Glowforge Basic — Laser Cutter / Engraver
A 40 W CO2 laser that cuts and engraves wood, acrylic, leather, paper, cardboard, and other laser-safe materials. You design on a computer, place your material in the bed, line everything up using the camera view in the Glowforge app, and press the button. You must be checked out before using this machine.
Some things to remember
- Stay with the machine the entire time a job is running, and whenever the button is glowing ready to start. Stay in sight and look inside often. An unattended fire can destroy the machine and the building.
- Only laser-safe materials go inside. Never PVC or vinyl, ABS, polycarbonate, or reflective metals. If you can't identify it, it doesn't go in.
- Exhaust on before every job.
- Wait for the fans to stop before opening the lid. Opening the lid during a job cancels it. Parts may be hot.
- A flame that stays lit after the laser moves on might be an emergency: Sometimes your material can catch fire. It is important to monitor the run and pay close attention. If there is a flame and it does not seem to be on its way out, stop the run using the pause button and smother the fire with a damp towel if needed. If it is a serious fire, pull the plug on the back, use the extinguisher if it's safe, and call 911 if it spreads.
Capabilities at a glance
| Laser | 40 W CO2 (invisible infrared), fully enclosed |
| Max material width | 21 in, and not so long that it touches the ends of the machine |
| Max height (crumb tray in) | Under ½ in, including any warp |
| Max height (tray removed) | Under 2 in, for engraving taller objects. Ask a volunteer first. |
| Typical cutting | About ¼ in or less in one pass. Thicker (up to ½ in) may need multiple passes or flipping. |
| Best file types | SVG and PDF. JPG, PNG, and other images can be engraved. |
| Room temperature | 60–75 °F. Outside that range, jobs may pause or fail. |
| Printer name in the app | Hyperion |
Before you start
- Reserve your time in Makerspace Wizard.
- Know where the exits and fire extinguisher are.
- Make sure you can log in at app.glowforge.com using your own account(setup once you have been checked out).
- Check the bed is empty and the crumb tray is seated flat.
Running a job — step by step
- Power on. The switch is on the back right side. The head moves and calibrates, and the button glows teal when ready.
- Check the connection. In the app, the printer Hyperion (top right) should say Online. It can take a few minutes after power-on. If it stays offline, the machine is off or can't reach Wi-Fi.
- Turn on the exhaust system if you are in Unit 4 Mezzanine.
- Load your material flat on the crumb tray and close the lid.
- Open or create a design. From the dashboard, click Create:
- New blank design — simple layout work in the app. Full design tools need Glowforge Premium. You can purchase this at glowforge.com. Otherwise design in a tool like Inkscape and upload.
- Upload from file — SVG or PDF work best.
- Capture from camera — place a drawing in the bed and turn it into an engraving.
- Choose your material in the top-left. Proof grade material with a QR code is detected automatically. For anything else, pick the closest match from the list. Only use custom power and speed settings if you know what you're doing, and test on scrap first.
- Place your design by dragging it on the camera image of your material. Leave a margin from the edge.
- Click Print. The head scans the material to focus and the app shows how long the job will take.
- Press the glowing button to start, then stay and watch.
- When it's done, wait for the fans to stop, open the lid, and remove your parts carefully.
Pausing and cancelling
Pause: press the button on top of the machine. Press it again to resume. Members may not leave a running job for any reason.
Cancel: click Cancel in the app, or open the lid. Either one ends the job.
When you're done
- Remove all parts, offcuts, and scraps from the bed.
- If debris has built up in the crumb tray, empty it. Lift the tray slightly and slide it toward you without tilting it up into the head.
- Turn off the exhaust and power off the Glowforge
- Leave it better than you found it.
Stop, unplug, and report if…
The button turns any color other than white, yellow, or teal · the head stops but the laser stays on · the lid glass is cracked or chipped · there's moisture or damage inside · Proofgrade material won't cut on its default settings.
Report problems in Slack #prototyping channel. Don't accept firmware or software update prompts, and don't change printer or account settings — report the prompt instead.
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