Engraving items with a laser-based system at home is amazingly convenient for one-off parts, but what happens when the production volume needs to increase? For element14 Presents host Clem Mayer, this usually meant preparing many uniform pieces of engraving stock, opening the laser’s enclosure, placing down the material, and then finally running the machine. In doing so, the process could introduce errors and was simply inefficient, leading Mayer to think of a way to automate things instead.
The limiting factor was mostly about how long it took to change the material, so Mayer got to work designing a carousel-like device that could house up to four sheets of stock and rotate each one into place after the previous one had finished. A stepper motor driven by a Trinamic TMC2100 was responsible for moving the drum while an Arduino UNO Rev3 received inputs from external switches and then sent pulses to the motor driver accordingly.
Once placed into the laser cutter’s enclosure, Mayer quickly discovered that his vertical drum design was too tall and interfered with the toolhead. This necessitated swapping the orientation to a flat disc where material could be positioned around a spinning turn table. The original spring-loaded clamps were also exchanged for a magnetic system that is strong yet easily removable.
To see more about this project, you can watch Mayer’s build log video below!
Have a trash bin full of leftover filament scraps and failed prints? Designer Agustin Flowalistik shows us how to recycle 3D printing waste by creating a Plastic Smoothie, which can be used in a laser cutter to create vibrant objects.
You know how the old saying goes… One manufacturing technology’s trash is another manufacturing technology’s treasure.
Well, at least that’s the case in the latest DIY project by Agustin Flowalistik. Looking for an easy and affordable way to recycle filament scraps and failed prints, the renowned designer came up with the idea to concoct a Plastic Smoothie.
While there are a variety of devices that allow you to recycle your 3D printing filament, Flowalistik’s latest method truly evokes the maker spirit. Using everyday kitchen appliances and laser cutting technology, you can create new objects with an endless array of colors.
After blending up all of your leftover filament into finely shredded plastic scraps, you’ll melt the colorful mess of plastic together in a mini oven. With this freshly baked sheet of recycled PLA, you can get creative using a laser cutter and a bit of vibrant imagination.
Here’s a brief overview on Flowalistik’s Plastic Smoothie project, which he recently shared on Instructables.
Plastic Smoothie: What Do You Need?
First and foremost, if you want to undertake the Plastic Smoothie project, you’re going to need an abundance of PLA filament scraps and failed prints to sacrifice. You’ll also need access to a laser cutter, which you can likely find at your local makerspace or FabLab. If you’re unfamiliar with laser cutting and want to learn more, be sure to check out our comprehensive overview on laser cutting technology.
Otherwise, there are still a few supplies needed before you start blending your Plastic Smoothie. Here’s the checklist for this DIY project:
There are a few tips and tricks that Flowalistik shares to make this project as affordable as possible. For starters, he recommends using an old blender if you have one handy. Obviously, once you start shredding plastic in it, you’re not going to want to use it for an actual smoothie afterwards.
When it comes to using failed 3D prints, you should break them down into small pieces before throwing them into the blender, reducing the damaged that the blades will incur. Additionally, due to the toxins in ABS and other material types, Flowalistik only used PLA filament for this project.
Plastic Smoothie: Putting it All Together
The first step to the Plastic Smoothie project is gathering and blending your leftover PLA. You can take this opportunity to decide which colors and textures you want to create. Once the recycled plastic is shredded up, you’ll lay it out on an oven tray and prepare to start baking. Flowalistik uses oven paper on the base of the tray, bending the corners to avoid any molten plastic from spilling over.
After experimenting a bit, the maker found that the most consistent results came about when melting medium and small plastic bits at 190-200 C for 20 – 25 minutes. Once the plastic scraps are melted together into a colorful sheet, you’ll need to remove it quickly and flatten it out in between the wood panels.
This pressing procedure has to be performed quickly, as the melted plastic will cool down quickly once it’s removed from the oven. Keep the oven paper on the plastic and add as much weight as you can onto the wood panels, and you’ll have a perfect sheet of recycled PLA.
Finally, Flowalistik uses an Epilog Laser Mini 18 40W laser cutter to cut the 3mm plastic panels. You can use the same settings as you would for a 3mm sheet of acrylic. The designer adds that he had to increase the power of the laser in order to make the engraving more apparent.
If you don’t have much experience with laser cutting, you might be wondering what you can make with this recycled plastic. Luckily, Flowalistik has shared a number of his own experimental models, including coasters, animal rings, spirographs, and a really impressive rocket ship.
You can learn more about the Plastic Smoothie project and the laser cutting process on Flowalistik’s Instructables post. If you want to continue supporting the designer and his intriguing projects, head on over to his Patreon page.
When creating a design or pattern for laser cutting, you can use either 2D or 3D design software. Laser cutters essentially function like an average 2D inkjet printer but come with drivers that allow the laser cutting machine follow specific designs. While these specific drivers are highly common in 2D design software, there is less support from 3D software.
Graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator and free drawing tools like AutoCAD are ideal 2D programs for laser cutting technology. But 3D software like Solidworks, Autodesk Inventor, and Autodesk Fusion can also be utilized to create certain types of designs and patterns.
As laser cutting becomes more accessible and affordable, we’ve seen a major shift in the consumer market. What was once a tool strictly for industrial purposes, you can now find laser cutters in schools, maker spaces, small businesses, and even homes. Here are a few of the most popular desktop laser cutter manufacturers on the market.
If you’re looking for a high quality laser cutting machine that can fit on your desktop, look no further than the Orion Motor Tech laser cutter. This compact machine offers an engraving/cutting area of 300 x 500mm. This laser cutting machine has a resolution ratio of 0.001 in 0.026mm/4500DPI, and operates at a maximum speed of 500mm/s while engraving and 80mm/s when cutting.
What set the Orion laser cutter apart from others is the user-friendliness and low price of around $450. The Orion laser engraver operates with a 50W water cooling laser tube and high-precision stepping motor. You can utilize a variety of materials, including plastic, leather, stone, crystal, and more. However, beware, if you decide to buy the Orion laser cutting machine, there are other components you will likely need alongside it. This includes a CO2 laser engraver, smoke pipe, smoke fan, water pump, power wire, USB cable, and USB dongle key.
Orion also offers a 40W CO2 laser cutter at a reduced price. You can check that out here.
Makeblock’s LaserBot is a desktop laser engraver developed on an open-source platform. This minimalistic home laser cutting machine is equipped with 1.6W 445nm high-power solid-state lasers. This is ideal for the tinkerer looking for a cheap laser cutting machine than can be fully adaptable.
The LaserBot includes a simple H-shaped structure made from high-precision anodized aluminum alloy. It is also Arduino compatible and can engrave up to 0.1mm. This laser cutting kit allows you to build up your machine, giving a first-hand look at the laser cutting process. Priced at around $350, this laser cutting kit is a bargain for makers with a fair amount of time on their hands.
This desktop laser cutter from CNCShop is for someone looking for a larger machine that isn’t afraid to pay a pretty penny for quality. This laser engraver and cutter is powered by a 130W CO2 sealed tube, and also comes with a USB interface. You can use a variety of materials with this laser cutter, including wood, leather, rubber, bamboo, plexiglass, marble, and more.
The CNCShop laser cutting machine has a maximum cutting size of 1400 x 900mm and a max speed of 1,000mm/s. While sizable, the laser cutting machine offers a position accuracy of 0.01mm. Additional parts can be added to modify the machine, such as red dot function, up-down worktable, autofocus, and more. However, this 400kg laser cutting machine will require a lot of space to operate, and therefore is best suited for a small business or ambitiously sized workshop. You can purchase the CNC Shop laser cutter for around $3,000.
Epilog has a vast product line consisting of different size laser cutters, from desktop to industrial. You can start off with their Zing Laser Series, which is their entry level desktop laser cutter range. The Zing 16 and Zing 24 are both considered low-cost and high-quality machines. The 16 is estimated to cost just under $8000. Find out more information on their massive range of laser cutter on the Epilog website.
Recognized as one of the most affordable laser cutting manufacturers, Full Spectrum can put a capable machine in your home or office for under $5,000. Hobbyists and makers would be intrigued by their Muse Laser Cutter (starting at $5,000) and Hobby Series Laser Cutter (starting at $3,500). Find out more information on their low-cost laser cutting machines on the Full Spectrum website.
Home/Desktop Laser Cutter #6: Chinese Imports
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind owning a product without a name brand, you might want to look into importing a desktop laser cutter from China. A quick search on eBay or Alibaba will net you a wide range of imported product. While you can probably find yourself a home laser cutting machine from China for less than $500, it’s definitely worth shelling out at least $1000 to ensure that you’re receiving an adequate machine. These are ideal for tech-savvy users who don’t mind upgrading and modding the night away. While the bundled software leaves much to be desired, the low price point makes it hard not to consider the option of importing from China.
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