Glowforge Pro review: Laser cutting and engraving for serious makers and small businesses

3D printing and its industrial additive manufacturing equivalent have been widely covered on ZDNET and in the media in general. Prices range from a few hundred dollars to seven-figure amounts, and materials such as different types of plastics, resins, metals, and even concrete are used.

Also: This 3D printing system turns waste sawdust into stunning wooden lamps and guitars.

Another class of device that spans the spectrum from hobbyist to industrial applications is the CNC laser cutter/engraver. It can also etch designs and cut out shapes on a variety of materials such as plastic, leather, wood, metal and glass. Some of them can be assembled into 3D objects. That’s why Glowforge calls their device a “3D laser printer.”

Founded in 2014, Glowforge raised a record $27.9 million in a 30-day crowdfunding campaign the following October and launched its final product range in April 2018. 3 models, different combinations of laser power, performance and maximum “print” size. Glowforge Basic is $3,995, the Plus model is $4,995, and the Pro version is $6,995. The company later announced the availability of the product line in the UK (pricing is a direct dollar-to-pound conversion) – so here at ZDNET UK review bench (OK, my home office) there’s a Pro model exists.

design

Glowforge Pro measures 116.8cm x 71.1cm x 35.5cm (46″ x 28″ x 14″) and weighs 32kg (70lbs) in a well protected and bulky box. The device inside is 96.5cm wide, 52.7cm deep and 21cm high (38” x 20.75” x 8.25”) and weighs 25kg (55lb), definitely two people can lift it. If you plan to use the Pro’s pass-through slots to accommodate larger substrates, you’ll need a sturdy desk or table with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of clearance on all sides and fairly wide front to back.

All three models accept substrates up to 20.4 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 2 inches thick, with a maximum printable area of ​​approximately 11 inches. Up to 19.5 inches. The Pro’s pass-through slot accepts 20-inch wide, 1/4-inch thick substrates of unlimited length. Print 10 inches at a time, then slide the substrate into the slot to process the next section.

review: 3018 Pro CNC: This tiny, sub-$150 CNC is surprisingly fun and useful

Glowforge comes with an accessory pack that includes a black metal crumb tray in the printer’s bed. This tray sits on the printer bed to collect debris. An exhaust hose secures the exhaust port on the back of the device and features a starter pack of Proofgrade material. There was a selection of wood and MDF, some acrylic and some leather. Included.

When purchasing third-party materials, you should check CO2 laser compatibility and ensure correct settings. The Glowforge community can help resolve this issue and many others.

There are two options for dealing with dust and odors coming from exhaust hoses. One way is to run the hose out through the window or window vent, and the other way is to attach it to the optional exhaust hose. air filter unitThe latter is heavier both in terms of weight (22 kg/48 lbs) and cost ($1295). $250 Replacement Filter CartridgeEstimated cartridge life depends on what you print and for how long.

The Glowforge Pro looks like a big printer with a white molded plastic case, glass top and lid with a camera underneath. Opening the lid reveals a rail-mounted laser tube/arm/printer head mechanism and a crumb tray. on the floor of the device.

It has a front door that pulls down for easy access to the interior and has pass-through slots for large materials on the front and back (Pro model only). The back has the power input, on/off switch, and exhaust connections. Facing the front, there is a large circular button on the top right hand side that, when pressed, will flash white to indicate that Glowforge is ready to print.

Setup and features

With Glowforge out of the box and the various elements in place (printer head, crumb tray, exhaust hose), turn it on and wait for the buttons to glow teal. This means the printer’s temporary Wi-Fi access point is ready to connect to your computer (or phone) to complete the setup. Do this from setup.glowforge.com and sign in using the email and password you used during the ordering process. After you have calibrated the print head, you can reconnect to your normal Wi-Fi network. Wi-Fi is the only connection method between your computer and Glowforge. Internet connection is required for the printing process, regardless of the cable.

The project is ready for printing with the Glowforge web app (https://app.glowforge.com) which can import bitmaps (JPG, PNG) and vector files (SVG, PDF). This app Glow Forge Premium You can subscribe to our catalog of free and paid designs and create your own projects from scratch using graphics, shapes, and text in different clipart styles in different fonts.

Glowforge Premium isn’t cheap as the name suggests. $50/month. If you’re confident using vector graphics software like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator, you may not need Glowforge Premium. But the tools (especially the auto-outlining feature), artwork, and fonts are useful. Other premium benefits include processing print designs on faster cloud-based servers, unlimited cloud storage for your designs, and early access to experimental features.

You can also draw or write on paper to make prints, place them on the device’s bed, and convert them to digital files with the lid’s camera. This digital file can be manipulated in various ways in the web app.

Glowforge Pro uses a CO2 laser tube that operates at 10,600nm and averages 45W (Plus and Basic models use a lower powered 40W laser), and an X/Y axis motor drives the laser to 1,000dpi You can engrave at a resolution of You can score (draw lines at low power) and engrave in multiple passes, varying the laser power between pixels to achieve different levels of darkness. The laser can also cut material up to 0.5 inches (1.2 cm) thick, with speeds depending on the material and its thickness.

Metal cannot be cut because it requires laser power levels beyond what is possible with desktop devices. However, it can cut wood, fabric, leather, paper, acrylic, mylar, rubber, and more. All of these materials can also be engraved along with glass, coated metal, marble, anodized aluminum and titanium. So, we can etch your name or design onto any cell phone, tablet, laptop, etc. that is 2 inches thick or less, depending on your needs.

Ease of use and performance

We tested Glowforge Pro by engraving photos and scans onto a variety of proof grade materials. I also made a headphone stand out of MDF and etched the old ZDNET logo on the back of the iPad.

None of these projects had any major problems. The web app has an easy interface and gives good feedback on what stage of the process is going on. Print time depends on content size and detail level, engraving or cutting, and output resolution. Photos are draft or HD. Graphics can be Draft, SD, or HD, and there is a 3D Engrave option (for certain materials) to engrave with additional depth (this requires a heightmap image file). For complex engravings, removing the protective layer after printing can be tedious, but worth the effort. If you remove the protective layer before printing, you run the risk of leaving an unsightly burn mark.

When Glowforge is running, especially with the air filter, there are two fans spinning that make a lot of noise. The amount of noise and residual odor depends on what is printed and the material on which it is printed. We tested Glowforge in a small terraced home office, but its preferred habitat is probably a spacious workshop where annoyance of family and neighbors isn’t an issue.

Conclusion

The top-of-the-line Glowforge Pro setup we tested, with an air filter unit, doesn’t come cheap at $6,995. Official his Proofgrade material is also sold at a premium price.

More affordable third-party materials are available online and in retail stores, but it is up to the customer to determine laser compatibility and apply the correct settings in the web app. Then there’s the Glowforge Premium subscription if you want it.

If you’re prepared to vent the exhaust through a window rather than using an air filter, drop to a 40W laser with slower engraving and cutting speeds, forgo enhanced cooling and a pass-through slot, and your spending will drop to $4,995. Plus model — a significant savings of $3,295 over the Pro+air filter price tag. If you don’t mind the slower engraving speed and half the warranty, $3,995 for the Basic model looks pretty attractive.

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glow forge model	Professional	plus	Basic
CDRH classification	class 4	class 1	class 1
laser power	45W	40W	40W
guarantee	12 months	12 months	6 months
Upgraded hardware (faster)	yes	yes	number
engraving speed	3 times	2 times	1x
cut speed	1.2 times	1x	1x
enhanced cooling	yes	number	number
pass-through slot	yes	number	number
price	$6,995	$4,995	$3,995

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I found the Glowforge Pro to be a device worth using. It’s easy to set up, engrave, and cut a wide variety of materials, and use cases are more limited by the creative abilities of the user than by the flaws of the machine itself.

Safety must be taken into consideration, especially when using third-party materials. And even when the exhaust hose is set up properly, you still have to deal with noise and odor issues when printing. You’ll also need plenty of room to accommodate this large device, especially if you use the Pro’s pass-through slot.

You don’t have to spend $4-7,000 on a laser cutter/engraver. The (less capable) product is available for as little as $500 or less. We’re looking at the mid-range here, but above Glowforge’s offerings are industrial-level devices that cost significantly more.

The Glowforge Pro is a great choice for wealthy hobbyists and crafters, but the Plus and Basic models offer a more affordable route into the world of laser cutting and engraving.Glowforge isn’t just for hobbyists . Many users run profitable small businesses by selling the projects they create on these versatile machines.