Summary of Photon Printer – Micro Laser Engraver
The Photon Printer is a 3D-printable laser engraver built from recycled DVD drives, designed for safety, adjustability, and easy assembly using common electronics like an Arduino Uno and CNC shield. It emphasizes enclosure and safety interlocks, printable parts that fit many DVD drives, coarse and fine Z adjustment, low part count, and spring tensioning for stability. Updates added better electronics schematics, printed springs, and broader drive compatibility.
Parts used in the Photon Printer:
- Recycled DVD drives (DVD plates and laser assemblies)
- 3D printed frame and custom parts (mounts, axis mounts, roller door guides, sliding lugs)
- Arduino Uno
- CNC shield (for Arduino)
- Laser diode module (from DVD drive)
- Springs (printed in V2, or metal springs if desired)
- Nuts and bolts (including nut traps in printed parts)
- Wiring and connectors (for laser, motors, and switches)
- Safety cut off switch (door interlock)
- Enclosure panels (3D printed or other material for full enclosure)
- Ventilation components (angled ventilation to prevent light leakage)
The Photon Printer is a 3D printable laser engraver made from recycled DVD Drives. A list of necessary components is in the instructions.
The Photon Printer started out as a quick weekend project then quickly escalated when I saw that there was room for improvement in the current designs. The design turned out to be quite fun and I really enjoyed seeing it work at the end.
Safety – None of the designs I have seen have any sort of shielding around the laser. Given that even a 5mW diode can be dangerous any sort of engraver should have safety features. These include
• A full enclosure to block reflected laser light
• Roller door access
• Safety cut off switch on door
• Angled ventilation to prevent light leakage
3D printability – Printing allows for a lot of features that are not included in other versions.
• Accurate positioning of components
• Fits a wide range of DVD Drives
• Z axis fine tuning adjustor
• Built in roller door guides
• Custom axis mounts
• Low part count
• Ease of assembly
• Buildable by people without access to machining tools
• All parts have one large flat surface to aid in printing
Features
• Coarse laser height adjust for material thickness compensation
• Fine laser adjust for focusing
• Spring tensioned Z adjust to reduce vibration
• Sliding lugs to fit a range of DVD Plates
• Suits an Arduino Uno and CNC shield for an easy build
• Low parts count
• Low cost
Video
https://youtu.be/hiiEqVzhY4s
Update
2015-10-01 Instructions updated, Solidworks and STEP files added
2015-09-27 A small gap added to top of nut traps to compensate for sagging during bridging.
2015-09-27 V2 uploaded – Now suits an Arduino uno with CNC shield. Sliding mounting lugs support a wider variety of DVD Drives. Springs are now printed, no need to tap the parts.
2015-07-17 Improved electronics schematic by pepperm
2015-07-15 Electronics Schematic updated in better quality.
Instructions
Instructions
First off get some safety glasses! The laser cutter is fully enclosed while running but you’ll need safety glasses for testing and focusing the laser.
A lot of inspiration and knowledge came from this tutorial
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pocket-laser-engraver/#step0
I’ll reference it a lot as I go.
For more detail: Photon Printer – Micro Laser Engraver
- What is the Photon Printer?
A 3D printable laser engraver built from recycled DVD drives designed for safety, adjustability, and easy assembly. - Can I use an Arduino Uno with the Photon Printer?
Yes, the design suits an Arduino Uno and CNC shield for an easy build. - Does the Photon Printer include safety features?
Yes, recommended safety features include a full enclosure, roller door access, safety cut off switch on the door, and angled ventilation to prevent light leakage. - What adjustability features does the design have?
It includes coarse laser height adjustment, fine laser focusing, a spring tensioned Z adjustor, and sliding lugs to fit various DVD plates. - Are the springs required for Z tension printed or metal?
In V2 springs are printed, so there is no need to tap parts for metal springs. - Is the Photon Printer easy to print and assemble?
Yes, parts are designed with one large flat surface for printing, low part count, and ease of assembly for people without machining tools. - Does the design fit different DVD drives?
Yes, sliding mounting lugs support a wider variety of DVD drives and the parts fit a range of DVD plates. - Where can I find more detailed instructions and files?
Instructions, Solidworks, and STEP files were added and updated in the project instructions; a referenced tutorial and video are provided in the project description.
