Contents of the CNC Pro toolhead box. It has a carbide bit single flute (2mm).

I also have the CNC Milling Fun Pack, which includes four additional milling bits and a set of project materials:

• 2 x Carbide bit single flute 1 and 3mm (Pin 3.175mm or 1/8 inch, Bit length: 38mm)
• 1 x Spherical bit double flute (Pin 3.175mm or 1/8 inch, Bit length: 40mm)
• 1 x Engraving bit V-Type PCB (Pin 3.175mm or 1/8 inch, Bit length: 30mm)
• 1 x Cube wooden block (104 x 105 x 45 mm)
• 2 x Rectangular wooden blocks (100 x 200 x 20 mm)
• 2 x Plexiglass (100 x 200 x 4 mm)
• 2 x PCB laminates (100 x 200 x 1.6 mm)

Contents of the CNC Milling Fun Pack.

Getting Started

To start, I went through these critical Knowledge Base pages:

• CNC Milling Safety Guidelines
• How to Prepare ZMorph 2.0 SX for CNC Milling
• Material Attachment in 2d CNC Milling
• Using the 3D Milling Toolhead – Example Workflow

After getting my bearings and successfully installing the toolhead (Pro tip: the drill bit is very sharp, so take extra care when handling!), I was ready to go.

Successful setup.

The Machine in Action

My testing involved using one of the rectangular wooden blocks and carving “Armchair Arcade” into it. For that, I went to Voxelizer and carefully followed the calibration steps here. Although I had a few false starts, I eventually was able to figure out the right settings. This process went quite a bit smoother than my previous laser engraving tests.

My dxf view settings in Voxelizer.

My gcode display in Voxelizer, with the print in progress. Don’t forget to set “Spindle On” before you send the print job!

Using the incredible @zmorph3d 2.0 SX #3dprinter for some CNC milling. Amazing stuff! #make #making #cncmachining

A video posted by Bill Loguidice (@bill_loguidice) on Nov 20, 2016 at 9:51am PST

A quick vacuum and it’s looking good! I used Blu-Tak and some blue painter’s tape instead of double-sided tape to secure the wood to the platform. That worked well.

For my second test, I decided to mill a miniature stool, following the instructions and using the file here. While the cuts were true, I didn’t quite get the depth right:

Experimenting with more advanced CNC cuts on the @zmorph3d 2.0 SX #3dprinter #make #making #cncmachining

A video posted by Bill Loguidice (@bill_loguidice) on Nov 20, 2016 at 1:29pm PST

It really is an extraordinarily neat process. Subtractive manufacturing is quite different from additive manufacturing like 3D printing. It’s pretty amazing that this one machine handles both of those functions and so much more.

Conclusions

I wish I had more time with this unit (I didn’t even get a chance to try the more advanced 3D milling feature, or the thick paste extruder), but with the review period over, it’s time to send it back. Using just a handle of its many features, I’ve been both overwhelmed and delighted by the possibilities this machine offers. Whether it’s 3D printing, laser engraving, CNC milling, or any of its other features, the future of in-home making and manufacturing is well represented by this one machine. If you’re at all interested in semi-pro work, it would be hard to go wrong with the ZMorph 2.0 SX. The full set really is an amazing value, especially in comparison to similarly priced machines that sport far fewer functions.

Here’s a video (and here’s the making of blog post) of what you can accomplish if you have both the skill and the time to work with multiple facets of this amazing machine:

Pluses:

• Works great
• So many possibilities!
• This one machine really can do just about anything (for a price)

Minuses:

• As expected, a high learning curve, but if you’re DIY-minded, it’s a challenge worth accepting

The post Review: CNC Pro Toolhead for the ZMorph 2.0 SX (and overall review wrap-up) appeared first on Armchair Arcade.

This is a preview of the Dual Pro’s 3D printing capabilities. It’s a pity I can’t finish that portion of the review for now.

Anyway, after my prior first look, unboxing, initial setup, and extended review of basic 3D printing of the remarkably versatile ZMorph 2.0 SX Full Set, I’m now ready to tackle a review of the laser toolhead option, which allows not only for engraving various materials like wood, leather, and plexiglass, but also for cutting various materials like PVA foil, paper, and cardboard.

Getting Started

To start, I followed these instructions in the Knowledge Base. Note that I had trouble removing the toolheads unless, based on the suggestion from tech support, that I also loosen the screw above the screw with the butterfly nut that needs to be removed. Once that was loosened, the toolheads came right out.

Per the instructions, I installed the laser toolhead, although I wasn’t quite sure where to put the breakout box (for now, I have it on the top of the unit). I also installed the included plywood table in place of the glass printing bed for extra safety (no chance of laser reflections for one). That was easy thanks to the magnet-based system.

The laser toolhead and plywood table installed.

With installation out of the way, I proceeded to place the material I wanted to engrave, which for the first test, was a piece of cardboard. Instead of using double-sided tape, I decided to use some Blu-Tack to secure the cardboard to the plywood table. I decided to try the built-in Burn Calibration Pattern test after doing the ominous sounding “arm laser.”

(By the way, don’t forget to review the safety and materials guidelines!)

As is par for the course at this point, I forgot a few things and the Knowledge Base didn’t necessarily make it clear. First off, I forgot to attach the front and rear fans to the laser toolhead, although I’m not sure they’re necessarily needed (or even used). Second, the piece of cardboard I used was both too small for that test and too thin, which scorched some of the plywood table. I addressed both issues.

Calibration appeared successful.

One thing I’ll note is that this laser engraving/cutting process creates really smelly fumes, so definitely have some fans and good ventilation.

Initial Test Runs

For the first real test print, I flipped my cardboard over and ran the laser_placing.gcode file that’s built into the printer. That created a pattern similar to what’s on the plywood table.

Result of running the laser placing gcode.

The next print was ZMorph_engraving.gcode, which was the one other file built into the printer. I just let it engrave over the laser placing pattern.

Result of running the ZMorph engraving gcode.

Now it’s time to move onto using the Voxelizer software.

Voxelizer Runs

There are two laser workflow options in Voxelizer that I’m aware of, and that’s image etching and laser cutting. First, I wanted to try image etching. The tutorial here was my guide, although I used my own image and material.

The image and settings for the block of wood I used. We recently replaced our fence, and this was some leftover material.

Additional settings as I print directly from Voxelizer over USB.

The software was rather confusing. It took several tries to get the Z axis set correctly, and even then for this run I set it way too high.

The @zmorph3d laser toolhead in action. I still have more settings to perfect, but early results are promising. #make #making #laser

A video posted by Bill Loguidice (@bill_loguidice) on Oct 29, 2016 at 9:40am PDT

It still worked, but not quite as well if I set it perfectly. This could definitely use more of a step-by-step tutorial. Nevertheless, this is something that with some additional experimentation, I think I could more or less perfect. As a result, I decided to abort laser etching the wood for now and experiment more with the cardboard.

I loaded up the same image and worked out how to set the work Z stop more or less correctly. The other settings, like work speed, I set with my best estimate based on the material.

The image view settings.

The dxf view settings.

The gcode display of the in-progress print.

An oversized laser engraving experiment with the @zmorph3d ZMorph 2.0 SX printer. #make #making #laser

A video posted by Bill Loguidice (@bill_loguidice) on Oct 29, 2016 at 6:35pm PDT

The end result.

As you can see from the photo of the end result, it came out decent for my first real laser etching. I think with more tweaks (particularly to things like depth) and more interesting material, the results would be even better.

Now it was time to try some simple laser cutting.

Unfortunately, although the tests that follow were successful, I still wasn’t quite sure how to control the laser’s depth, which I eventually figured out was related to the work speed of the laser, which you’ll see in the later screenshots (I thought travel speed might also be a factor, but slowing that down resulted in a lighter burn line). So, instead of cutting, the first few passes were more top layer etching (marking), while the later passes were more in line with what it was supposed to do, although still nothing like cutting.

Trying some text editing and placement.

You can read more about text engraving here.

The end result.

Next, I tried some files from the laser cut stickers article, although I stuck with the cardboard as the target.

In progress cat.

The end result. Too light.

Another one.

The end result. Better (and note the interim test to the right).

Conclusion

As before with the 3D printing, this was not exactly smooth sailing. It’s a simultaneously frustrating and exciting process, with a fairly dramatic learning curve the more you want to take advantage of all of the features and troubleshoot and eliminate all of the issues that crop up. Once that time consuming stress is out of the way, though, it is pretty awesome. I definitely would want more time to work on truly understanding the settings, though, as this is not necessarily a straightforward learning process. I’d also want to develop some type of ventilation system, because laser etching and engraving really does generate a lot of fumes from the process, something akin to a strong wood burning fireplace.

I’m going to end with the usual Pluses and Minuses, but again, this is just one of a series of reviews on this printer, so I only consider those a reflection of this single function of many. Next up is the CNC routing functionality!

Pluses:

• The basics are relatively straightforward
• Good design for the toolhead maximizes safety

Minuses:

• Fumes! (understandable, but wow, they’re intense)
• Mediocre documentation results in a high learning curve with lots of trial and error
• Did I mention the fumes? It’s the smell of smoke and burning, kind of like when you’re standing outside and someone has a wood burning fireplace going.

The post Review: Laser Toolhead for the ZMorph 2.0 SX appeared first on Armchair Arcade.