IWECOLOR Laser Engraver, 50W High Accuracy Laser Engraving Machine with 410x400mm Large Working Area, 5.5-7.5W Laser Power Engraver and Cutter for Wood, Metal, Acrylic, Leather

My Background: 30+ years in fabrication, manufacturing, CNC, CAD/CAM, metallurgy, and general engineering including aerospace industry and high precision fields. Materals including composites, aluminum, steel, and exotic metals.The item I received: Item was easy to assemble however the directions are very vague and lack identifying key points. I highly recommend if you are assembling to seek out the videos others have posted. The QR code in the accompanying "instructions" was not scan-able to find their online videos though searching through web will *eventually* uncover them. The protocol used in this version (50w / 5w) requires you to ensure that the M4 command is issued at each cut or etch line or the laser will fail to fire. Of the recommended software in the manual, go for the paid version as it gives you more control overall and expands usage. If you are jumping from FDM (3D Printing) please take your time - there are similarities and differences, don't expect that it will work exactly the same as any other CNC machine, but understanding G-codes and other aspects are great. If you are a beginner I suggest seeking out some assistance via youtube or local clubs/orgs. A beginner can set this up and run it but it will take just a little extra effort. The power of the 5w laser is ample enough for most things with wood and plastics. The print/cut area is more than ample for average projects either for creative manufacturing or artsy stuff.Pros: Works reliably, fairly easy to assemble, ample laser power, low cost, accurate laser focus, versatile for cutting and etching, manual identifies two good software applications to use, and lightweight and easy to stow away. Frame also includes a bolting point to use if you want to fasten the cutter to its own special bench/work area or create a jig attachment for easy alignment of work.Cons: Someone seriously needs to rewrite the manual. Take your time and use your brain or youtube videos for assembly assistance. Check to make sure the laser is uncovered as there is a protective film over the emitter not identified in any manual or video, Issuance of the M4 (laser on) command on every cutline means you will find some software is non-functional or problematic with more elaborate designs.Thought: Would I buy it again, absolutely - it works well and at the price point I paid it only makes it more appetizing to add another to the shop for some of my projects.

When I first got itI wanted to like it as it seemed to work ok at first, I gave it praise for being relatively simple to use for what I was doing (with no experience) after set up, but there are a few glaring issues:1. Set up is ATROCIOUS, you literally have to watch their video to set it up as the paper has almost no setup instructions, but the video doesn't tell you that the board uses the Marlin firmware (at least in LaserGRBL) so you have to read the paper too.2. You seemingly can't do more than 1 pass without intervention. The option in LaserGRBL is there, but right as you get to the end of your engraving and it gets ready for pass 2 it stops with a "StoppedResponding" error message. So you either have to do 1 pass and then run it again, or run it, error code, and restart (restarting requires you to disconnect and reconnect as it can't seem to cancel the project).3. Does not do metal properly, in order to do metal you have to do more than 1 pass, I had to do about 3 or 4 to get it to look decent. Which leads to the issue above4. Contacting support is difficult. IWECOLOR was apparently not the seller so I opted not to go through amazon, so I had to go to the IWECOLOR website only to find they don't have a dedicated support tab for the engravers as they are primarily a 3D printing supply company, so I had to email their support. and after a little back and forth it has been a over week since the first email and the issue has not been resolved (currently 6 days from their last reply), they have not even tried to offer suggestions, only asking me for a picture of the circuit board.As it stands I am returning it, and when I have the ability I am just going to get something like an xTool.

I recently acquired a laser engraver that promised to effortlessly cut and engrave wood with intricate designs, and once assembled, it did deliver on its potential. However, the journey to that point was marred by unclear instructions and a challenging assembly process. Wrestling with the various components proved frustrating, but perseverance paid off. What truly redeemed the experience was the responsive and helpful customer service, which guided me through the intricacies of assembly. Now that the laser engraver is up and running, I am thoroughly impressed with its performance. The precision in wood cutting and engraving is commendable, producing intricate designs with finesse. While the initial hurdles were frustrating, the ultimate satisfaction of a fully functional and effective laser engraver makes it a worthwhile investment, especially with the support of a responsive customer service team.

My laser engraver cuts in the first step, then turns off going to each step after that and I don't know why. For example: the cut takes 10 minutes, but I have to trace and ungrounded each step because I have to cut each one out individually because my laser won't cut it all at once due to stop cutting after it starts the job. It will light up and then turn off after the second step and keeps following the pattern, but not cutting the pattern out.I had to laser each part of the snowflake individually for it to work. All at once it just goes around with the laser off. My PC doesn't work with lasergrbl either. Only lightburn software.