Kickstarter Laser Targets Complex 3D Surface Engraving

Most lasers can only engrave on flat surfaces or, if they have rotary encoders, on cylindrical and conical surfaces. That means you can’t engrave more complex surface shapes, which are characteristic of most items in the real world. The new EM-Smart AXI laser machine, launching on Kickstarter, promises to solve that problem.

To engrave properly, lasers need to maintain focus and that means keeping the laser’s lens within a specific range (with a fairly narrow window) above the work material’s surface. If that surface has a lot of variation, the laser would need to move up and down (or refocus in another way) to stay in that optimal zone.

Some laser machines have the ability to do surface scanning to map the material and perform that function, but with mixed success. The EM-Smart AXI should do much better, because the user can load a 3D model and map the laser focus using that. That 3D model can come from CAD or a 3D scanner. The result, in theory, would be much more detailed, accurate, and precise.

Aside from that very unique feature and its associated autofocusing mechanism, the EM-Smart AXI is a pretty conventional dual-laser galvanometer machine. It has a 220×220mm working area, and the ability to switch between a 25W 1064nm MOPA laser and a 20W 450nm blue diode laser on the base model. The AXI Pro has a 30W MOPA and 20W diode, and the AXI Ultra has a 60W MOPA and 40W diode.

If that 3D surface engraving capability appeals to you, the EM-Smart AXI Kickstarter campaign will run until February 14th. Super early birds can get the EM-Smart AXI base model package for $3,499. Rewards should ship in May.