HEAVY CNC WITH CO2 LASER 🇬🇧

Bonjour a tous,

First of all, Thank you Topsie! Not only for this machine design but also for this growing community. It is exciting!

Backstory

Before discovering this forum, I was designing a CO2 Laser machine. While having a CNC Router also on my dream tool list, my priority was the CO2 for marquetry purposes.

However, if I ever had to build a CNC Router, I would build an enclosure for dust/noise/hazards.

That’s it: The list of common points were too long to ignore, not including the sq.ft saved in the garage!

Specs

My machine specs are: 1500mm x 1500mm, Nema 23, and a 40W CO2 Laser

Additionally, the supporting cabinet will have an adjustable vertical bed to be able to work on dovetails and tenon/mortise.

Laser Integration

Below are the main problems and associated solutions I identified when integrating a CO2 Laser on a CNC machine:

• Dust on mirrors

→ I’ll enclose them with small computer fans to minimize dust collection on the mirrors

• The inertia of the CNC Router “head” making it too risky to directly attach the laser the head. Topsie’s gantry could be modified, but in order to not complexify the current definition…

→ A Laser gantry needs to be incorporated somehow

• 40W Laser tube integration

Though only a light 40W, I am designing the solution to scale up to a 90W tube (Can weight up to 25kg!). The installation choices I identified are:

• Laser tube embarked on gantry: Would require extensive gantry design/redesign, inertia, and deflection would become an issue. And prone to water-cooling issues with the drag chain.
• Laser tube place conventionally in the back of the machine: Has to be high enough to allow part overhang on both sides
• Laser tube installed under the table, requiring a 4 mirror and bench integration design to remain accessible.

→ I decided to go with the conventional solution

Summary:

• Modify “YAxis_InteriorTop” left and right to integrate another 20x40 for the laser gantry. The Laser and Router will share Y-Axis motors

• Add a 20x40 between the back feet to support the laser tube

The parts are ordered, being printed, and I can’t wait to start figuring this out!

I will soon share the BOM with US prices and vendors

(I will update this post as I go to make it easier for readability)