Genmitsu LE5040 CNC Laser Engraver Machine with 5500mw Laser Module for Carving Cutting Engraving & DIY Logo Picture Marking, 2-Axis XY Working Area 50 x 40cm

You should be aware that the two axis control board on this engraver does not support limit switches. Without them you cannot "home" the engraver. If homing is not used GRBL sets the X0, Y0 location to wherever the laser head is located when it is turned on. That's OK as long as you keep that in mind whenever using the engraver. It would be nice to know that X0,Y0 are always in the same place i.e. front left (or which ever corner you choose) each time you start up. Homing accomplishes this but cannot be done without limit switches.The users manual, which contains the instructions for assembly, has much to be desired. The illustrations depicting the assembly process are ambiguous. When mounting the stepper motor the orientation of the motor is not illustrated. Be sure to orient it so that the cable socket is on the side so that it is accessible once it comes time to plug in the cable. On page 13 are the instructions for mounting the laser head. The laser head electronic module must be mounted below the stepper motor. This step is not mentioned or pictured in the instructions. On page 22 and 23 are the instructions for installing the drag chain. On page 23 pay attention to the third picture with the blue arrow on it. If you do not slide this mechanical connection as far as possible, as indicated by the arrow, the carriage will bind at this point when it is sent to the back of the engraver. A page 22 picture shows the cables coming out of the drag chain going into a cable wrap. This bundle goes over to the laser head. Putting on the cable wrap is not mentioned in the instructions. This wrapped cable is almost 50 mm long. When the carriage is on the left this bundle drags on the bed of engraver. It could become snagged on whatever is being engraved. There should be some method included as part of the engraver which will keep this bundle raised off of the engraving bed during operation. I cobbled together a swinging boom to handle this problem. It should be part of the machine.I had a problem focusing the laser. The customer service professionals at Sainsmart were very responsive and helpful. I would give them 5 stars for their help.Overall I like this machine. If the assembly instructions were better and the cable dragging problem was fixed I would give this machine a higher rating.Because this machine should be well ventilated I made an enclosure, vent fan and hose to send smoke out the window.

I really like this laser. Easy assembly and operation, although this isn't my first so I have some experience. Laser mode was not enabled in GRBL but that's an extremely easy fix. I recommend trying out different laser softwares if you plan on cutting rather than just engraving. I've had luck cutting 1/8" and 1/4" plywood and have engraved numerous materials. 4 stars because of incorrect GRBL settings and the fact that the cooling fans are very loud. Would definitely recommend as a starter laser though.

The Genmitsu LE5040 is a great laser from an awesome company!I’m somewhat new to the laser world and wanted a laser engraver to work beside my CNC router machine. I originally bought a smaller and less expensive laser from another company but found myself frustrated with the limited and cumbersome software that I was stuck using with that specific machine. After deciding to return that item, I began researching other potential lasers and discovered this laser engraver offered by SainSmart.This machine runs on Arduino and uses any GRBL compatible software, which really opens the door for options (LightBurn, Lasergrbl, etc.). I thought the user manual was clear and informative for assembly. The overall construction of this engraver is very sturdy once everything is assembled and tightened. I do wish the legs had some rubber feet pads to keep it from moving/sliding, but this can be easily resolved with a couple clamps. The 5.5w laser works great and engraves with excellent quality. I originally thought the working area was a little bigger than I needed, but now that I have learned how to effectively use this laser, I’m finding so many projects for the larger working area.For what you’re getting from SainSmart, this is truly a great value for the price. I definitely would recommend this product if you’re in the market for a desktop CNC laser engraver!

This product says it cuts acrylic. I tried clear, black, pink, yellow, blue, and red acrylic. It barely discolored the clear and pink and yellow, but didn't cut any of them. I tried to use it for engraving wood and the laser is so weak I had to go very slow to get any results. Also the belt system for Y-axis movement was terrible so if you have a GCode that moves the Y axis more than 0.1 mm at a time, the Y axis would get off and skew your prints. Also it didn't seem like the firmware listened to changes in speed so if you have a section of engraving then a section where it should cut... It doesn't change speeds so it would not cut and engrave in the same GCode file.

I didn’t get a chance to put it together because we actually ordered the wrong item but the packaging and parts were in pristine condition and the customer service was awesome. No issues with the return, but if I ever need a laser for my growing love of woodworking then this would be the ideal purchase as it offers one of the largest at home workspaces as well as the best bang for your buck!

Love this laser engraver. #1 feature, It supports PWM. I didn't see this feature in the description but it there :) so it does a great job engraving photos into wood while using the industries best DIY open source laser engraving software, Laser Grbl. Only minor drawback is that it took forever to put together. Instructions where pretty good except for how to mount the drive belt. I ended up figuring it out myself.

Bought for my husband and for myself to cut heavy Chipboard. It takes forever to get through the Chipboard, and took my husband a while to figure out how to measure cuts. You can't just open a file and cut. My husband had to use graph paper, and IDK, thankfully he knows what he is doing, I would prob. never be able to figure it out. But it does cut well, and we are happy with it. One of the pieces were broken when we got it, but he has made it work.