Anybody have info on the Glowforge laser cutters?

3D Printing
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1

Anybody have info on the Glowforge laser cutters?
http://glowforge.com/referred/?kid=6VDBT

2

just a plain laser… or what?

3

They are long on marketing, short on details. It looks like they put the motion planner in cloud and perhaps the design drawing portion of the software. From what I’ve read in the press over the last several months it’s a desktop laser cutter with the software out on the network. No details on the UI, the tube or really anything else about the project. They did get a US$9 mil A round so they’ve got some backing. The name is a misnomer, it’s a laser cutter and engraver but is called a “3D Laser Printer”. From the few pics I’ve seen it looks like a regular 2.5D engraver/cutter that does cylinders with a tooling fixture.

I like the appeal to those that are more creative than technical but at this point it doesn’t appear the machine has more capability than our Full Spectrum or the Universals or Trotecs we use at Techshop. The variety of materials and operations mentioned aren’t any different than any of the other CO2 lasers on the market. The interesting part will be the UI and the interface for creating the objects.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/slice-and-carve-the-next-wave-in-computer-aided-creativity/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Devices&action=Click&pgtype=Blogs&region=Body&_r=0

4

I got the same impression that they’re long on vapor and marketing, short on detail.
I’m leery of the “cloud” processing, and hope their safety lockouts are up to snuff.
The one image I saw with the enclosure open showed a gas laser, CO2 likely. Though some of their stock images show some high power diode laser modules on the bench. At the power levels they mention (~45W neighborhood), diodes are likely too expensive.
They list some of the Makerbot contingent (including Bre) as investors, so interpret that as you will.