HelioCAD Bridge
Connect your laser hardware — what connects directly over USB, and when the free Bridge app is needed.
Who connects how
HelioCad drives laser hardware live from the Laser workspace's Control tab — jog, frame, run jobs with progress. How your machine connects depends on its controller and your browser.
In Chrome or Edge, machines that speak over a USB serial port connect directly — no extra software. Everything else goes through the HelioCAD Bridge, a tiny free app that runs on the computer that can reach the laser.
- GRBL diode lasers (xTool, Ortur, Sculpfun, Atomstack, NEJE…) — direct USB in Chrome/Edge, or via the Bridge in other browsers.
- Ruida DSP machines (BOSS, Thunder, OMTech and most industrial CO2) — direct USB in Chrome/Edge, or Ethernet through the Bridge (the browser can't open Ruida's UDP network protocol).
- EzCad galvo fiber markers — file export today; live control via the Bridge is in development.
Tip: Shortest path: plug the laser into the computer you're designing on, use Chrome, and click Connect USB. The Bridge is only needed for Ethernet-connected Ruida machines, non-Chromium browsers, or a laser attached to a different PC.
Installing the Bridge
Download the Bridge for macOS or Windows from the download page, open it, and leave the window running. On startup it prints a 6-digit pairing token.
The Bridge listens only on localhost (127.0.0.1) and never talks to the internet. The pairing token — a new one every launch — is what authorizes HelioCad, and only HelioCad, to use it.
- Get it at heliocad.com/download — free, ~10 MB, no installer.
- First launch on macOS: right-click → Open (the binary is not code-signed yet). Windows: SmartScreen → More info → Run anyway.
- Keep the Bridge window open while you cut; closing it disconnects the machine.
Pairing and connecting
In HelioCad open Laser → Control. Pick your machine's controller on the Machine tab if you haven't already, then choose “Connect via HelioCAD Bridge…”, enter the pairing token, and tell the Bridge how to reach the controller.
For a Ruida machine on your network, that's the controller's IP address (find it on the machine's control panel under network settings). For a machine plugged into the Bridge computer's USB port, pick the serial port from the list.
- Ethernet (IP) — Ruida machines on your LAN; the Bridge relays the UDP protocol.
- USB on the bridge PC — the Bridge opens the serial port and relays bytes.
- One session at a time: disconnect in HelioCad (or close the Bridge) before switching machines.
Tip: Connection drops mid-job? Check the USB cable/hub first (use a short, shielded cable straight into the computer) — then the network, if you're on Ethernet.
Ready to try it yourself?
Everything in this guide works in your browser — no install required. Start a free trial and build your first part.