FLUX Beamo Review: An Easy and Compact CO2 Laser Cutter/Engraver

Ever since I saw a CO2 laser cutter in action at a maker space I visited, I always wanted to have one for my own workshop. The ability to cleanly cut and engrave materials with laser precision has all kinds of uses, from cutting out flat-pack models and puzzles, to adding logos and personalization to objects. But most of the more capable CO2 laser cutters on the market are expensive, difficult to use, and take up a lot of space.

The folks at FLUX aim to change that with their Beamo, a laser cutter/engraver that’s small enough to fit on a desktop, yet is powerful and versatile enough for pro-quality work. It’s also well-priced, with early bird orders on Kickstarter going for as little as $849. FLUX has a strong track record with its crowdfunded projects, having previously delivered on its well-rated Delta+ 3D printer.

Measuring in at 24.21″ (w) x 17.52″ (d) x 6.97″ (h), and weighing 48.5 pounds, the Beamo is equipped with a 30-watt CO2 laser, which basically zaps high voltage across a glass tube filled with CO2 gas, producing a powerful beam from the end of its tube. The beam is then reflected using mirrors, and crisply focused using a lens, which narrows the beam down to about 0.2mm. The Beamo’s resolution is roughly 1000 dpi, and it can engrave at speeds up to 300 mm per second.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a pre-production Beamo, and I have to say that I’m very impressed. It took no time to get it set up and connected to my network, and within 10 minutes of opening the box, I had my first completed piece. Everything comes pre-assembled in the box – all you need to do is connect the Wi-Fi antenna (or an Ethernet cable), attach the vent hose to the back of the printer, and plug it in. You’ll definitely want to run that vent hose to a window, as it’s important to keep the fumes in your space to a minimum.

The Beamo can engrave a variety of different materials, including wood, cardboard, fabric, glass, acrylic, leather, stone, tile, and more. Cutting is limited to cardboard, paper, wood, acrylic, and other similar lightweight materials, with maximum thicknesses between 3mm and 5mm. There’s enough room inside the machine to handle objects up to 11.81″ by 8.27″ (300 x 210 mm), and as tall as 1.77″ (45 mm.)

Preparing for a cutting or engraving job is as simple as placing your object on the ventilated surface, flipping down the plastic calibration clip on the head unit, then loosening the knurled knob on the laser head and adjusting it to the height of the object. This ensures a sharp beam focus. This manual adjustment process is easy and takes only a couple of seconds, though buyers can opt for an autofocus module, which also enables slightly deeper cuts in woods (up to 7mm.) That tool is currently bundled with a rotary module, which allows for engraving on curved surfaces, such as drinking glasses.

Working with the Beamo Studio desktop application is quite easy. It works on both Mac OS and Windows (I used the Mac version), and provides an intuitive interface for setting up your artwork. Since the Beamo has a built-in camera, you first use the Camera tool to preview your work piece, then you can start arranging your digital cutting files. The app works with SVG and DXF vector files, as well as JPG and PNG bitmap art. Vector files generally produce sharper images, but with a high enough resolution bitmap, the Beamo does just fine too.

The software comes with presets for a variety of materials and job types, and you can create multi-layered jobs with different settings. For instance, you could import one layer with sharp vector lines, another layer with a bitmap shading, and yet another layer, and set it to cut an outline. This way you can create complicated objects in a single pass. FLUX also plans on releasing a mobile app which will allow users to snap photos, place them using the Beamo’s camera, then send them for output, but it hasn’t been released for review as of yet.

 

The Beamo made quick and precise work of the wood, paper, mirrored glass, and leather that I tested with, though the irregularities of leather cause some blurring that you don’t get in flatter and smoother materials like wood. For materials not listed, you might have to experiment on some scrap to get the power, speed, and repetition settings right. Be sure to avoid using certain plastics, foams, and adhesives with a laser cutter, as it can create toxic fumes or damage the machine.  Render times can vary dramatically depending on the material and complexity of job you’re outputting. Smaller jobs can take as little as a minute, while the most complex images I tested with took 20 minutes or so.

I cannot recommend the FLUX Beamo highly enough. It brings the power of CO2 laser cutting and engraving down to a size and price that many more people can afford, and unlike some crowdfunding projects, the hardware and software is ready for primetime. The Kickstarter campaign for the Beamo is running through Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 11:00 am Central Time, so if you want to get in on one of the earlier units and pre-release pricing as low as $849, now is the time.

For those looking for a larger work area, FLUX is also readying the Beambox, which can work with objects as large as 15.7″ x 14.7″, and cuts material up to 10mm thick. That model is quite a bit more expensive, though, with prices starting at $2499.

Shaper’s AR-equipped Origin power cutter is going on sale for $2,500

If you've been itching to add AR to your DIY with a handheld CNC, you'll be happy to know that Shaper's Origin augmented reality power cutter will once again be available for purchase. Originally launched in 2016, Origin scans visual markers and then...

Othermill Pro Etches, Mills, and Prototypes Precise Circuit Boards on Your Desktop

It wasn’t long ago that if you wanted to create precise circuit board prototypes, you’d have to send them out to a shop to be made. That approach isn’t exactly conducive to fostering creativity, and limits engineers’ willingness to experiment. Fortunately, there’s a new technology that lets you fabricate your own circuit boards on your desktop, saving time, money, and providing the freedom to try things you might not have otherwise attempted.

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Other Machine Co.’s OtherMill Pro is an impressive piece of desktop CNC equipment that not only makes quick work of creating circuit boards, but is a versatile 3-axis milling and etching machine as well. This makes it ideal for design and engineering teams who might want to prototype both circuit boards and small parts that fit within its 5.5 ” x 4.5″ x 1.35″ (140mm x 114mm x 34.3mm) working volume.

Weighing in at just 17 pounds, the OtherMill Pro easily fits just about anywhere, and is fully enclosed, keeping dust from getting out, and reducing noise made by the milling process. It’s capable of taking printed circuit boards quickly and easily, using the same .brd or Gerber files used for production boards, eliminating production surprises. The OtherMill Pro is extremely precise, etching out traces as narrow as 6 mil (0.006″), and is precise enough to reliably produce double-sided circuit boards.

When it comes to milling parts, the machine’s resolution is an impressive 0.001″. It’s also extremely fast compared to other desktop milling machines, with a maximum coverage of 100 inches per minute, and a top spindle speed of 26,000 RPM – extremely impressive for a machine at this price point. A typical PCB can be output in about 20 minutes.

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The versatility of the OtherMill Pro cannot be understated. Its collet can hold any 1/8″ shaft industrial bit, and can carve through a wide variety of materials, including wood, wax, plastic, linoleum, foam, brass, or anything else as with the softness of aluminum or softer. This makes it perfect for prototyping objects using materials that aren’t possible to use in 3D printing, and the objects it can produce have a more finished appearance too. Here’s a small sampling of objects produced using parts made with the OtherMill Pro:

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Using the OtherMill Pro is remarkably easy. For etching or milling projects, you can start with vector designs from Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator, then load them into Autodesk Fusion 360 to prepare your job and generate a GCode file specifically for the OtherMill Pro. Other’s own OtherPlan software is responsible for actually controlling the output to the machine, which connects via a USB cable. Once your design is ready, simply place your material on the bed using strong, yet removable tape (Other recommends using Nitto double-sided tape), or clamping it in place. A simple command tells the tool to find its home location, and then it’s automatically calibrated, and you can begin rendering your object immediately.

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Whether you’re an engineer, product designer, school shop teacher, or work-at-home craft artist, the OtherMill Pro looks like a great addition to your set of tools. It’s available for pre-0rder now (currently with an 8 week lead time). The base unit sells for $3,199 (USD), including a starter tool set, while a $3,999 advanced bundle includes a precision fixturing and clamping set, as well as a high-precision tool collet.

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MotionKit Teaches Computerized Motion: CNC Jane Run

CNC machines have been around for decades, but the past few years have seen the rise of CNC machines for small-scale or personal use. If you’re interested in learning how exactly these machines work, check out MotionKit.

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MotionKit is an affordable platform that aims to teach CNC in both theory and practice. The hardware kit comes with all the parts you need to build a 2-axis CNC machine.

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The heart of the kit is the Motion Block, a multipurpose part that makes it less confusing to build a CNC machine while keeping the kit versatile.

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MotionKit will provide lessons on its website to help newbies get started and make the most out of the hardware.

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Pledge at least $179 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a MotionKit hardware kit as a reward, as well as lifetime access to the virtual classroom. You can also pledge at least $79 to get just the Motion Blocks as a reward.

Makerarm Industrial Robotic Arm: One Stop & One Armed Shop

Last month we featured the Dobot, a precise robotic arm that can plot, laser engrave and pick and place objects. But if you’re looking for something even more versatile, the Makerarm might be for you. It can also draw, use a laser head and assemble objects, but you can also use it as a 3D printer, a PCB fabricator, a soldering station and even a screwdriver.

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As you may have guessed the Makerarm has a modular tooling system that lets it transform from one type of machine to another.

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Its arm can rotate up to 180º and its reach is 15.7″ long, 31.4″ wide and 10″ high. You can also make two Makerarm units to work as one.

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Pledge at least $1399 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Makerarm, a universal tool head, a pen plotter, an electromagnetic pick & place head plus one more tool head of your choice as a reward.

[via GeekDad]

Glowforge Laser Cutter: Make-A-Sketch

“What if you could cut a piece of wood in half by drawing a line on it?”, Glowforge Founder and CEO Dan Shapiro asks in his interview with Tested. That’s the elevator pitch for his company’s eponymous machine: A nearly idiot proof CNC laser cutter and engraver. If you know how to use a pencil and a smartphone, then you know how to operate Glowforge.

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Glowforge uses a 40W carbon dioxide laser to engrave and cut (and someday even carve) a variety of materials, from acrylic to chocolate. But you already knew that. What Glowforge does differently is its vision-based and cloud-powered software. All you have to do is use a web app to drag-and-drop your design(s) over an image of your material(s) as they sit on the machine’s 12″x 20″ work area.

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You can choose from material-based presets for the laser’s settings or input and save your own. And yes, Glowforge also has a trace mode where instead of using a template file, you’ll just sketch on the material itself and Glowforge will cut over the sketch.

Glowforge works with a variety of image files and software, including AutoCAD, Inkscape, Illustrator and PhotoShop. To sustain its user-friendly approach, Glowforge will also set up an online marketplace where you can download both free and paid templates and instructions for making a variety of objects.

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Here’s Tested’s interview with Dan. You can skip to around 10:57 if you want to see Glowforge’s production version in action.

You can pre-order Glowforge on the company’s website. The basic version costs $1,995 (USD) while the one with an air filter costs $2,495. There’s also a $4,495 Pro model that has a 45W laser and better optics, a passthrough slot and software that lets you work on items of indefinite length and an improved cooling system.

[via Tested]

Using Disk Drives and 3D Printers as MIDI Musical Instruments

We’ve seen floppy drives and hard drives used to make music, but laurens.weyn’s Unconventional Instrument Orchestra can use “pretty much anything with steppers, or anything that makes noise on a signal pulse as percussion.” That includes hard drives, and floppy drives along with 3D printers, CNC machines and even doorbells.

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While it’s fun to watch the hardware play, laurens.weyn admits that the real star of his project is the Java program that he wrote. “This program was by far what took the most effort in this project, as it has to parse MIDI files, make adjustments through an interface, and send instructions to the various instruments to play their parts while providing a synthesia-style music visualisation in real time.” The orchestra is run by a PC and a Fubarino SD; the latter is needed to control floppy drives and hard disk drives.

Laurens.weyn knows what you’re thinking. “Do you think YOU’RE tired of hearing this song? Do you know how many attempts this took to get working? Too many!” Check out his Hack A Day post for more on his project. You can see more of the Unconventional Instrument Orchestra’s performances on his YouTube page.

[via Hack A Day]

Tooli 4-in-1 Desktop CNC Machine: Draw It, Cut It, Paint It, Engrave, Dispense, Pick & Place It

Last year, we featured the Nomad, a desktop CNC mill. Toolbotics’ Tooli is also a desktop CNC machine, but it’s meant for arts and crafts. Its four optional heads lets you automate a variety of tasks, from drawing to assembling small items.

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Tooli’s plotter head lets you draw with pens or markers as well as cut with its knife. Its airbrush head lets you paint or trace, though you’ll need to supply the compressed air. It can even create multicolored spray paints. It also has a laser head for engraving or cutting thin materials. Finally it has a dispenser for viscous liquids. Pair the dispenser with a compressed air system and it turns into a pick and place machine, that doubles as an automated rubber stamper.

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Tooli’s scalable frame lets you change its coverage area just by swapping out a few components. Its control panel has an SD slot, a touchscreen and relatively straightforward interface so you can use it without a PC, assuming you’ve loaded the G-code compatible files on an SD card. Alternatively, you can connect the Tooli to a computer via USB. Toolbotics made a custom program called Art2Gcode that will process and prepare SVG files for use with Tooli.

Pledge at least ~$1050 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a Tooli kit as a reward. Note that the four heads are not included in all Tooli kit rewards, so check out the tiers carefully before you pledge. You’ll need to spend $1800 to $2000 if you want a kit with all four heads.

[via Digital Trends]

UberBlox Modular System Lets You Make 3D Printers, Robots and More: Makerstorms

UberBlox Systems has designed the industrial equivalent of LEGO Mindstorms. Uberblox lets you make machines such as 3D printers, CNC mills and robots using modular parts and controllers that are based on Arduino or Raspberry Pi.

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The magic of UberBlox lies in its aluminum nodes, bars and connectors. Like LEGO pieces, these allow you to make structures with a variety of shapes, sizes and parts. You don’t need to weld or use adhesive on these pieces; all you need is to screw them to each other.

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Not only does this system make construction simple, it also makes it insanely flexible. You can easily break down and reuse your UberBlox parts for another project. The same goes with the Brain Box controllers.

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Much like Mindstorms, UberBlox will also have specialized parts that are required for popular machines. In this case UberBlox will launch with heads and BrainBoxes that will let you make CNC machines, 3D printers and laser cutters or engravers. But you’ll be able to add off-the-shelf parts as well using nodes. UberBlox Systems says it will also release the 3D files of its connectors and bars for further customization. Just keep in mind that if you print or modify the company’s nodes and connectors you can use those modded parts only for non-commercial purposes.

Pledge at least $99 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive an UberBlox kit as a reward. Be sure to inspect the reward tiers carefully to see which kit is the best for you.

[via Digital Trends]