Setting Up and Operating a Generic Chinese Laser Cutter Tutorial

Here are great tutorials by SerbarMultimedia on how to set up and operate a generic Chinese laser cutter.

Hacking the Chinese K40 Laser Cutter to Run with GCode by OpenTronic

Review of Dremel Digilab LC40 Laser Cutter by Adam Savage’s Tested YT Channel

Controlling Laser Cutting with Inkscape by Tech2C

Modded DIY 80w CO2 Laser Cutter by Caleb Chico

Caleb Chico made a custom 80W DIY CO2 laser cutter. It looks amzing with all the LED lights. Like a modded gaming PC case. I like it :-)

DIY PCBs Made on a Home Laser Cutter

Applied Science developed a new chemical process to make double-sided PCBs with a laser cutter, and some common chemicals. He intended it to be used on SLA 3D-printed parts, but may work on many other materials.

DIY Laser Cutter by Further Fabrication

Project page: http://furtherfabrication.com/resources/lasercadfile

Two useful DIY tools: 3D printable cordless screwdriver and small disc sander

Cordless 3D Printed Screwdriver

Project page: https://hackaday.io/project/162497-3d-printed-opensource-tools

Files are on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3243862


Mini disc sander made from MDF on laser cutter 

Thingivers files:  https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3191552

Cutting Acrylic with EleksMaker Laser on HyperCube 3D Printer

Chris from Tech2C YT channel made a video showing various settings on his EleksMaker 2.5w laser diode for cutting a 3mm Acrylic sheet. It is mounted on HyperCube 3D printer.
It is an interesting video if you want to go into lasing acrylic with a cheap laser diode and you want to learn something and save some experimentation time.







Tip from the comments: black acrylic is easiest to cut since it absorbs the most energy.

HyperCube 3D Printer/CNC on Thingiverse:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1752766

New DIY CO2 Laser Cutter Project

Here is a new DIY CO2 laser cutter project from Instructables. It was developed by Michiel Deschout and uses relatively available materials and parts like 3030 aluminum T-slot profiles, Arduino and some 3d printed parts. The total cost was some 1900 Euro.

The presented setup uses 40W laser, but the power could probably be increased.

Very detailed step-by-step build guide with all the files can be found at:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-High-Quality-CO2-Lasercutter-With-To/



Here is the back side with 3d printed holders for the CO2 laser tube:

DIY Mobile Laser Cutter in 3D Printed Frame by Josh Hughes

Josh Hughes is developing a DIY handheld mobile laser cutter and engraver in 3d printable housing. In theory with this device, you would not be limited by a surface and it could work on a battery power.


Here is a design study:





Here is a model of 3d printable enclosure body, the design is now more refined with more ergonomic side handles:



Here is a prototype working with, what seems like, salvaged laser diode and optical drives:




You can follow the process on developers YT channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTzJuMQVJcEWoAwnt5dS5wQ

Laser engravings made as a test 

Upcycle your old Prusa into a laser cutter

Jon aka. Dr3vil used a parts form old Prusa Mendel and made a close chamber DIY laser cutter / engraver. He documented his project on Thingiverse.

Jon writes:

I wanted to add a laser cutter/engraver to my shop and decided it would make a good design challenge based on recycling a Prusa Mendel - Essentially a frame of 5/16” threaded rod and 8mm rod with LMU88 bearings. The CAD models had to be simple to print, make what you can, buy what you absolutely must, and source locally. Ultimately this project is a primer for building gen III of my 3D printer and a larger gen II laser of many watts. As such I’m sharing an ‘as-is’ , ‘it got me to operational’ dump of the project STL’s, sanding and part prep will be required.

Firmware is Marlin configured for CoreXY. It was helpful to set a dummy thermistor value as this allows using the print bead and hot-end outputs as switches from gcode (M104 S100 and M140 S100, send S0 to turn off). The fans and laser power supply are switched, as usual fan PWM modulates the laser through M106.

Gcode generation is either by Jtech Inkscape plugin or 305 Engineering’s raster generator. For engraving PCB’s I ended up modifying 305’s code, borrowing a page from Jtech. The first change was having laser off moves run at full speed, since acceleration is handled in firmware this shaves a lot of time off the job. The second change was to have a pause when turing the laser on or off as to allow the edges of the burn to be more defined, 200ms was enough. Finally adding pre and post geode safe the machine when done and get in position.

For files and instructions go to:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2120327

Keep in mind that it is a work in progress...

3dpBurner Open Source Laser Cutter and Engraver

3dpBurner is a DIY laser engraver and cutter project that uses 3d printed parts for the structural elements and movements. It also uses many standard parts like laser diodes and Arduino to make it work.

Here is what the developer writes about this project:

It is created with the same RepRap concept, by using 3D printed parts and some easy to find "vitamins" (non printed hardware).
I tried to design as cheap as possible, by using common electronics and a "low power" laser (a laser diode).
The X/Y working area is fully customisable by simply cutting the rods to desired length.
The max object height for working can be up to 50-60mm.

3dpBurner basically uses 3D printed parts, 8mm rods, M3/M8 hardware, some small bearings and a pair of GT2 pulley/belts. I got most parts from my "old" RepRap printer.
Motion is controlled by Arduino UNO, a CNC shield and a pair of Pololu based stepper drivers for driving two NEMA17 stepper motors.

The laser module is cooled by heatsink and forced air (small fan) and is drived by a constant current driver.
Personally I'm using the popular NDB7875 1.6W blue laser diode (note this diode is sold as being capable of up to 3W when overdrived), but you can use your own diode (DVD recorder, BluRay, M140...).

While 3dpBurner can be controlled by mostly GRBL based applications (gcode senders), i create a pair of Windows based ones. They provides an easy control and optimized gcode streaming for the GRBL firmware and also can be used for convert images to gcode files for gray scale engravings.

3dpBurner in action:



Project homepage with all the instructions how to make one:

http://3dpburner.blogspot.com/

Kiri:Moto Web Based Slicer for your 3D Printer, Laser Cutter and CNC Machine

Kiri:Moto is a new free web based slicer that can be used for FDM printers, laser cutters and CNC machines.
Kiri:Moto is an extensible, multi-purpose slicing and visualization engine that produces output for:

• CAM : 3 axis CNC toolpaths
• FDM : GCode for 3D printers
• LASER : DXG / SVG cut paths
• Onshape : Directly Integrated
• Thingiverse : Thing App

Left menu options:

Here is a more detailed video playlist with all functions presented:

Try it live at:

https://grid.space/kiri

You can also visit the project wiki for more information at:

https://github.com/GridSpace/gridspace.github.io/wiki/Kiri:Moto

OpenSLS Laser Sintering 3D Printer Made From Hacked Laser Cutter

Rice University bioengineering researchers have hacked a cheap Chinese CO2 laser cutter into a low(er)-cost laser sintering 3d printer and used it to produce fine objects such as liver structures. They claim it can be made under 10000 USD.

Materials used on it are nylon, sand, Candelilla wax, polycaprolactone (PCL) and other. 

Since there is a 40-80 W of laser energy, they use custom build inter gas module to prevent burining of the material.  

They have also made it open source, which deserves some gratitude from the community! Thank you Rice team! Sharing is caring!

Here is the short presentation video:




Here is the powder distribution mechanism in action:



Project has a very detailed and extensive documentation well worth reading if you are interested in laser sintering and bioprinting.

GitHub with all the files:

https://github.com/MillerLabFTW/OpenSLS

Rice Uni news article:

http://news.rice.edu/2016/02/22/modified-laser-cutter-prints-3-d-objects-from-powder/

Ver detailed RepRapWiki page:

http://reprap.org/wiki/OpenSLS

Detailed PLOS research paper:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0147399

If you want to make something similar, do keep in mind that lasers are dangerous, and nylon powder and simillar micro-powder materials are flammable and can also go KA-BOOM. Stay safe kids.

Here is the photo gallery:

LaserWeb Open Source Laser Cutter Control Software

LaserWeb is powerful open source laser cutter and engraver control software. Perfect choice for your self-build laser cutter or upgrading a cheap Chinese Co2 laser device.

LaserWeb description and features:

Node.js based, Windows/Linux/Mac/Raspberry Pi/Vagrant supported, host software for Lasercutters/Engravers running Marlin/Smoothieware/Grbl/LasaurGrbl with integrated parametric Gcode generators, Raster support, as well as Raster and Vector Engraving. SVG and DXF supported for cutting, PNG, BMP, JPEG support for raster engraving.

It works on all platforms from Windows, OsX,  various linux distros and Raspberry Pi.

Here is a demo video:


GitHub repository:

https://github.com/openhardwarecoza/LaserWeb

Glowforge 3D Laser Printer or Laser Cutter and Engraver

Glowforge presents their device which they named "3D Laser Printer". The name itself is somewhat misleading and there are many negative comments about it on this video. It is not an additive manufacturing device but a desktop laser cutter and engraver.

Other than confusing name, the machine itself looks interesting, relatively low in price - USD 1995 on preorder - and comes with model catalog of stuff you can cut or engrave.

Technical specifications:

• 12” x 20” (Glowforge Basic)
• 20” by ∞ (Glowforge Pro)Software
•  Drag-and-drop with live preview
• Trace mode engraves over drawings
• JPG, PNG, TIF, SVG, AI, DXF, PDF, & moreHardware
• Dual cameras: wide angle & macro
• Custom 40W (basic) / 45W (pro) laser
• Optical thickness measurement
• Continuous realtime autofocus
• Detailed specifications: http://glowforge.com/tech-specs/

Here is a longer and detailed video presentation:




General description video:



Glowforge homepage:

http://glowforge.com/

You can see various things that can be lasercut on Glowforge Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/glowforge/

Update (11.12.2016.):

Here is the Glowforge review by Tested crew:

DIY 3D Printed CO2 Laser Tube is Uber Cool

A guy under a YT username 1kreature started developing his own 3d printed N/CO2 laser tube. He has achieved some great results! Soon we can print some cool laZors!





... and here is more successful ignition with better vacuum:




He still has not published his files, but he is still developing the project. Sure, it will take some time and effort to perfect it and you will need some experience in building it but did I mention how cool lasers are!?

Source:

http://hackaday.com/2015/09/13/building-a-3d-printed-laser-tube/

If you want to learn more about build a CO2 laser by yourself check out this link:

http://jarrodkinsey.org/co2laser/co2laser.html

Endurance L-Cheapo Laser Engraving and Cutting Attachment

Endurance L-Cheapo is a laser engraver / cutter attachment for your 3d printer or a CNC machine that will greatly expand its capabilities.

Key features:

• L-CHEAPO is a 445 nanometer diode laser which easily mounts on your 3D printer or CNC mill
• No additional power supply is necessary, and it will not interfere with normal use of your hardware
• You can readily switch from laser to print/mill mode, use your existing software (Slic3r, Skeinforge, etc), and with no tools the laser can be removed in about 2 minutes
• L-CHEAPO can cut paper and wood up to 3/16ths of an inch, and can engrave most non-metallic materials

Tech specs:

• Laser Type Diode – No export restrictions
• Laser Output 2100mW ± 15%
• Focal length 10cm (variable)
• Laser wavelength 445nm
• Lens Type Crystal glass
• Operation time Tested 48 hours continuous
• Voltage 9-16V DC
• Current draw 2100mA ± 10%
• Price: $195 + shipping costs

Videos of L-Cheapo in action:











Here it is cutting acrylic:





Here it is cutting 6mm plywood:





Here is a laser attachment tool head for Ultimaker 2:




Endurance homepage:

http://endurancerobots.com/products/laser-cutters-accessory/

TwinTeeth home manufacturing PCB factory mulitool with 3d printer

There are more and more home manufacturing tools and TwinTeeth is one of the more developed I saw.
It is a multitool reversed Delta machine mainly orientated towards PCB manufacturing but it can serve as 3d printer also. It is fully open sourced with plans so you can easily build it yourself or customize it to your needs. True ability for distributed manufacturing.

It has following functions and exchangeable tool options:

• UV Laser photoengraving on sensitive film or pre-sensitized boards using an ultraviolet laser.
• Drilling vias and holes using any mini-rotary tool like Dremel® or Proxxon®.
• Dispensing solder paste with precision on SMD PCB pads.
• Plotting circuits with a permanent pen-maker
• 3D printing knobs, casings, front-panels, even print circuits with conductive filament, or make circuits supports.
• Milling/Carving soft materials or etching PCB copper with a v-bit (if you prefer this etching method).

TwinTeet core inverse Delta and replaceable toolheads in front of it

Here is a video of it in action:



TwinTeeth technical specifications from the project page:

• Working area (X,Y,Z): 70x80x60mm reduced considerably to an “Arduino™ shield-size” because it's preferred to do something small but precise. Users rarely create big circuit boards and reducing the working area has some benefits: the robot is cheaper, more precise, more robust, smaller and more manageable. However, it’s scalable, so you can make it bigger if you want.
• Motion: TwinTeeth is powered by three Nema 17 motors, lead-screws and anti-backlash nuts.
• Speed: it can go as fast as 1200-1500mm/min.
• Code: it supports G-Code, postscript and BMP files. Eagle CadSoft can export to postscript format very easily. Support BMP files means than in addition to PCBs it can also print and etch photos on copper, alu or bronze.
• Laser: using the same PHR-803T optical pickup than DiyouPCB with a wavelength of 405nm.
• Rastering: the robot draws the PCB circuits in rastering mode in a similar way any paper printer does: moving the laser (or the bed in our case) from one side of the printer to the other.
• Resolution: In rastering mode it's printing at 600DPI resolution. The laser beam spot is approx. 0.04 wide when is focused. Incredibly thin! Theorically mechanical precision is 0.94um.
• Auto bed-levelling – it keeps the bed flat with a tolerance of less than 0.01mm while the robot is moving. It’s very important to improve printing quality and provide precision.
• Auto-Focus: - small focus differences on the PCB surface affect printing quality so implemented a robust focusing system which takes some points on the PCB and extrapolates the results with a bilinear equation. With that info the robot adjusts the focus automatically while printing.
• Infrared focusing: the auto-focus system uses an infrared laser to avoid film blurring. Films or presensitized boards are only sensible to ultraviolet light.
• Electronics – using the well known combination of Arduino™ Mega + RAMPS 1.4 + A4988 Motor Drivers. Improved the Pickup Driver Circuit developed for DiyouPCB and now it includes new features.
• Precision fixture bed – it is very important to keep the PCB fixed to the bed while the robot is moving. Also, when printing two-sided PCBs you have to be sure that both sides are correctly aligned. TwinTeeth includes a precision aluminium fixture bed and dowel pins which allow correct fixing and positioning of the PCBs. A stencil is also included which helps to drill the PCB’s 4-positions holes.
• Camera – included a small USB camera because it is difficult to see tiny details on high-density PCBs. The camera is also useful to set the home position which is very important to obtain accuracy.
• 3D Printing:  FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) with 1.75mm PLA/ABS and a 0.35mm extrusion nozzle. Printing quality is similar to any 3D printer you can find in the market.

TwinTeeth software:

• TwinTeeth Firmware: deeply modified Marlin firmware to support multiple tools, manage and control the laser, implement the auto-focus system, print in rastering mode, improve the buffering, and much more.
• TwinTeeth Management Console – TwinTeeth comes with a new easy-to-use management console which includes functionality specially designed for the multi-tool environment. Included functions to calibrate the printer, move the axis (jogging), and adjust the parameters of each tool. This software communicates with the robot through an USB 2.0 port.
• TwinTeeth Eagle ULPs – developed some ULPs (Eagles’s user language programs) to generate the drilling and paste dispensing g-code files. You can also use the files generated by other ULPs like PCBCode.
• Eagle Cadsoft – It is a popular electronic CAD software company. They provide a freeware version for non-commercial use. It easily generates the postscript, drilling and solder paste dispensing files which TwinTeeth uses to make the circuits.
• 3D Slicing software– for 3D printing you can use any slicer software like Slic3R or Cura.

TwinTeeth homepage:

http://www.diyouware.com/front

Since it is an open source project you can get all the files to make it here and start your own home PCB factory:

http://www.diyouware.com/twth_getit