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Laser engraving machine (Producing Laser Engraving Machine by Using

Wasted CD-Drive or Printer)
by 344185151 on June 17, 2014

Table of Contents
Laser engraving machine (Producing Laser Engraving Machine by Using Wasted CD-Drive or Printer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Laser engraving machine (Producing Laser Engraving Machine by Using Wasted CD-Drive or Printer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Demo Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: (first generation) Using the CD-ROM production -- get laser and stepper motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: (first generation) Assemble the circuits and the drive frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: (first generation) The design and improvement of machine frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 5: (first generation) The design sheet of machine frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 6: (second generation) Dissemble printers take the cam block and the motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Step 7: (second generation) My second-generation product using a discarded printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Step 8: Engraving software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 9: Final products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Step 10: Using the laser engraving machine and electrical etching to engrave metallic material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Step 11: Using laser engraving machine to engrave all kinds of stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Intro: Laser engraving machine (Producing Laser Engraving Machine by Using Wasted CD-Drive or Printer)
Are you still worried about what gifts are best suited for your friends? Do you want to choose something creative to express your sincere wishes? With the advancement
of the economy, higher requirements on presents become more necessary. Gifts with innovative ideas are coming into our sights.
Some people want to print their favourite pictures or cartoon characters on some small ornaments. People who are keen about DIY wish to make pcb at home to make
their own electronic works. Based on these requirements, I sprouted the idea of making a laser-engraving machine. The machine is made from discarded materials,
which saves the money and put the concept of recycling resources into practice as well. However, the first generation of laser-engraving machine can only satisfy the
want of printing pictures. Thus, I expand the framework in my second version and propose the innovative method of circuit-board-etching in order to broaden the uses of
the machine.
The machine is basically made from unwanted materials that you can easily find in second-hand markets. I use the old CD driver and printer to make this machine and it
is shown later in my article.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 1: Demo Video

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNzEzMDg4OTcy.html
This is a demonstration of the process of carving

Step 2: (first generation) Using the CD-ROM production -- get laser and stepper motor
I took two wasted CD-drives apart because we need the steppers and lasers from them.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 3: (first generation) Assemble the circuits and the drive frames
This is my first-generation product, using the wasted CD drives and Arduino.
Lets start assembling! This is the specific making process: solder the circuit board by Arduino Nano and a4988 stepper driver; use the waste wood slats and the
disassembled drives stepping motors. Wood is not only easy for making changes, even with a saw or utility knife, but also environment-friendly. Always remember to
keep the stepping motors on the x and y axes perpendicular to avoid printing crooked or skewed pictures.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 4: (first generation) The design and improvement of machine frame

Here is the process of designing and optimizing the machine frame, though many of my attempts failed. But these trials were to let more people make simple and
interesting laser engraving machines using their discarded CD drives more conveniently and economically. I will attach a design sheet in the next section.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 5: (first generation) The design sheet of machine frame

Below is my design sheet of the optimized machine frame. There are 3 different designs.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 6: (second generation) Dissemble printers take the cam block and the motor
The inkjet printers we usually use are very cheap only about 300-500 RMB. But replacing a print head costs a few hundred. Therefore, there are many unusable inkjet
printers around us because of the print head clogging. So I took the cam block from the discarded inkjet printer (picture 2), belt (picture 3) and the motor (picture 4 and 5)
to make the second-generation machine.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 7: (second generation) My second-generation product using a discarded printer

Because I was the only one making this machine, I did not keep that many pictures of the making process when I made the second-generation one. This one was made
from a wasted printer and discarded acrylics with the same controlled circuits from the first generation, but it has a bigger machine frame and motor, which enables it to
print bigger things.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 8: Engraving software

In order to enable more people to make their own engraving machines, I created specially-made engraving software. No virus! You can download it freely. But the antivirus software might report the virus probably because it was written on one's own (QQ328993914 Publisher)

File Downloads

grbl ????.rar (780 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'grbl ????.rar']

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 9: Final products

The machine can engrave many things like plastic, wood, paper, etc.
In the first picture, it is printing pictures on a piece of paper. Compared to a printer, it has no requirement for the papers size, shape or texture, and it is more convenient.
The second picture shows it printing on the wood. The third picture on the shell of a pen.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 10: Using the laser engraving machine and electrical etching to engrave metallic material
Besides wood and paper, with some etching techniques, this engraver could also engrave metals. It is also possible to engrave PCB circuits.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Step 11: Using laser engraving machine to engrave all kinds of stickers
It can also engrave patterns onto all kinds of stickers like wall posters, window decorations and stickers for light-switch decoration. This is the engraving process of one of
the stickers.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

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Comments
7 comments

Add Comment

angelhut says:

Mar 8, 2015. 12:25 PM REPLY

That is a Singapore $1 Coin. Are you studying in Singapore. Great work.

angelhut says:

Mar 8, 2015. 12:25 PM REPLY

That is a Singapore $1 Coin. Are you studying in Singapore. Great work.

Eldglay says:

Mar 8, 2015. 12:08 PM REPLY

Very good, could make a circuit tutorial PCB?

podvodnik777 says:

Mar 7, 2015. 3:27 AM REPLY

Hi. I can't download software.

Raitis says:

Mar 7, 2015. 12:35 AM REPLY

Hi, it's nice to see what you've done and I appreciate, but more details would be so great, especially since I'm looking into making a similar machine. :)
What is the power of the laser? What is the working surface size?

tobias.sobkowiak says:

Mar 6, 2015. 11:03 PM REPLY

very nice, but 3/11 could be more sPecific

fatmansat says:
Nice job

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-engraving-machine-Producing-Laser-Engraving-/

Mar 6, 2015. 2:45 PM REPLY