Delta Laser Engraver

thingiverse

I needed a laser engraver, but didn't want to buy one to save space in my rental apartment. Instead, I've got a 5W solid-state laser module and installed it on my Delta Printer. Since my delta printer uses magnetic joints, I can swap between laser head and 3D printer head in a matter of seconds. This mount with a set of six countersunk magnets replaces the standard K800 magnetic effector (like the red one on picture). Magnetic Counter-Sinks You can find these on eBay. Laser Module 2.5W Best value for the money! You can find this on eBay. Laser Module 5W Faster and cleaner cuts of thicker materials! You can find this on eBay. TTL Input is a Must-Have Without TTL input, it will be harder to control laser exposure. Without TTL input, you can only vary the speed of laser trajectory. This might not be enough for some scenarios and hard to tune to the required level. Connecting TTL input to cooling fan output MOSFET, you can control laser power setting fan speed (M106 Sxxx and M107 G-code commands). Please refer to details on this page: https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/321987/convert-12vdc-fan-controller-output-to-ttl-signal-of-laser Don't Forget Protection Glasses For a blue laser, you need green-colored glasses. You can find these on eBay. Applications If you do home PCB DIY, the laser engraver is absolutely must-have thing for you. Because it helps to accomplish different stages of PCB manufacturing: At low power settings, you may use blue lasers to expose copper layer patterns directly to photo-resist film applied to copper clad. No need to print templates on clear plastic projector film and then struggle with variability of UV lamp distance and time of exposure. I also had to print two mirrored templates and precisely align them together, since having single layers of ink-jet ink were not enough to properly block UV light. Exposing photo-resist directly with laser can give you resolution of 1/10 mm or more (google for LaserWeb tool on GitHub). It is better when done by low-power lasers, they have nicer circular spots. LaserWeb Tool This is ideal for combining path routing and raster operations together (for traces and copper-pours respectively). Alternative Method If you still don't want to hustle with laminating photo-resist film to your copper clad and its development in caustic soda solution - you may skip these going slightly dirtier way, but still using a laser. Just spray paint your PCB with black acrylic paint and then burn the negative pattern with a laser at high-power settings. Cutting Plastic Films 2..5W lasers can cut plastic films that may be used as SMD-stencils to apply solder paste on PCB pads. To get clean cuts without curling of plastic, drop a white paper sheet on top of the plastic film and spray it with water. Wait for paper to soaked and swipe-off the excess water with a credit card (yeah, sorry, you need a credit card here). Water-soaked sheet of paper on top cools down the plastic edge immediately after laser slit through. Cutting Colored Acrylic and Plywood 2..5W lasers can cut colored acrylic and plywood. It can't do clear plexiglas for the very same reason of energy absorption vs its dissipation ratio. Update June 11, 2019 Attached an image with steps and diagrams to locate the G-pin of the FAN MOSFET to be used as TTL signal source. Download an image in original size to view the details.