Since the arrival of powerful diode lasers to mass market a few short years ago, the potential to outfit a 3D printer or CNC machine with a laser cutting tool head as powerful and efficient a CO2 or fiber laser has been a very real possibility.
The benefits of this newly commercially available technology for the home user are clear. Not only are laser diodes lightweight and small, often are capable of cutting and engraving a wide array of materials including wood, leather, plastic, anodized Aluminum and even stainless steel.
Combining a compact form factor with versatility, the laser diode makes for an excellent aftermarket laser engraving and cutting tool to augment 3D printers and CNC machines.
Luckily for 3D printer geeks, makers and enthusiasts — Endurance has opened an all-new user-friendly online store for all your laser engraving and cutting needs.
Head on over to endurance-lasers.com, where you can take advantage of deep limited-time discounts. Better hurry — stock is limited. Offer valid until October 30, 2018.
What Exactly is a Laser Diode as a Printer Add-On?
Laid bare, a laser diode as an attachment for a 3D printer or CNC machine is composed of three things: the laser diode itself, a heatsink to keep it cool and running efficiently, and a laser driver to control the laser’s power via commands relayed through a TTL cable.
Particularly important to the whole getup is the heatsink. The laser diode typically sits at a little under 10mm in size, generating some 25 watts of heat when in operation. Should the temperature of the diode exceed 60 degrees Celsius, it is possible that the crystal inside will degrade. Only with an effective heatsink can you control the diode’s temperature and ensure that the heat generated is properly dissipated.
The laser driver is equally crucial in maintaining consistent and reliable performance. Stabilizing the current and voltage, a high-quality driver enables the laser to work continuously without overclocking and causing overheating.
Endurance 10W Diode Laser Add-Ons for 3D Printers and CNC Machines
Endurance’s range-topping 10-watt and 10-watt+ diode lasers are the ideal choices for high-powered laser engraving and cutting needs.
The beating heart of these high-power lasers is a NICHIA diode — a company first. Requiring four fans alone to keep the laser cool, accommodating this new tech led to a design evolution with Endurance shedding the two heatsink design of old to create a single larger heatsink that provides a better air-flow.
Each and every laser built by Endurance is capable of up to 72 hours of continuous operation and has a rated power output of 10,000mW (+/-5%).
Considered high-power for a desktop laser engraving solution, Endurance’s 10W laser 3D printer add-on allows for the fast engraving of a diverse array of materials including stainless steel, brass, copper, anodized Aluminum, glass, stone, and ceramics.
For “softer” materials like wood and plywood up to 5mm thick, a single pass of the Endurance 10W laser is all that’s needed to cut clean through. The same goes for acrylic up to 5mm thick.
Added versatility for the Endurance 10W laser can be found in the ability to outfit both G2 and 3-element lenses, allowing for maximal (but less focused) power and cleaner (but weaker) cutting applications.
Endurance 10-watt+: Off-board Control, Better Cooling
The latest innovation of Endurance is the 10-watt+ “Invincible Plus” laser, which improves upon the standard 10-watt laser in a number of ways. Most notably, the 10 watt+ features a laser control box, offering numerous improvements over the laser control board of the 10-watt laser.
Allowing for the live monitoring of the laser diode’s temperature, voltage and current, the new laser control box also protects the laser diode from unexpected voltage jumps.
Additional improvements come in a nifty new polished Aluminum housing, a TEC air cooling system as an additional safeguard against the diode overheating, and a large focusing ring for easily honing the lasers spot on the material.
George Fomitchev, the founder of Endurance, welcomes questions via the following channels:
Email: gf@EnduranceRobots.com
Facebook messenger: @george.fomitchev
SMS, WhatsApp, Viber: +7.916.225.4302
Google Hangouts: gfomitchev@gmail.com
Telegram: @georgefomitchev
Skype: george.fomitchev
KIK: @endurancelasers
LinkedIn: @georgefomitchev
E-mail: gf@EnduranceRobots.com
US Phone number: +1.239.305.00.53
License: The text of "Augment Your 3D Printer with an Endurance 10W+ Diode Laser Add-on" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.