, such as your galvo correction data (the .cor file), axis and focus settings (Motors.ini), and your entire library of engraving and cutting recipes (MarkParamlib.ini). These files are stored in EzCad3's PARAM folder and are absolutely crucial – back them up before you change anything!

The Software Support Challenge: Why Third-Party Options Are Scarce

This is where things get tricky for many workshop owners. While the JCZ DLC2 board is robust hardware, third-party software support for it is remarkably thin. There’s a very practical reason for this:

The Software Development Kit (SDK) for the DLC2 generation of boards is licensed separately by JCZ. It isn't simply included when you buy your machine or its dongle. This means that for a software developer to create an alternative to EzCad3, they need to acquire this SDK, which isn't always straightforward or inexpensive.

What this boils down to for a buyer like us is that with a JCZ machine, you are, in practice, married to the software that came in the box. If you're looking for different workflows or features, your options are extremely limited, often forcing you to adapt to the software's way of doing things rather than the other way around. This is exactly the gap HagoLaser was built to fill for our own jewelry workshop here in Málaga.

Your Laser's Essential Configuration Files

Understanding what your DLC2 board needs to function means understanding its configuration. These are the files that tell the board how your specific machine is set up and calibrated, and they're usually found in your EzCad3 PARAM folder:

• Motors.ini: This file contains critical data about your Z-axis (if you have one) and your focus height.
• MarkParamlib.ini: Your "pen" library. This is where all your engraving and cutting recipes – speed, power, frequency, passes – are stored.
• .cor file: Your galvo correction file. This tells the galvo mirrors how to move precisely to compensate for optical distortions across the laser field.
• LaserPW.ini: The laser source table, defining how your laser power scales.

These files represent your machine's unique calibration and are vital. Treat them as gold and back them up regularly. Without them, your DLC2 board wouldn't know how to translate generic commands into accurate physical actions on your specific machine.

Engraving Parameters: What the Board Actually Does

The DLC2 board's job is to execute the parameters you set in EzCad3. Here at Joyería HAGO, we constantly dial in our settings for sterling silver. Here’s an example of a setting we use for engraving, and what each part means when the board executes it:

These settings are for our 100 W MOPA fiber laser with a 110 x 110 mm F-theta lens, cutting and engraving sterling silver from 0.25 mm to 1 mm thick. Your machine and materials will need different settings. Always test on scrap first.

Safety First: A Class 4 Laser

Any time you are interacting with your laser's operation, it's vital to remember that a fiber marking laser is a Class 4 device. The 1064 nm beam is invisible and causes permanent eye damage instantly and silently. Always wear laser safety glasses rated for 1064 nm with an OD suitable for your source power, and ensure everyone else in the room does too. Metal is highly reflective, sending stray beams everywhere. Never leave a running job unattended, and always use proper fume extraction with a filter, as metal marking produces fine particulate. While software might have interlocks, always remember that physical enclosures and interlocks are the real safety layer; software can be bypassed or reconfigured, as we know from our own machine’s door sensor not being wired the way the check expects.

Practical Takeaways for Your Workshop

So, what does all this mean for you at the bench? Here are a few practical steps we’d recommend:

1. Back Up Your PARAM Folder Immediately: This is the most crucial step. Your Motors.ini, MarkParamlib.ini, and .cor files are your machine's identity. If they get corrupted or lost, you're in for a world of pain. Copy the entire PARAM folder to a USB stick or cloud storage. This is exactly why HagoLaser imports your EzCad3 settings directly.
2. Understand Your EzCad3 Settings: Don't just copy parameters from online forums. Take the time to understand what each setting actually does, as outlined in our table above. Experiment on scrap. Knowing how your machine reacts to changes in speed, power, and frequency is key to repeatable results, whether you are marking, engraving, or cutting.
3. Verify Your Lens and Field Size: Don't just assume what your machine's marketing sheet says. Our machine has a 110 x 110 mm field, which is ideal for jewelry because it concentrates power into a smaller area. Check your actual field size in your EzCad3 configuration. A shorter lens gives you more power density for cutting and deep engraving, while a larger field spreads that power out, leading to weaker marks.
4. Embrace Your Setup: Since third-party software options are limited, learn to work effectively with EzCad3. While its workflow might not always be ideal, it does drive the hardware well. Understanding its quirks and capabilities will save you a lot of frustration.

By understanding what the JCZ DLC2 board is and how it interacts with EzCad3 and your machine's configuration, you can work more effectively and avoid common pitfalls that cost us silver in our early days.