CNC LASER ENGRAVER
About This Project
I took on this personal project since I am really interested in CNC electro-mechanical systems. I wanted to challenge myself to design and build a highly cost-effective manufacturing tool that I could use in future projects. It also allowed me to create a cool gift for my friend.
Design Requirements
Low cost (<$400 CAD)
Must be capable of creating fine-line, micro-art, and gray-scaled images
Minimum engraving area of 200mm x 200mm
Utilize as much FDM PLA printed parts as possible
Notable Engineering Decisions
Calculated an appropriate Y-axis mounting plate support length to ensure the Y-axis deflection would be limited to <0.5mm
Developed a simple and efficient tensioning mechanism for the X and Y GT2 belts, utilizes the teeth on the belts themselves to hold the belts under tension.
Final Product
The final product was able to produce grey-scaled, fine-line, and micro-art images with 98% accuracy.
The engraver in total spanned a final range of 200 mm x 200 mm, and I was able to remain within budget.
Additionally, I was able to create the gift for my friend. I included an image of the gift, this engraving took over 15 hours!