The laser features they’re boasting are cool, but this project is definitely proving that industrial design isn’t easy. It’s a 5w UV laser, I really have no idea what that works out to in terms of comparing to a CO2 laser.
It’s funny how they call it a “cold” laser. marketing nonsense.
Cool! Get one and report back!
I’ll admit, this caused me to spend some 15 minutes trying to find out how it’s done and WHY they claim they’re the only ones capable of it.
I’ve never paid much attention to all the laser jargon… CO2, Diode, Infrared, Utraviolet, Fiber.
The Kickstarter copy says this is only achievable because their “UV” laser fires at a 355nanometer wavelength.Maybe this allows for more focusing leeway as it claims not to affect acrylic surface but engraves past it’s depth inside the material.
Further googling points out how Diode lasers are poor cutters and engravers of clear acrylic. Further googling points out Diode lasers are capable of putting out wavelengths from a (visible?) 400nm into the 1550nm infrared range.
A fiber laser pews at 1064nm
Our big-boy Glowforges apparently do 10600nm — and it’s CO2 lasers that AI is claiming cuts and engraves best on clear acrylic.
The early-bird $3800 pricetag is a bit rich for my blood for the chance to be first to discover any major downfalls 355nm brings. Kinda reminds me of the promises of a certain “3D Laser Printer’s” ability to easily make 3D relief engravings. 
cough
The one that’s piqued my interest in the past month has been the xTool F2 Ultra. Strength of a MOPA Fiber Laser to actually cut through or engrave metal. Controllable frequency to do color engraving on stainless steel. Heightmap relief engraving to fabricate brass coins is mesmerizing. Other demos also show it working with accessories like rotary attachments (tumblers, rings, etc) and a conveyor belt.
Only just needing to figure out how much of my liver I can sell…. They grow back, don’t they? Great, now I gotta google that too..
pass along your contact for the market you find, too. lol
We could all use a little help right now haha
Mr Carve’s M7 doesn’t seem to be the only game in town. ComMarker’s got one to show off too
Here again they mention it being a “cold” laser.. and the thing to glean from that is these 355nm Lasers aren’t doing as much incinerating (??). Lasering on wood appears to leave very little of the charring we’ve come to expect. I’d need to see many more unadulterated examples across different material to get a better sense of the machine.
I can also see circumstances where I WANT to leave a dark mark…. Engraving the inside of a gold ring, for example.
Both offerings seem to sport software that’s half-baked; very much a work-in-progress. If a lifetime of buying tech has taught us anything, the 3rd or 4th iteration will offer more power, more speed, more capability, more features and/or possibly a lower price. It’ll arrive next summer. 
Forgot I came across this video years ago on SubSurface Engraving:
If you watch nothing else today, make it this one.. EXCEPTIONALLY good video covering the differences between UV Laser (355nm) and Fiber Laser.
Days before watching this, it became apparent that if they rolled out a successor to the xTool F2 Ultra (currently MOPA Fiber + Diode) by kicking relatively useless (to me) Diode Laser off the island and rolled a MOPA Fiber + UV Laser (xTool F3 Ultra??) you’ll find me at the side of a highway…..
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That should be an Adobe sign..
Oops, wrong thread!
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