ACRO Build With Enclosure

I have pretty much finished up my ACRO build with an enclosure. This is an ACRO 1010 kit. Added a couple of drag chains in place of the tubing for wire management. Sitting on a table with casters so it can be moved around the workshop.

Using an Opt Laser PLH3D-6W laser.

Enclosed the build for added visual safety and smoke/fume handling. The enclosure frame was built out of 1515 extrusion. Currently "skinned" with 6mm MDF. I wanted to use 6mm black HDPE but waiting until a new store opens up down the road that carries sheets at reasonable prices. (Will replace the MDF once I get the HDPE). Two full doors at the top allow access to the full work area. These use a hinge I printed which allow the doors to be removed completely without any tools. LED light strip inside around the inside of the enclosure. Two large fairly high volume fans provide smoke and fume extraction via flexible ducts to outside. Added a Wyze camera inside the enclosure for watching progress from my phone. Plan to add a couple of viewing ports with laser safe windows when I can find some at a decent price. All of the electronics are mounted to the table, outside of the enclosure.

Created a little "snap-on" cover on the laser which comes to a point at the optimum focal point for the laser, allowing me to easily align to my starting point (including z height), then pull the cover off.

Next up is adding a small Z axis to the build. Have worked up an idea for one, and ordered the parts. I'll update once that comes together.

Also played around with a little test pattern I made up, experiment with different power levels and feed speeds.

Having a lot of fun playing with this thing!

 

Playing around with etching denim now. Really impressed with the results!

 

After playing around with a few designs, and changing my mind several times, I think I finally decided on a design I like. Had to order a couple of other parts, so I'll through it together as soon as they come in. Included a couple of renders below. Yellow parts will be cut out of 6mm acrylic. Green part is 3D printed. Blue part in one render represents the laser (crude mockup of laser only to show the dimensions, mounting hole positions.) Uses a couple short pieces of Open Rail and some V-wheels. Pancake NEMA 17 motor and lead screw. Has 75mm of travel. The back plate in the render replaces the existing plate of the X gantry on the ACRO. Also will have a limit switch, but not pictured in the render. Limit switch (Xtension Limit) will mount on the top hole of one of the Open rails, and positioned so that the Z gantry / top wheel will hit it when raised.

 

Thanks for reaching out. So, there are a few printed parts involved here. If you take a look a look at the picture below, the grey piece is one of the plates that comes with the ACRO kit. One of the "Y" plates that houses the Y motors. The green piece shown in mounted at the top. One on each side (mirrored), attached to the plate via a small bolt and nut. (Probably an M3, but can't recall off the top of my head.) I drilled a small hole in the bottom of each end of the aluminum angle, and that mounts to hole in the top of the green piece. (The hole in the printed part was purposely elongated to allow for some minor adjustments to the placement of the aluminum angle. The yellow piece shown in the image is also 3D printed. It's an attachment point a drag chain for the Y axis. (That chain just rests on the table.) I can take a better picture for you when I get home later, if you would like.