I can feel the indentation after we laser it as a matter of fact ive had to remove the metal to get down to the level it engraved
No, thats marking.
Iām talking about ablating metals. We have an LPKF laser at work that is used to etch metal away. Its used for rapid prototyping circuit boards by etching away copper. Iāve used it to etch into Nickle plating as well to mark parts. It works amazing well. But, its definitely not a CO2 laser. I believe its a diode laser.
because we made a mistake in alignment
Since the ācameraā on the regular head apparently isnāt any more of a camera than the sensor of an optical mouse, it would be cool to be able to attach an imaging camera to the XY axes of a Glowforge.
Similar to a camera, it would be cool if they put a camera mount on the head - something that would allow a high-quality camera (for instance, a DSLR) to take a couple dozen photos that could be stitched together later.
Some kind of 3D scanning thing would be cool.
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I worry thoughā¦ will the paint from an airbrush get on the mirrors? Would swarf from a milling cutter interfere with the unprotected linear rails? Would a DSLR be too heavy for the stock stepper motors? Given the way the Glowforge homes, will every head need to be roughly the same shape as the original (or at least the same height)? An add-on 3D printer head (errrā¦ the FDM head, as itās already a ā3D printerā) isnāt going to compare favorably against standalone 3D printers, given the maximum print height will be approximately 3".
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Isnāt the laser used to mark metals a FIBER laser?
You can remove anodizing or paint from prepared metals using a CO2 laser. Iām pretty sure that is what Trophy Shops use to make their goods.
But the metal marking lasers are a different beast.
https://www.epiloglaser.com/products/fusion-laser/fusion-dual-source.htm
Charles
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I believe you can use a diode laser as well, but Iām not 100% sure.
ā¦ You know what, I have no idea the type of laser LPKF uses. http://www.lpkfusa.com/datasheets/prototyping/FLY_ProtoLaser_S4_EN.PDF
With enough power, any type of laser can mark/cut/engrave metal. But yes, typically its a fiber laser used for actual engraving of metal. A 40-45w CO2 laser, like in the Glowforge, will do nothing to metal without the use of something like Ceramark. Even then it will only permanently mark, not remove any material.
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As a scientist and engineer, this expansion port opens a huge array of possibilities. First, an offset tool might be possible that extends printing or some other functional alteration beyond the normal working area of the bed. Second, one might be able to print conductive ink to design circuit elements into your creations. Third, as I have said before, a blu-ray writing head would allow graphene oxide to be converted to graphene in a controllable manner and enable the development of customizable sensors, supercapacitors, etc. Fourth, a plastic or glass plate with many very small wells cut in it could be filled with reagent (of various amounts) or antibodies to a particular cancer delivered by a volume delivery print head, and this monitored by a swapped spectophotometer head. So many other possibilitiesā¦``
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That would be a green (532nm) diode laser. CO2 = 10,600nm which is IR and not visible obviously.
I thought it was a diode laser. I just couldnāt find it explicitly stated in there documentation.
But I think that goes back to my original statement. If they feasibly can make a diode laser head, then you could theoretically engrave, not mark, metal. Which would be awesome.
I think you may be reaching juuuuust a bit if you expect almost any of those lol. But all great ideas!
While cool, not at all feasible for the price point theyād like to keep around. Like, nowhere near it.
Yes, but with an open source architecture I might be able to do this myself with a little help with a cloud data module from Glowforge.
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Why must you crush my hopes and dreams 
.
j/k! 
I believe @volivaa and I are merely speculating on what could be physically possible as opposed to monetarily. Becauseā¦ SCIENCE!!!
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I am currently training on a conductive ink printer at work. It is cool as hell. It is a Optomec Aerosol Jet.
Also, my wife has an entire lab full of machines to do your fourth bullet point. Six or seven figures worth of machines.
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That doesnāt seem like Glowforgeās style, unfortunately.
Itās the latest thing in an effort to accelerate chemical reaction optimization and/or medical diagnosis.
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This would be HUGE!!! and laser holes for thru components!
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Flatbed printers are expensive. Check out this Mutoh, for example.
If it was possible to turn the GF into one, without fear of damaging cameras/sensors with oversprayā¦ yeah. that would be a valuable potential addition.
Honestly, my first thought when I saw the unboxing and āfaberge packagingā was that it would be so easy to mess up the install by over-torquing the fasteners or somesuch similar. Snaps into place with magnets?
So it is easy to service or replace with no tools whatsoever? Way cool.
Potential to use it for other tool-holders? Bonus.
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