GPath Laser

Set Up Creality Falcon A1 with GPath Laser

Connect a Creality Falcon A1 to GPath Laser on Mac or Windows — USB setup, machine profile, first engraving project, and troubleshooting tips.

Last updated Oct 26, 2026, 7:48 PM

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GPath Laser is desktop laser software for macOS and Windows. This guide walks you through connecting a Creality Falcon A1 over USB, adding its built-in machine profile, and burning your first engraving — either straight from the app or by saving G-code.

GPath Laser detects the Falcon A1 automatically and applies the Creality · Falcon A1 template. From there you can control it live — connect, jog, frame, and run — or save G-code to run from the machine's SD card.

Tested compatibility: The Creality Falcon A1 has been tested with GPath Laser over USB using the steps below.

Table of contents

What you need

Item Notes
GPath Laser macOS or Windows. Download from gpathsoftware.com.
Creality Falcon A1 Comes pre-assembled — no assembly needed for basic use.
USB cable A data cable — some cables only charge and won't connect.
Computer macOS or Windows 10+. Close any other app that might be using the laser's USB port.
Material Plywood, MDF, acrylic, or cardboard for your first test engrave.

Creality Falcon A1 specifications (for GPath setup)

Spec Value
Engraving area 381 × 305 mm (width × height)
Controller GRBL (modified Creality firmware)
Serial speed 115200 baud, 8N1
Max S-value 1000 (GRBL default)
Recommended post-processor GRBL 1.1 Laser
Reference point / home Bottom left

What's max S? GRBL controls laser power with a number called S. On the Falcon A1, S1000 means 100% power, so GPath turns your power % into an S-value for you — 20% becomes S200.

1. Install GPath Laser

  1. Download and install GPath Laser for your platform from gpathsoftware.com.
  2. Open the app. If you have a licence key, enter it in the Licence section of the welcome screen and click Activate. Otherwise, your free trial starts automatically when you're online.
  3. On the welcome screen, click New Laser Project to open the drawing workspace.

2. Preparing the Falcon A1

  1. Power on the machine and wait a few seconds for it to start up.
  2. Connect USB from the Falcon A1 to your computer.
  3. Close other laser software only one app can use the USB port at a time.
  4. Keep the lid closed while engraving. If the lid opens during a job, the Falcon A1 pauses, and GPath shows the job as paused too.

3. Add the Falcon A1 machine profile

A machine profile tells GPath about your laser: its bed size, power range, and the kind of G-code it understands. There are two ways to add one — Detect connected machine is easiest when the laser is plugged in.

GPath usually adds the Falcon A1 automatically the first time you connect it. If it doesn't:

  1. Open Laser machine setup from either:
    • Laser operations → Laser machine setup… (top menu), or
    • the Machine setup button on the Connect tab of the Laser panel.
  2. Click Detect connected machine.
  3. GPath scans your USB ports and asks the controller what it is.
  4. When the Falcon A1 is found, you'll see a message like Detected Creality Falcon A1 — added to your machines list.
  5. Click Save at the bottom of the setup window. The Creality · Falcon A1 template includes:
  • Controller: GRBL
  • max S: 1000
  • M4 default (dynamic power): on
  • Air Cut (air assist for line operations): on

GPath also reads your machine's own settings, such as its work area, speed limits, and acceleration, and adds them to the profile when you connect.

Option B — Add from a template (offline setup)

Use this if you'd like to design and save G-code before connecting the machine.

  1. In Laser machine setup, click Add new machine.

  2. In Search:, type Falcon, then choose Creality · Falcon A1 from the Template: list.

  3. The form fills in the recommended values. Check them before adding:

    Setting Recommended value
    Name: Optional label (e.g. Falcon A1)
    Controller: GRBL
    Post-processor: GRBL 1.1 Laser (recommended)
    Feed display: mm/min
    Work area 381 × 305 mm
    Reference point: Bottom left
    max S: 1000

  4. Click Add machine, then Save.

Make it your default (optional)

In Your machines, click Make default next to the Falcon A1 (it gets a ★). New laser projects will then use its work area and reference point automatically.

4. Select the machine in your project

  1. In the right sidebar under Laser operations, open the Laser panel and go to the Connect tab.
  2. Choose Creality Falcon A1 from the machine picker (if it isn't already selected).
  3. The canvas resizes to match the Falcon A1's work area.

Homing is when the laser moves to its corner until it touches a small switch, so it knows exactly where it is. The Falcon A1 has these switches. If Auto-home when connected is turned on in Laser machine setup, GPath homes the machine every time you connect. You can also click the home button in the middle of the jog pad on the Move tab.

5. Connect over USB

  1. With the Falcon A1 selected and USB plugged in, go to the Connect tab.
  2. Click Connect. You can also click the laser's port in the USB ports list.

When connected, the top of the panel shows the status and machine name, e.g. ● Connected · Falcon A1. The Laser panel has five tabs:

Tab What it's for
Move Jog the head, go to an X/Y position, Set origin here, and home
Origin Choose how the job is placed on the bed (Absolute or Current) — see Work origin
Camera Show the Falcon A1's built-in camera on the canvas — handy for lining up designs on your material. See Camera calibration.
Console Send commands straight to the controller
Connect Pick your machine, Connect / Disconnect, Re-detect, and open Machine setup

Under the tabs you'll find the main job buttons: Run, Go to origin, Frame, and Fire.

Moving the laser head

On the Move tab:

  • Pick a Move step size (e.g. 1 mm or 10 mm), then click the arrows to jog the head.
  • With your pointer over the jog pad, you can also use the arrow keys — hold Shift to move 10× further.
  • Type an X and Y position under Go to and click Go to move straight there.

Console quick actions

The Console tab has quick buttons for the most useful GRBL commands:

Button Sends What it does
Status ? Shows the current state and position
Info $I Shows the firmware version
Settings $$ Lists all the controller settings
Unlock $X Clears an alarm so you can move again

Clear empties the console. Sending is blocked while a job is running.

6. Set up work origin

The work origin is the point GPath treats as (0, 0) when placing your job. How the job lands on the bed depends on the mode you pick on the Origin tab.

Absolute origin

Your canvas's reference corner (Bottom left for the Falcon A1) lines up with the machine's origin. After homing, a design drawn near the bottom-left of the canvas burns near the bottom-left of the bed — what you see on the canvas is where it burns.

  1. On the Origin tab, select Absolute.
  2. Optional: to start from a different spot on your material, jog the head there and click Set origin here on the Move tab.
  3. Click Go to origin to send the head back to (0, 0) before a run.

The red cross shows the laser's origin position:

absolute origin

This example assumes the laser head is at the red cross, and places the text relative to it.

Current origin (start where the head is)

The job starts wherever the laser head is right now. This is handy for dropping a design onto a specific spot after jogging.

  1. On the Origin tab, select Current.
  2. Use the Job origin picker to choose which part of the design sits under the head.
  3. Jog the head to the spot you want on the Move tab.
  4. Click Frame to check the placement, then Run.

For example, setting the job origin to Center:

job origin

puts the middle of your design under the laser head, shown by the green dot:

current origin

7. Create your first project (step-by-step)

This walkthrough engraves a simple text label on a piece of scrap material. It covers drawing, adding a laser operation, previewing, and running the job.

Step 1 — Start a new laser project

  1. From the welcome screen, click New Laser Project (see Creating a project).
  2. If the Falcon A1 is your default machine, the canvas opens at 381 × 305 mm with a Bottom left reference point. If not, choose the Falcon A1 from the machine picker on the Connect tab.

Step 2 — Draw your design

Use the Draw section of the left toolbar. The Drawing docs cover every tool in detail.

Option A — Text

  1. Click the Text tool.
  2. Click the canvas to set the text position.
  3. Type your text (e.g. Hello Falcon) in the shape editor on the right.
  4. Set the font size and position. Centring the text on the canvas makes for an easy first run.
  5. Click Create to place the text on the canvas.

Option B — Simple shape

  1. Click Square or Circle in the left toolbar.
  2. Set the size in the right sidebar (e.g. a 50 mm square).
  3. Click Create.

Option C — Import artwork

  • Use File → Import… to bring in SVG, DXF, PDF, or AI vectors, or a bitmap image (PNG, JPEG, and more).
  • Vector files become editable shapes. Images get their own Image operation automatically.

Step 3 — Add a laser operation

A laser operation tells GPath how to burn a shape — how much power, how fast, and how many times.

  1. Open the Laser operations tab in the right sidebar.

  2. Under New operation, click Line. A Line follows the outline of your shape, which is great for engraving text outlines or cutting shapes out.

  3. Set up the operation:

    Setting Suggested start Why
    Max Power (%) 20 (default) A light mark on scrap — increase it for deeper marks
    Speed (mm/min) 6000 (default) How fast the head moves while burning
    Passes 1 Use more passes to cut through thin material
    Dynamic Power (M4) On Lowers power in corners so they don't over-burn
    Air Assist On Blows away smoke for cleaner lines (M8)

  4. With the Line panel open, click the text or shapes you want to burn. Selected shapes are highlighted.

  5. Click Save.

Shortcut: right-click a shape on the canvas and choose New line operation from selection… or New fill operation from selection….

For a solid filled area, click Fill instead of Line. Fill burns back-and-forth lines across the shape. Set how close together the lines are with Line interval, and their direction with Angle (degrees).

To engrave a photo, import a PNG or JPG with File → Import…. GPath creates an Image operation where you can choose how the photo is turned into dots and adjust brightness, contrast, and gamma.

Tip: For a new material, run a material test grid first. You'll find it under Laser operations → Material test grid… in the top menu. It burns a grid of squares at different power and speed settings, so you can pick the one that looks best.

gpath laser material test

Step 4 — Preview the job

  1. The canvas shows the toolpath lines once the operation is saved.
  2. Open the Laser Simulator tab (centre of the screen) to watch the job play out before you burn anything.
  3. Check that the design fits inside the 381 × 305 mm work area.

Step 5 — Save your project

  1. File → Save (⌘S / Ctrl+S).
  2. Choose a location and name (e.g. my-first-falcon.gpath-laser).

Saving keeps your shapes, operations, and machine settings so you can reopen and rerun the job later.

Step 6 — Place material and set origin

  1. Secure a scrap piece on the laser bed, large enough for the engraving.
  2. Click Connect on the Connect tab (section 5).
  3. Home the machine if it didn't home automatically when you connected.
  4. Choose your origin mode on the Origin tab (section 6). For Absolute, you're ready to go. For Current, jog the head to where you want the design.

Step 7 — Frame, then run

  1. Click Frame. The head traces the outline of your job so you can see exactly where it will burn. Turn on Low power next to Frame if you'd like a faint visible dot to follow. Adjust your material if needed.
  2. Close the lid, check air assist is on if you have it, and click Run.
  3. Watch the first few lines. If something looks wrong, click Stop.

Because the Falcon A1 can home, GPath also checks your job fits on the bed before it starts. If the design would run past an edge, you'll see a warning saying how far over it goes — click Cancel to fix it, or Run anyway if you're sure.

While the job runs you'll see a progress bar with the time left. You can also:

  • Pause and Resume — the laser switches off while paused.
  • Nudge Speed and Power up or down by 10% without stopping the job.

Tip: Always Frame before your first burn on a new material or placement. Start with low power and one pass, then fine-tune the settings for your material.

Checking focus? The Fire button turns the laser on at very low power (1% by default) so you can see the dot. It switches itself off after 10 seconds.

8. Save G-code (optional)

G-code is the list of instructions the laser follows. GPath can send it to the Falcon A1 directly over USB, but you can also save it as a file to run from the machine's SD card or other software.

  1. Open the Laser operations tab in the right sidebar.
  2. In the Setup & output row, click the Save laser operations icon.
  3. Tick the operations you want to include (or click Select All).
  4. Check the Post-Processor is GRBL 1.1 Laser (chosen automatically for the Falcon A1).
  5. Click Save and choose where to save the file.

Troubleshooting

Port not listed or connect fails

  • Unplug and replug the USB cable, or try a different cable or port.
  • Quit any other design software or serial terminal that might be using the port.
  • On Windows, install the USB driver if Device Manager shows an unknown device.
  • Click Re-detect on the Connect tab after replugging.

"Unrecognized controller"

  • Make sure the machine has finished starting up before you connect.
  • Click Info on the Console tab — the reply should mention Creality / Falcon.
  • If detection still doesn't match, add the machine from the Creality · Falcon A1 template (section 3, Option B).

Alarm / lock state

If the machine goes into alarm (for example the lid was opened mid-job), the Connect tab shows Machine in alarm — home, or unlock if position is known.

  • Home the machine with the home button on the Move tab — this is the safest option, because the Falcon A1 can find its position again.
  • Or click Unlock if you're sure the head hasn't moved.

Wrong scale or position

  • Check the work area is 381 × 305 mm in Laser machine setup.
  • Re-check the origin mode on the Origin tab, and Home the machine if you're using Absolute.
  • Always Frame before Run to check placement.

Power seems too weak or too strong

  • Check max S is 1000 in the machine profile (not 255).
  • Adjust the operation's Max Power (%) — 20% is a safe starting point for engraving. Cutting usually needs more power and extra passes.
  • Click Settings ($$) on the Console tab and check that $30 (the controller's max power value) matches the max S in your profile.

FAQ

Does GPath Laser work with Creality Falcon A1?

Yes. The Falcon A1 has been tested with GPath Laser over USB. GPath includes a built-in Creality · Falcon A1 template and detects the machine automatically when you connect it.

Can I use GPath Laser instead of Falcon Design Space?

GPath Laser handles design, laser operations, USB control, and G-code export for GRBL lasers including the Falcon A1. You can use it as your main software or alongside other tools.

What file format does GPath Laser use?

Projects are saved as .gpath-laser files. G-code is saved separately as .gcode or .nc using the Save laser operations icon in the Laser operations tab.

What G-code post-processor should I use for Falcon A1?

GRBL 1.1 Laser — it's picked automatically for the Creality Falcon A1 template. It uses M4 dynamic power, M8/M9 for air assist, and standard GRBL laser commands.

What is the Falcon A1 work area in GPath?

381 × 305 mm (width × height). It's set automatically by the template, and you can check it in Laser machine setup.

How do I engrave a photo on the Falcon A1 with GPath?

Import a PNG or JPG with File → Import… and GPath creates an Image operation in the Laser operations tab. Adjust the power, speed, and image settings, then frame and run.

Can I run G-code from an SD card?

Yes. Save the file with Save laser operations using the GRBL 1.1 Laser post-processor, copy it to the Falcon A1's SD card, and run it from the machine.

Further reading