How to make a laser engraver

How to make a laser engraver with your own hands - Metalist's Handbook

March 28 at 15:29 / Lessons / Arduino

Attention! Be careful when using lasers. The laser used in this machine may cause vision damage and possibly blindness. When working with high-power lasers, greater than 5 mW, always wear a pair of safety glasses designed to block the laser wavelength.

A laser engraver on Arduino is a device whose role is to engrave wood and other materials. Over the past 5 years, laser diodes have advanced, allowing fairly powerful engravers to be made without much of the complexity of operating laser tubes.

You should be careful when engraving other materials. For example, when using plastic with a laser device, smoke will appear, which contains dangerous gases when burned.

In this lesson I will try to give direction to the thought, and over time we will create a more detailed lesson on the implementation of this complex device.

1. Basics of assembling an engraver on Arduino

To begin with, I suggest you look at what the entire process of creating an engraver looked like for one radio amateur:

Strong stepper motors also require drivers to get the most out of them. In this project, a special stepper driver is used for each motor.

Below is some information about the selected components:

1. Stepper motor – 2 pieces.
2. Frame size is NEMA 23.
3. Torque is 1.8 lb-ft at 255 oz.
4. 200 steps/revolutions – 1 step 1.8 degrees.
5. Current – ​​up to 3.0 A.
6. Weight – 1.05 kg.
7. Bipolar 4-wire connection.
8. Stepper driver – 2 pieces.
9. Digital stepping drive.
10. Chip.
11. Output current – ​​from 0.5 A to 5.6 A.
12. Output current limiter – reduces the risk of motor overheating.
13. Control signals: Step and Direction inputs.
14. Pulse input frequency – up to 200 kHz.
15. Supply voltage – 20 V – 50 V DC.

For each axis, the motor directly drives the ball screw through the motor connector. The motors are mounted on the frame using two aluminum corners and an aluminum plate. The aluminum corners and plate are 3mm thick and are strong enough to support a 1kg motor without bending.

Important! The motor shaft and ball screw must be properly aligned. The connectors that are used have some flexibility to compensate for minor errors, but if the alignment error is too large, they will not work!

Another process of creating this device can be seen in the video:

Below is a table with the materials and tools required for the Arduino laser engraver project.

Paragraph	Provider	Quantity
NEMA 23 stepper motor + driver	eBay (seller: primopal_motor)	2
Diameter 16mm, pitch 5mm, ball screw 400mm long (Taiwanese)	eBay (seller: silvers-123)	2
16mm BK12 support with ball screw (drive end)	eBay (seller: silvers-123)	2
16mm BF12 Ball Screw Support (No Driven End)	eBay (seller: silvers-123)	2
16 shaft 500 mm long	(seller: silvers-123)	4
(SK16) 16 shaft support (SK16)	(seller: silvers-123)	8
16 linear bearing (SC16LUU)	eBay (seller: silvers-123)	4
eBay (seller: silvers-123)	2
Shaft holder 12 mm (SK12)	(seller: silvers-123)	2
A4 size 4.5mm clear acrylic sheet	eBay (seller: acrylicsonline)	4
Aluminum Flat Rod 100mm x 300mm x 3mm	eBay (seller: willymetals)	3
50mm x 50mm 2.1m Aluminum Fence	Any theme store	3
Aluminum Flat Rod	Any theme store	1
Aluminum corner	Any theme store	1
Aluminum corner 25mm x 25mm x 1m x 1.4mm	Any theme store	1
M5 socket head screws (various lengths)	boltsnutsscrewsonline.com
M5 nuts	boltsnutsscrewsonline.com
M5 washers	boltsnutsscrewsonline.com

The machine uses ball screws and linear bearings to control the position and movement of the X and Y axes.

Characteristics of ball screws and machine accessories:

• 16 mm ball screw, length – 400 mm-462 mm, including machined ends;
• pitch – 5 mm;
• C7 accuracy rating;
• BK12/BF12 ball joints.

Since the ball nut consists of ball bearings rolling in a track against a ball screw with very little friction, this means that motors can run at higher speeds without stopping.

The rotational orientation of the ball nut is locked using an aluminum element. The base plate is attached to two linear bearings and to a ball nut through an aluminum angle. Rotation of the Ballscrew shaft causes the base plate to move linearly.

4. Electronic component

The laser diode selected is a 1.5 W, 445 nm diode housed in a 12 mm package with a focusable glass lens. These can be found, pre-assembled, on eBay. Since it is a 445 nm laser, the light it produces is visible blue light.

The laser diode requires a heatsink when operating at high power levels. When constructing the engraver, two aluminum supports for SK12 12 mm are used, both for mounting and for cooling the laser module.

The output intensity of a laser depends on the current that passes through it.

A diode by itself cannot regulate current, and if connected directly to a power source, it will increase current until it fails.

Thus, an adjustable current circuit is required to protect the laser diode and control its brightness.

Another option for connecting the microcontroller and electronic parts:

5. Software

The Arduino sketch interprets each command block. There are several commands:

1 – move RIGHT one pixel FAST (blank pixel).

2 – move RIGHT one pixel SLOW (burnt pixel).

3 – Move LEFT one pixel FAST (blank pixel).

4 – Move LEFT one pixel SLOW (burnt pixel).

5 – move up one pixel FAST (empty pixel).

6 – Move UP one pixel SLOW (burnt pixel).

7 – Move DOWN one pixel FAST (blank pixel).

8 – move DOWN one pixel SLOW (burnt pixel).

9 – turn on the laser.

0 – turn off the laser.

r – return the axes to their original position.

With each character, the Arduino runs the corresponding function to write to the output pins.

Arduino controls the speed of the motor through delays between step pulses .

Ideally, the machine will run its motors at the same speed whether it is engraving an image or passing a blank pixel.

However, due to the limited power of the laser diode, the machine must slow down when writing a pixel . This is why there are two speeds for each direction in the list of command symbols above.

A sketch of 3 programs for the Arduino laser engraver is below:

Source: https://ssk2121.com/kak-sdelat-lazernyy-graver-svoimi-rukami/

Homemade laser engraver based on Arduino programmer

Today, engraving and laser cutting are quite a profitable activity, where any enterprising person, having the necessary information and some capital, is able to earn good money. A laser engraver is a good basis for realizing creative ideas; its versatility and productivity always pleasantly surprise craftsmen.

Laser engraving of surfaces

Laser engraving is the latest technique of applying a sharply defined image to a surface using a concentrated beam of light.

Engraving technology

The engraving procedure with a focused laser beam is accompanied by high temperature heating of the material. Depending on the duration of the laser action, the color changes and the contrast of the surface of the material appears, and the effect of its evaporation or incineration occurs. The engraved surface obtained as a result of processing is resistant to external physical and chemical influences.

Despite the similar technological purpose, samples of equipment for laser engraving and cutting are radically different in their functional potential and manufacturer’s equipment.

Construction device

The main characteristic of the engraver is the power of the laser tube of the device. The device includes the following structural blocks:

• An optical system, which is a set of inhomogeneous lenses and serves to focus and amplify the light beam;
• Transmission system - three-axis servos that ensure synchronous movement of the laser radiation source;
• Control system - sensors and computing circuits, the task of which is to ensure the error-free functioning of all engraver systems;
• Mechanical system - the main supporting parts and auxiliary mechanisms that make up the machine;
• Cooling system - carries out heat removal from the emitter and consists of a set of coolers and radiators for temperature removal.

Types of laser engravers

Among the many industrial laser devices in demand in production processes, only two significant types can be emphasized:

• gas - for engraving non-metallic surfaces (wood, plastic, glass, acrylic, leather, chipboard, etc.) and cutting any material (when working with metal, use a more powerful tube from 500 W);
• fiber and solid-state - for working with both metal and non-metallic surfaces (accordingly, ++ the required laser power is selected).

A gas-based laser engraver is versatile and has a relatively affordable price, for this reason the device is widely used in the office or at home. The purpose of a solid-state engraver is to process metals and certain types of hard plastic. It is more reliable and perfect in operation, the cost is significantly higher than a gas device, and accordingly, the quality of engraving is better. These devices are distinguished by the operating temperature and wavelength of the laser emitter.

Source: https://pochini.guru/instrument/samodelnyiy-lazernyiy-graver

DIY laser engraver from a printer - Metals, equipment, instructions

Attention! Be careful when using lasers. The laser used in this machine may cause vision damage and possibly blindness. When working with high-power lasers, greater than 5 mW, always wear a pair of safety glasses designed to block the laser wavelength.

A laser engraver on Arduino is a device whose role is to engrave wood and other materials. Over the past 5 years, laser diodes have advanced, allowing fairly powerful engravers to be made without much of the complexity of operating laser tubes.

You should be careful when engraving other materials. For example, when using plastic with a laser device, smoke will appear, which contains dangerous gases when burned.

In this lesson I will try to give direction to the thought, and over time we will create a more detailed lesson on the implementation of this complex device.

Making a laser engraver from a 3D printer

3D printers have become cheaper and more accessible. And if so, craftsmen appeared who began to think about how to expand the capabilities of these modern and useful devices by adding new functions to them. You will find in the article general principles, specific examples of such modifications, and initial information about working with the new device. You will also find out what alternative options exist for purchased 3D MFPs, which combine a laser engraver and a 3D printer, and in some, a CNC router.

In order to turn a 3D printer into a cutter and engraver, you need to install a laser module on it and control it programmatically. Below are two options for such a modification.

An easy way to add a laser cutter and engraver to a cheap 3D printer

Let's look at how you can add a 2.5 W laser module to the Chinese Tevo Tarantula 3D printer.

This modification will cope with cutting thin plywood, veneer, EVA foam (ethylene vinyl acetate), cardboard and paper used in advertising and sheet materials, and thicker materials, including wood, leather and plastic, can be engraved.

Laser module

The selected laser module LA03-2500 is convenient in that it has one connector for connecting power with a voltage of 12 volts, i.e. no additional voltage regulator is needed. The Tevo Tarantula does not have a cooling fan.

But some people add it to improve print quality and regulate the rotation speed of the blades by changing the voltage at the fan input programmatically. With this modification, the laser module can be directly connected instead of the printer fan and the laser can also be controlled by software.

There will be not only “on.” or “off”, but 255 levels in between.

For cooling during operation, a small cooler is installed on the top of the module. There is also a focusing ring that adjusts the focal length in accordance with the current height along the Z axis.

Don't forget to buy special glasses to protect your eyes from intense laser radiation.

Power connection

The 3D printer fan is not used when the laser cutter is running, and vice versa.

And since both the cutter and the printer fan use the same pins on the MKS Gen motor control board, a single cable with a plug at the end can be routed from these pins. And solder a socket connector to the fan cable.

To change the laser to a fan, you just need to plug the plug into the desired connector. This is convenient - in a matter of seconds you can switch from 3D printer mode to laser cutting/engraving mode.

Cable with plug coming from the board (left), fan connector (middle) and laser connector (right).

Laser installation

Often, when creating an engraver based on a 3D printer, a modular unit is installed instead of an extruder. But you can install them side by side, preferably as close to each other as possible. Then you won’t have to remove and install the laser and extruder alternately every time they are needed, and change the settings at the same time.

Working with vector graphics

First, the raster image is converted into curves using the free vector graphics editor InkScape. And the J-Teck Photonics Laser Tool plugin turns vector art into Gcode. The plugin does a good job of cutting out outlines, texts or shapes from cardboard.

Source: https://top3dshop.ru/blog/prevratim-3d-printer-v-lazerniy-rezak-i-graver.html

DIY laser engraving machine – Machine tools, welding, metalworking

Many of those home craftsmen who manufacture and decorate products from wood and other materials in their workshop have probably thought about how to make a laser engraver with their own hands.

The presence of such equipment, the serial models of which are quite expensive, makes it possible not only to apply complex designs to the surface of the workpiece with high precision and detail, but also to carry out laser cutting of various materials.

Homemade laser machine in the process of wood engraving

A homemade laser engraver, which will cost much less than a serial model, can be made even if you do not have in-depth knowledge of electronics and mechanics.

The laser engraver of the proposed design is assembled on the Arduino hardware platform and has a power of 3 W, while for industrial models this parameter is at least 400 W.

However, even such low power allows you to use this device for cutting products made of polystyrene foam, cork sheets, plastic and cardboard, as well as perform high-quality laser engraving.

This engraver can also handle thin plastic.

Necessary materials

In order to make your own laser engraver using Arduino, you will need the following consumables, mechanisms and tools:

• hardware platform Arduino R3;
• Proto Board equipped with a display;
• stepper motors, which can be used as electric motors from a printer or DVD player;
• laser with a power of 3 W;
• laser cooling device;
• DC-DC voltage regulator;
• MOSFET transistor;
• electronic boards that control the laser engraver motors;
• limit switches;
• a housing in which you can place all the structural elements of a homemade engraver;
• timing belts and pulleys for their installation;
• ball bearings of various sizes;
• four wooden boards (two of them with dimensions 135x10x2 cm, and the other two - 125x10x2 cm);
• four round metal rods with a diameter of 10 mm;
• bolts, nuts and screws;
• lubricant;
• clamps;
• computer;
• drills of various diameters;
• a circular saw;
• sandpaper;
• vice;
• standard set of locksmith tools.

The electronic part of the machine will require the greatest investment

Electrical part of a homemade laser engraver

The main element of the electrical circuit of the presented device is a laser emitter, the input of which must be supplied with a constant voltage with a value not exceeding the permissible parameters.

If this requirement is not met, the laser may simply burn out.

The laser emitter used in the engraving installation of the presented design is designed for a voltage of 5 V and a current not exceeding 2.4 A, therefore the DC-DC regulator must be configured for a current of 2 A and a voltage of up to 5 V.

Electrical circuit of the engraver

The MOSFET transistor, which is the most important element of the electrical part of a laser engraver, is necessary in order to turn the laser emitter on and off when receiving a signal from the Arduino controller.

The electrical signal generated by the controller is very weak, so only a MOSFET transistor can sense it and then unlock and close the laser power circuit.

In the electrical circuit of a laser engraver, such a transistor is installed between the positive contact of the laser and the negative contact of the DC regulator.

The laser engraver's stepper motors are connected through one electronic control board, which ensures their synchronous operation. Thanks to this connection, timing belts driven by multiple motors do not sag and maintain a stable tension during operation, which ensures the quality and accuracy of the processing performed.

It should be kept in mind that the laser diode used in a homemade engraving machine should not overheat.

To do this, it is necessary to ensure its effective cooling. This problem can be solved quite simply: a regular computer fan is installed next to the diode. To prevent overheating of stepper motor control boards, computer coolers are also placed next to them, since conventional radiators cannot cope with this task.

Photos of the electrical circuit assembly process Photo-1 Photo-2 Photo-3

Photo-4 Photo-5 Photo-6

Build process

The homemade engraving machine of the proposed design is a shuttle-type device, one of the moving elements of which is responsible for movement along the Y axis, and the other two, paired, for movement along the X axis.

The Z axis, which is also specified in the parameters of such a 3D printer, is taken to be the depth to which the material being processed is burned.

The depth of the holes into which the elements of the shuttle mechanism of the laser engraver are installed must be at least 12 mm.

Desk frame - dimensions and tolerances Photo-1 Photo-2 Photo-3

Photo-4 Photo-5 Photo-6

Aluminum rods with a diameter of at least 10 mm can act as guide elements along which the working head of a laser engraving device will move.

If it is not possible to find aluminum rods, steel guides of the same diameter can be used for these purposes.

The need to use rods of exactly this diameter is explained by the fact that in this case the working head of the laser engraving device will not sag.

Manufacturing of a movable carriage
Photo-1 Photo-2 Photo-3

The surface of the rods that will be used as guide elements for the laser engraving device must be cleaned of factory grease and carefully ground to perfect smoothness. Then they should be coated with a lubricant based on white lithium, which will improve the sliding process.

Housing assembly

Installation of stepper motors on the body of a homemade engraving device is carried out using brackets made of sheet metal.

To make such a bracket, a sheet of metal whose width approximately corresponds to the width of the engine itself, and the length of which is twice the length of its base, is bent at a right angle.

On the surface of such a bracket, where the base of the electric motor will be located, 6 holes are drilled, 4 of which are necessary for fixing the engine itself, and the remaining two are for attaching the bracket to the body using ordinary self-tapping screws.

To install a drive mechanism consisting of two pulleys, a washer and a bolt on the electric motor shaft, a piece of metal sheet of the appropriate size is also used.

To mount such a unit, a U-shaped profile is formed from a metal sheet, in which holes are drilled for attaching it to the engraver body and for the output of the electric motor shaft. The pulleys on which the timing belts will be placed are mounted on the shaft of the drive electric motor and placed in the inner part of the U-shaped profile.

Toothed belts placed on pulleys, which should drive the shuttles of the engraving device, are connected to their wooden bases using self-tapping screws.

Installing stepper motors Photo-1 Photo-2 Photo-3

Photo-4 Photo-5 Photo-6

Software installation

Your laser grower, which must operate in automatic mode, will require not only installation, but also configuration of special software.

The most important element of such support is a program that allows you to create the contours of the desired design and convert them into an extension that is understandable to the control elements of the laser engraver.

This program is freely available and can be downloaded to your computer without any problems.

Such a library (as well as a program for transferring data to the controller) can also be found in the public domain.

In order for your laser homemade product to work correctly, and for the engraving performed with its help to be of high quality, you will need to configure the controller itself to the parameters of the engraving device.

Features of using contours

If you have already figured out the question of how to make a hand-held laser engraver, then it is necessary to clarify the question of the parameters of the contours that can be applied using such a device.

Such contours, the inside of which is not filled even if the original drawing is painted over, must be transmitted to the engraver’s controller as files not in pixel (jpeg), but in vector format.

This means that the image or inscription applied to the surface of the processed product using such an engraver will not consist of pixels, but of dots. Such images and inscriptions can be scaled as desired, focusing on the surface area on which they should be applied.

Using a laser engraver, almost any design and inscription can be applied to the surface of the workpiece, but to do this, their computer layouts must be converted into vector format.

This procedure is not difficult to perform: special programs Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator are used for this. A file that has already been converted to vector format must be converted again so that it can be correctly processed by the engraving machine controller.

  DIY wood sawing machine

For this conversion, the Inkscape Laserengraver program is used.

Final setup and preparation for work

Having made a laser engraving machine with your own hands and downloaded the necessary software into its control computer, do not start working right away: the equipment needs final configuration and adjustment.

What is this adjustment? First of all, you need to make sure that the maximum movements of the machine's laser head along the X and Y axes coincide with the values ​​​​obtained when converting the vector file.

In addition, depending on the thickness of the material from which the workpiece is made, it is necessary to adjust the parameters of the current supplied to the laser head. This should be done in order not to burn through the product on the surface of which you want to engrave.

A very important and responsible process is fine tuning (adjustment) of the laser head. Alignment is needed to adjust the power and resolution of the beam produced by the laser head of your engraver.

On expensive serial models of laser engraving machines, adjustment is performed using an additional low-power laser installed in the main working head.

However, homemade engravers typically use inexpensive laser heads, so this method of fine-tuning the beam is not suitable for them.

Test your DIY laser engraver on simple drawings first

Sufficiently high-quality adjustment of a homemade laser engraver can be performed using an LED removed from a laser pointer. The LED wires are connected to a 3 V power source, and the LED itself is fixed to the working end of a standard laser.

By alternately turning on and adjusting the position of the beams emanating from the test LED and the laser head, they achieve their alignment at one point.

The convenience of using an LED from a laser pointer is that adjustment can be performed with its help without the risk of harm to both the hands and eyes of the operator of the engraving machine.

The video shows the process of connecting the engraver to the computer, setting up the software and preparing the machine for work.

Source: https://stanki-info.com/lazernyy-gravirovalnyy-stanok-svoimi-rukami/

DIY laser engraver step by step

Lasers have long been part of our everyday life. Guides use light pointers, builders use a beam to set the levels. The ability of a laser to heat materials (up to thermal destruction) is used for cutting and decorative design.

One application is laser engraving. On various materials it is possible to obtain fine patterns with virtually no restrictions on complexity.

Wooden surfaces are great for burning. Engravings on backlit plexiglass are especially appreciated.

There is a wide selection of engraving machines on sale, mostly made in China. The equipment is not too expensive, however, buying just for fun is not advisable. It is much more interesting to make a laser engraver with your own hands.

It is only necessary to obtain a laser with a power of several W and create a frame system of movement in two coordinate axes.

DIY laser engraving machine

The laser gun is not the most complex design element, and there are options. Depending on the tasks, you can choose different power (according to the cost, up to free purchase).

Craftsmen from the Middle Kingdom offer various ready-made designs, sometimes made with high quality.

With such a 2W gun you can even cut plywood.

The ability to focus at the required distance allows you to control both the engraving width and the penetration depth (for 3D designs).

The cost of such a device is about 5-6 thousand rubles. If high power is not needed, use a low-power laser from a DVD burner, which can be purchased for pennies on the radio market.

There are quite workable solutions, production will take one day off

There is no need to explain how to remove the laser semiconductor from the drive, if you know how to “do things” with your hands, it is not difficult. The main thing is to choose a durable and comfortable case. In addition, a “combat” laser, albeit low-power, requires cooling. In the case of a DVD drive, a passive heatsink is sufficient.

The body-handle can be made from two brass cartridges from a pistol. Spent cartridges from TT and PM are suitable. They have a slight difference in caliber and fit together perfectly.

We drill out the capsules and install a laser diode in place of one of them.
The brass sleeve will serve as an excellent radiator. All that remains is to connect 12 volt power, for example, from the USB port of your computer. There is enough power, the drive in the computer is powered from the same power supply. That's all, do-it-yourself laser engraving at home from practically trash.

If you need a coordinate machine, you can attach the burning element to a ready-made positioning device.

A laser engraver from a printer with a dried out ink head is a great way to bring life back to a broken unit.

A little work with feeding the blank instead of paper (for flat plywood or metal plate this is not a problem) and you have practically a factory engraver. Software may not be needed - the driver from the printer is used.

Once you have the circuit, you simply connect the ink signal to the laser input and “print” on solid materials.

Homemade laser engraver for working with large areas

Any drawing for assembling the so-called KIT kits from the same Chinese friends is taken as a basis.
Finding an aluminum profile is not a problem; making carriages with wheels is also not a problem. A ready-made laser module is installed on one of them, the other pair of carriages will move the guide truss. The movement is set by stepper motors, the torque is transmitted using toothed belts.

It is better to assemble the structure inside a box with active ventilation. The acrid smoke released during engraving is harmful to health. When used indoors, exhaust to the street is required.

If you are working with metal plates, the reflected glare from the beam can damage the retina. The best protection will be red plexiglass.

This will neutralize the blue laser beam and allow you to monitor the process in real time.
The control circuit is assembled on any programmable controller.

The most popular systems are Arduino UNO, sold on the same Chinese electronics websites. The solution is inexpensive, but effective and almost universal.

The most common option is connecting to a personal computer. The creation of a design and engraving parameters takes place using any standard graphics editor.

If your image is raster, you should trace it.

By connecting and programming the USB controller, you will be able to output an engraving task directly from digital media (flash drive), having previously created a file on the computer.
Result:

A laser head engraving machine is so affordable that it can be purchased not only for commercial use but also for personal use.

Making crafts for children, saving on advertising materials for your own company, design items for your home - this is an incomplete list of uses for the machine.

Source: https://crast.ru/instrumenty/lazernyj-gravjor-svoimi-rukami-poshagovo

How to make a laser engraver with your own hands

I have several old CD-ROMs lying around my house. After reading on the net that engravers often use them, I decided to try it, it’s interesting. After reading about what lasers were needed, I found among 5 drives 2 whose laser radiation class was “3b”. They became the main donors, both mechanics and lasers.

Before installation, all optics and boards were removed from the positioning system. After that, I modified them a little with a file to get a smooth surface.

On the mechanism that was plastic, I glued a piece of plexiglass on top. On the second, I installed a plexiglass platform for installing a laser there.

The laser installed a U-shaped aluminum profile on the thermal paste. This piece of profile is enough to cool the laser. A lens from the laser head is installed in front of the laser, the lens is turned with its outer part towards the laser. After that, I experimentally adjusted the focus.

I installed one mechanism (Y axis) on a platform made of chipboard, through centimeter spacers made of aluminum tube. The second mechanism (X axis) was secured vertically using a U-shaped aluminum profile, screwing it from below to the chipboard.

I'll add more photos a little later. And in the next part I will describe the control scheme for this miracle, and then the software for working with it :)

Today, engraving and laser cutting are quite a profitable activity, where any enterprising person, having the necessary information and some capital, is able to earn good money. A laser engraver is a good basis for realizing creative ideas; its versatility and productivity always pleasantly surprise craftsmen.

Areas of application

The scope of laser engraving is quite extensive; the secret of its popularity lies in the speed and quality of the process. The cost of such engraving is relatively low.

Some of the manufacturing industries that actively use laser engraving are:

• Outdoor advertising. Laser printing and application of relief images on banner fabric are used, as well as for the production of various types of packaging (including souvenir type);
• Light industry. Patterns are applied to leather and fabric, complex cutting of the material;
• Granite production uses artistic engraving to apply images to monuments;
• Artistic engraving on stone, metal, wood, plastic;
• In the decorative arts, engraving on stone, wood, and metal is used;
• In the souvenir industry - for the manufacture of keychains, rings, crafts, etc.

Laser engraving is one of the most jewelry engraving methods. Due to pixelation up to 1000 ppi (39 pixels per millimeter), it is possible to accurately apply a variety of graphic images even on extremely small workpiece surfaces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoQ4LFULc74

The cost of a laser engraving machine is determined by the material on which the image will be applied and the volume of planned processing.

Along with laser, ultrasonic cutting tools are gaining popularity . Ultrasonic engravers and knives have high levels of acoustic power and operational reliability.

DIY engraver

Today, the buyer has a solid assortment of laser engraving machines to choose from; more than thirty well-known brands supply such equipment to the global consumer market. Prices for machines from Chinese manufacturers are quite affordable, but purchasing an engraver without further rational operation is unjustified.

An alternative solution in this situation is a homemade laser wood engraver. The appearance of an engraving machine in your arsenal of home tools opens up new horizons for relaxation, work and creativity.

Structural components

Let's look at the design of a laser engraver that you can make yourself. A 3-watt laser gun is borrowed from the printer. When making a laser engraver from DVD with our own hands, we use the following list of auxiliary elements:

• hardware programmer Arduino R3;
• Proto Board display board;
• stepped motors, you can use the electric motors of a DVD player;
• laser gun;
• cooling elements;
• DC-DC voltage regulator;
• MOSFET transistor;
• electronic motor control boards;
• Limit switches;
• body part;
• pulleys and toothed transmission belts;
• ball bearings;
• wooden board (35x10x2 cm - 2 pcs., 125x10x2 cm - 2 pcs.);
• round metal rod 10 mm in diameter - 4 pcs;
• fasteners, drills, abrasive, clamps and gel-like lubricant;
• hand vice, circular saw, set of tools for metalwork.

Electrical part

The main element of the constructed mechanism is the laser emitter, at the input terminals of which it is necessary to maintain a constant voltage of a value not exceeding the nominal characteristics of the circuit. If this criterion does not meet, there is a possibility of combustion of its components.

The laser emitter used in the installation of the specified design is designed to operate with a voltage of 5 volts at a current strength of no more than 2.4 amperes. The DC-DC electric regulator settings are made to the following values: voltage up to 5 volts, current 2 amperes.

The MOSFET transistor is used to control the switching on and off of the emitter electronic circuit. The electrical signal generated by the Arduino programmer has a rather low power, so only the MOSFET transistor, which opens or closes the power circuit of the radiation device, perceives it. The location of the transistor in the electronic circuit of the engraver is between the “plus” contact of the emitter and the “minus” contact of the electric regulator.

The connection of the engraver's stepped electric motors is realized on one electronic control board, which facilitates their synchronous operation. At the same time, there is no sagging of the transmission toothed belts, which creates high-quality and precise surface processing.

The laser diode and the control boards of the step motors should not be allowed to overheat during the operation of the electronic circuit. To avoid such situations, the design provides a cooling system based on computer fans and coolers.

The electric engraver operates on the basis of a shuttle mechanism, one of the moving elements of which provides movement in the direction of the Y axis, and the other two, paired, provide movement in the direction of the X axis.

The Z axis is the depth of piercing of the surface of the processing material. The holes into which the elements of the engraver's shuttle mechanism are placed must have a depth of 12 mm or more.

Working plane

The guiding components of the structure, which will ensure the movement of the working carriage of the engraving mechanism, can be metal rods with a diameter of at least 10 mm. The need for strict selection of the diameter is due to the protection of the working head from sagging during processing.

The surface of the guide rods is cleaned of factory grease, dust and dirt and subjected to thorough grinding. After which they are treated with a white lithium-based gel lubricant to improve the movement of the working head.

Installation of step motors

Using brackets made of sheet steel, stepped electric motors are attached to the device body . The bracket has the shape of a right angle and corresponds to the width of the engine itself, and is twice as long as its base. Six holes are drilled into the surface of the bracket where the base of the electric motor will be attached: four for installing the electric motor itself and two for securing the support to the body using fastening screws.

Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/kak-sdelat-lazernyj-graver-svoimi-rukami

DIY metal laser engraver

• Date: 05/20/2015
• 548
• : 43

In every home there is old equipment that has fallen into disrepair. Someone throws it in a landfill, and some craftsmen try to use it for some homemade inventions. So an old laser pointer can be put to good use - it is possible to make a laser cutter with your own hands.

Diagram of a homemade laser cutter.

To make a real laser from a harmless trinket, you need to prepare the following items:

• laser pointer;
• flashlight with rechargeable batteries;
• old, maybe not working CD/DVD-RW writer. The main thing is that it has a drive with a working laser;
• set of screwdrivers and soldering iron. It is better to use a branded cutter, but if you don’t have one, a regular one may do.

Making a laser cutter

First you need to remove the laser cutter from the drive. This work is not difficult, but you will have to be patient and pay maximum attention. Since it contains a large number of wires, they have the same structure.

When choosing a drive, it is important to consider the presence of a writing option, since it is in this model that you can make notes with a laser. Recording is done by evaporating a thin layer of metal from the disc itself.

In the case when the laser is working for reading, it is used half-heartedly, illuminating the disk.

Laser cutting diagram.

When dismantling the upper fasteners, you can find a carriage with a laser located in it, which can move in two directions. It should be carefully removed by unscrewing; there are a large number of detachable devices and screws that are important to carefully remove.

For further work, a red diode is required, with the help of which burning is carried out. To remove it, you will need a soldering iron, and you also need to carefully remove the fasteners.

It is important to note that the irreplaceable part for making a laser cutter should not be shaken or dropped, therefore, it is recommended to be careful when removing the laser diode.

Once the main element of the future laser model is removed, you need to carefully weigh everything and figure out where to place it and how to connect the power supply to it, since the diode of a writing laser requires much more current than the diode from a laser pointer, and in this case you can use several ways.

Next, the diode in the pointer is replaced. To create a powerful laser, the original diode must be removed from the pointer, and a similar one from the CD/DVD-RW drive must be installed in its place. The pointer is disassembled in accordance with the sequence.

It must be untwisted and divided into two parts, with the part that needs to be replaced on top. The old diode is removed and the required diode is installed in its place, which can be secured with glue.

There are times when difficulties may arise when removing the old diode; in this situation, you can use a knife and shake the pointer a little.

Laser pointer diagram.

The next step is to make a new case. To make the future laser convenient to use, connect power to it and use a flashlight body to give it an impressive look.

The converted upper part of the laser pointer is installed into the flashlight and power is supplied to it from rechargeable batteries, which is connected to the diode. It is important not to confuse the polarity of the power supply.

Before assembling the flashlight, the glass and parts of the pointer must be removed, as it will poorly conduct the direct path of the laser beam.

The last step is preparation for use. Before connecting, you need to check that the laser is securely fastened, that the polarity of the wires is connected correctly, and that the laser is installed level.

After completing these simple steps, the laser cutter is ready for use. This laser can be used to burn paper, polyethylene, and to light matches. The scope of application can be vast, everything will depend on your imagination.

Additional points

It is possible to make a more powerful laser. To make it you will need:

• DVD-RW drive, can be inoperative;
• capacitors 100 pF and 100 mF;
• resistor 2-5 Ohm;
• three rechargeable batteries;
• wires with a soldering iron;
• collimator;
• steel LED flashlight.

Diagram of a laser cutter.

Source: https://steelfactoryrus.com/lazernyy-graver-po-metallu-svoimi-rukami/

How to engrave on a laser machine

A laser machine is used not only for through cutting of various materials, but also for applying images to their surface. This processing method is considered optimal in comparison with manual or milling. There are several reasons for this:

• the highest possible speed of passage and accuracy of beam positioning;
• detailed reproduction of photographs, images, inscriptions and ornaments of any complexity;
• clear contour and absence of surface damage in the laser passage area;
• a wide range of materials suitable for the job;
• durability and complete immunity to any type of external influences.

Engraving instructions

Using a laser engraver, you can decorate almost any product: cigarette cases, watches, jewelry, business cards, stationery, awards, souvenirs, gifts and much more. For information on which machine to choose for your tasks, read our article “Which laser engraver to choose.” In order for the resulting image to be high-quality and accurate, it is necessary to properly prepare it and configure the device in accordance with the material for processing.

• Like all automatically controlled equipment, the engraver operates according to a program embedded in the computer. A well-designed layout is one of the components of an impeccable final result. Before sending the file for work, you should make sure that all contours are closed, there are no white or transparent lines, and the rest do not overlap each other. The layout must also indicate the starting point of processing, the sequence of the beam and the depth of its penetration into the material.
• Properly selected power also plays a big role when working with an engraver. In general, a 40 W laser tube is sufficient to perform such an operation. Such an emitter will efficiently and quickly apply images to plywood, plastics and metals (the specifics of working with metal surfaces will be mentioned below). The recommended power when engraving such materials is 60-80% of the nominal value (for natural wood this parameter can be raised to 100%). The speed of movement of the laser head can be close to maximum. When working with less dense surfaces, such as paper, cardboard or felt, the power should be reduced to 10-50% (selected experimentally) to avoid edge burning.
• Another important factor is the focal length between the lens and the surface. The diameter of the light spot and the depth of penetration of the beam into the material while maintaining a high-quality cut depend on it. The larger the focal length, the larger the laser dot size will be, so a large focus is used for writing inscriptions and images with low detail requirements or when working with thick materials. High-precision engraving with a large number of small elements with a clear outline requires a minimum focal length. For example, for laser reproduction of photographs or small print, a 1.5-inch lens is predominantly used, which means that the distance between it and the surface will be 3.81 cm. A two-inch lens allows you to get good, clear images with an average requirement for detail and a minimum of complex contours or small areas. A 2.5-inch lens is used in cases where the resolution of the original image is low and the detail requirements are minimal.
• Particular attention should be paid to the condition of all laser optics components. Both the focusing lens itself and all three mirrors must have an absolutely clean surface, without dust, signs of soot and fingerprints, since all this affects the concentration of the beam power and the parameters of the light spot (uniformity, smooth edges, correct contour).
• The quality of the material and surface is the last point in the instructions for performing laser engraving. Any unevenness on the material and product that is planned to be used for decoration will lead to a change in the focal length and, as a result, distortion of the image, so the surface should be cleaned first (for the purpose of leveling), and then wiped well. As for the quality of the material, first of all, this emphasis concerns plywood, for which grade is very important. The lower the grade, the more knots it contains, making it difficult for the beam to penetrate deeper and disrupting the integrity of the perception of the engraving, so it is recommended to use only top-class plywood for engraving.

Recommendations for working with certain materials

The method of applying engraving images is used to decorate gifts, souvenirs, cold steel and small arms, interior design items, business cards, postcards, awards, memorial plaques, leather goods and many more products. The list of materials that a CNC laser machine can engrave is no less extensive. This includes leather, acrylic and other plastics, natural wood and plywood, cardboard and thick paper, some fabrics, rubber, metals and even foam.

Most materials are easy to engrave and do not require any preparation. The only clarification may be the need for increased airflow when working with leather and wood or plastic raw materials - this promotes better removal of combustion products and prevents excessive darkening of the edges.

The following materials deserve special recommendations:

• multilayer plastics are engraved with 2 or 2.5 inch lenses at low power and only after removing the protective film. To determine the appropriate value, you need to increase the power until the top layer burns out to the base layer, then add a few more percent and start working. Upon completion of work, it is imperative to wipe off carbon deposits from all optics;
• stone reluctantly, so in most cases, to obtain a high-quality image, it is necessary to go through the entire route again. It is preferable to use a two-inch lens;
• Glass is a very heat-sensitive material, so high power and low speed should be avoided when working with it. To achieve maximum image quality and reduce thermal effects, it is advisable to first cover the glass surface with moistened newspaper (make sure that it does not dry out during engraving) or treat it with a fifty percent soap solution;
• metals are the most difficult and capricious base for engraving. Without pre-processing such material, there is no point in even trying to run the machine (it should be clarified that we are talking about CO2 engravers, and not about fiber-optic lasers, which are specifically designed for working with metals). To prevent the laser beam from being reflected from the surface, it must be coated with a special spray or paste, which is applied with a brush. It should be borne in mind that the quality of engraving largely depends on the thickness and uniformity of the layer of emulsion applied, so you should try to cover the metal with a very thin layer, while avoiding sagging. The paste itself has a rather viscous, thick consistency and can separate, so before use it is necessary to mix it thoroughly until completely homogeneous (dilution with a small amount of alcohol is allowed). After the additive has dried, you can begin engraving. The general recommendation for all metals is to process at high speed but low power (maximum 40 W).

Important : if a layer of protective varnish is applied to the surface of a sheet or product, then engraving it is impossible even if paste is used.

Source: https://InfoLaser.ru/stati/kak-gravirovat-na-lazernom-stanke/

How does a laser engraver work?

Today, engraving and laser cutting are quite a profitable activity, where any enterprising person, having the necessary information and some capital, is able to earn good money. A laser engraver is a good basis for realizing creative ideas; its versatility and productivity always pleasantly surprise craftsmen.

Assembling a CNC laser machine with your own hands

In this post we will tell you a story about how to build a CNC laser machine with your own hands, which one of our subscribers told us.

Preface

A couple of months ago I was looking through entries from a competition where I saw some pretty cool engraving machines and I thought, “Why don’t I make my own?” And so I did, but I didn’t want to copy someone else’s project, I wanted to make my own unique CNC machine with my own hands. And that's how my story began

Specifications

This laser engraver is equipped with a 1.8W 445nm laser module, of course, this is nothing compared to industrial laser cutters that use lasers over 50W. But this laser will be enough for us.

It can cut paper and cardboard, and can engrave all kinds of wood or plywood products. I haven't tested other materials yet, but I'm sure it can engrave on many other surfaces.

I’ll go ahead and say that it has a large working field measuring about 500x380 mm.

Who can make such a laser machine? Everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are an engineer, a lawyer, a teacher or a student like me! All you need is patience and a great desire to get a really high-quality machine.

It took me about three months to design and build this engraving machine, including about a month of waiting for parts. Of course, this kind of work can be done faster, but I am only 16 years old, so I could only work on weekends.

Required materials for assembly

It's clear that you can't make a laser engraver without the right parts, so I've put together a specification sheet with almost everything you need to make one.

Almost all parts are purchased from Aliexpress because it is cheap and there is free shipping on most items. Other parts such as machined rods and MDF sheets (can be made from plywood) were purchased from a local hardware store.

The laser and laser driver were ordered from ebay.
I tried to find the lowest prices for all parts (not including shipping).

Source: https://VseOChpu.ru/lazernyj-stanok-svoimi-rukami/