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The internet has made it a lot easier for people to start businesses from the comfort of their own home. This is thanks to the rise of social media where anyone and everyone can promote their businesses and reach a huge audience. Platforms like Shopify and Etsy have also made it simpler for people to start their own online stores, selling all kinds of products to both the local and international communities.
Now, if you’re an artsy kind of person and want to create some crafts and little knick knacks that you can make yourself at home and sell to others, owning a laser engraving and cutting machine might actually be a good investment.
This is because laser engravers allow you to create custom products, like a chopping board that’s engraved with the person’s name or a message on it. Custom wooden coasters with designs you came up with on your own. Keychains, bookmarks, and more, all of which can be made using a laser engraver and cutter.
But if you’re new to these types of machines, it can feel complicated and overwhelming, so if you want something that’s simple to operate, safe, and relatively affordable, then Ortur’s OLM3 machine could be worth taking a look at.
Powerful 20W laser power
Now obviously when it comes to laser cutting and engraving machines, there are industrial grade machines out there that can output a considerable amount of power. But the problem with these machines is that they’re incredibly expensive.
For machines that might be used at home or by hobbyists, they are cheaper but can sometimes be a bit too low-powered for certain needs. With the Ortur OLM3, the company has equipped it with a powerful 20W laser. With a laser this strong (for a machine in this class), it means that users have more options when it comes to the materials that they can cut and engrave.
According to Ortur, the laser can reach a max output of 20W and input of 80W. At these power levels, users can look forward to cutting and engraving a variety of materials, including wood, leather, glass, acrylic, and even metal. For example, it is powerful enough to cut through 10mm of plywood, 15mm pine, 8mm black acrylic, or 0.1mm stainless steel in a single pass, or multiple passes on up to 30mm of black acrylic.
Also, another cool thing about the 20W laser is that because it is so powerful, it can oxidize metallic surfaces almost instantly. This can result in cool and colorful effects that will give your engravings a more attractive and unique look and help your products and work stand out from the rest.
A powerful laser doesn’t just mean that it can cut more types of materials and varying thicknesses, but it also means that it can be more accurate. The OLM3 comes with the 11th generation OLM-ESP-PRO-V2.4C motherboard and with the latest V2.0 series firmware, it creates a more stable acceleration which results in the machine being able to start faster while also being more accurate and reducing the amount of burn marks.
There is also a built-in air assist that is meant to give users better engraving and cutting results. This air assist feature is adjustable so users have the option to change the airflow according to their needs, so if you realize that your engraving process is resulting in too many burn marks, you can adjust the airflow until it’s just right.
Easy and safe to use
We’re sure that many of you have seen movies or TV shows where lasers are involved and how dangerous they can be. While we’ve yet to actually see laser blasters become an actual thing, there’s no denying that improper use of a laser cutting machine can be dangerous.
This might actually be kind of intimidating for beginners who might feel apprehensive about using such tools. Thankfully, safety was one of the main things that Ortur focused on with the OLM3.
The company has included as many as seven major security guarantees which includes a security lock to avoid it from being misused by others. There are also five safety functions for emergencies, so that if something happens during its operation that shouldn’t, it will stop itself. There is also a manual emergency stop switch so if all else fails, users have this safety feature to fall back on to prevent disasters.
Speaking of feeling intimidated, we know that these types of machines might seem very complex to beginners, but it’s actually been designed to be easy to use. Users who are new to these types of machines can use Ortur’s web UI control program that does away with the need for drivers or software installation.
If you’re trying to operate the OLM3 from your phone, the mobile app has also been designed to be newbie friendly and easy to use. All users need to do is connect to the OLM3 through the app and they’re good to go.
As for the actual cutting and engraving process, Ortur could not have made it simpler. For example, there is original image direct typing which eliminates the need to convert it to a static map in Gcode, so if you’re unfamiliar with the design process, this simplifies the entire process and saves you time from having to go through a tedious software operation.
Thoughtful, uncomplicated design
We’ve covered what the OLM3 can do and the hardware that it’s equipped with, but what about the maintenance of the device? Obviously you can’t just expect to cut/engrave and just walk away, right?
With the OLM3, Ortur has designed it to support self-cleaning. There is a louvered window that can clean the observation window by changing the flow direction. It also helps the gas that is a byproduct of the cutting/engraving process dissipate. Ultimately, this is meant to reduce the amount of cleaning that users have to do once they’re done with their work.
The OLM3 also includes the use of aluminum for its housing and heat sink, along with a double fan design that can spin up to 10,000 rpm which helps the cooling process, so if you plan to run the machine for extended periods of time, the choice of materials and its powerful fan can ensure that it remains cool and stable.
Pricing and availability
If you prefer shopping through Amazon, the OLM3 is priced at $1,300, but there’s a $300 coupon that you can also claim from Amazon that will bring it down to $1,000. Both platforms will sell the machine at $1,000, so it depends on which website you prefer to use.
So, if everything we mentioned above has convinced you to grab the Ortur OLM3 laser engraving and cutting machine, you can pick it up from either Ortur’s website or Amazon. The engraver is typically priced at $1,200 from Ortur’s website, but the company is offering a coupon that knocks $200 off its price.
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