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Aufero is the official sub-brand of Ortur Laser Engraver, Aufero’s area of expertise is affordable laser Engravers and cutters. One of their best options is the Aufero laser 2 which we will be taking a look at today. The Aufero laser 2 has many laser module options and is the perfect diode laser for a beginner getting into the hobby or even someone who has some experience under their belt and is looking for a quality laser.
Aufero Laser 2 Technical Specifications
| Model Number | Aufero Laser 2 |
| Certification | CE |
| Safety Features | 1, Active position protection 2, Exposure duration and limitation protection 3, laser safety guard 4, 24v power system 5, Power Cut-Off System |
| Computer OS | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Laser Power | LU2-2 1.6 watt laser LU2-4 SF 5.5 watt laser LU2-4 LF 5.5 watt laser |
| Control Software | LaserGRBL (free) and LightBurn (paid) |
| Pixel Accuracy | (300 pixels per inch) |
| Input Format | NC, DXF, BMP, JPG, PNG, SVG, etc |
Unboxing The Aufero Laser 2
The Aufero Laser 2 arrived in a surprisingly small box packed particularly well. Inside that box, there were 4 more boxes. one of which contained the base model of the laser with the 1.6-watt laser. Two of the other boxes were the other 5.5 watt lasers packed nicely in a block of foam with an anti-static bag. Along with the laser modules, the movement system was also packed with a good deal of foam to protect it during shipping. Due to the lasers and the package being shipped internationally The US. Customs and Border Protection inspected the package however everything was repacked nicely and arrived intact.
Along with the Aufero laser 2, there are some helpful included tools. First, we have laser safety glasses which are a must when dealing with a diode laser. Next, we have a small brush that comes in handy to clean off a part after it comes out of the laser, using the brush allows you to avoid smudging ash all over your nice engraved part. We also have a 50mm cylinder to set the focus height of the laser with ease. Lastly, there is a handful of other helpful things like a USB cable, zip ties, spare screws, etc.
Assembly Of The Aufero Laser 2
Assembly was straightforward and simple. There are five main pieces of the laser engraver that are held together with 8 screws and a couple of nuts. To ensure the frame was square I loosely put all the screws in and then tighten them evenly in a zig-zag pattern. Lastly, all that was left was to plug in all the motors and the laser and screw in the grounding wires.
Three Laser Module Options For The Aufero Laser 2
LU2-2 Laser Module
The LU2-2 laser module is the basic laser model that comes with the base model of the Aufero laser 2. The LU2-2 laser module is a 1.6-watt laser capable of engraving materials like wood, leather, paper, MDF, and softer materials but struggles with harder materials like stone and stainless steel. The main advantage of the LU2-2 Laser Module is the price, it is $100 cheaper however it still does an exceptional job engraving most materials at a slower speed. The limitations of this laser come with cutting, the LU2-2 is too weak to cut anything other than cardboard and paper.
LU2-4 SF Laser Module
The LU2-4 SF laser module is one of the two upgraded laser modules, it is a 5.5-watt laser with a 30mm focal length best suited for engraving. The LU2-4 SF module is built for engraving and has a number of advantages over the LU2-2 laser. First, it is a more powerful laser being 5.5 watts compared to the 1.6 watts of the LU2-2, second it smaller focal spot of 0.08 x 0.15mm allowing for sharper images and opening up the range of materials. in conclusion it is the perfect laser for high-end laser engraving.
LU2-4 LF Laser Module
The LU2-4 LF laser module is the second upgrade option for the Aufero laser 2. It is another 5.5-watt laser however this time it has a focal length of 50mm and is better suited for laser cutting. with a focal spot of 0.17 x 0.25mm that is larger than the LU2-4 making it not as ideal for laser engraving, however, it can still engrave quite well. The LU2-4 LF laser module comes with an air assist unit to help with cutting however you will need an air compress for this to work.
Engraving With The Aufero Laser 2
MDF
One of my favorite materials for laser engraving is MDF, it is cheap and the engravings are clean and crisp. MDF is great for testing designs or the laser itself before moving on to more expensive materials. All the MDF engraving I did came out great without any issues. The Aufero engraver has no issues engraving MDF.
Wood
Wood is by far the most common material for laser engraving and as expected the Aufero laser 2 can handle it with ease. My favorite wood project was this cutting board with art from Tim Andraka. All three laser modules were used to engrave the wood.
Stainless Steel
the Aufero laser 2 was able to handle stainless steel it just took a long time. The LU2-2 Laser Module had no chance of engraving the steel, there were no markings on the steel whatsoever. However, the LU2-4 SF was more up to the task and I was able to get some good results on the second try. This Dino by Tim Andraka took about eight hours to complete at 100% power. After changing a few settings I was able to get a much clearer engraving, The fallout 4 power armor which also took about eight hours.
3D Printed Plastic
I have a lot of 3D printers and thought why not try to engrave a 3D print. After I did a little bit of research I found it was not a good idea. many plastics emit extremely harmful gasses and I cannot recommend laser engraving on 3D prints. For example, ABS if engraved will emit cyanide gas. Nevertheless, I did it anyway, I brought the laser outside and engraved an anchor on the back of a 3D printed PLA box. Unfortunately, the results were underwhelming. The plastic didn’t really engrave it more just melted but the shape is still recognizable.
Leather
Leather was one of my favorite materials to engrave with the Aufero Laser 2. The results were high-quality crisp images on the leather, once again I engraved my favorite image this triceratops by Tim Andraka. However, beware of the horrible smell that the leather gives off while engraving. All three lasers that come with the Aufero engraver can handle engraving leather without any issues.
Painted Tile And Metal
A great way to engrave on hard surfaces like tile or metal is to paint over the tile or metal with black paint and use the laser engraver to remove the paint to form an image. The painted metal looks great with a nice shiny layer of metal underneath the black paint. Another option is to put lighter color paints under the black paint and tune your laser engraver to only remove the black paint. unfortunately, I need to find some different paint, my paint is brushed on with layers that are too thick to use the multi-color painting meathod.
Cutting With The Aufero Laser 2
Wood
The Aufero Laser 2 is very capable of cutting wood if you have the right laser module. The LU2-4 LF Laser Module is the best laser module for this task. Impressively even without the air assist nozzle, the Aufero engraver can handle wood without an issue. The cuts are clean and precise and the parts come off with little charing on the edges but still look great. Unfortunately, the LU2-2 laser module is not powerful enough to cut wood. However, the LU2-4 laser module is.
Cardboard
One of the easiest materials to cut on the Aufero engraver is cardboard. Cardboard is great for testing your designs and limits of the laser build area because it is such cheap and widely available material. With the powerful LU2-4 LF laser module you can slice through the cardboard with ease. The LU2-4 laser module also handles cardboard without any issues. And even the LU2-2 laser module can cut cardboard
Leather
Leather was a breeze to cut with the Aufero engraver, The laser 2 handled it without any issues even at high speeds. The edged of the leather has a nice finish and did not require any burnishing. Although make sure you have good ventilation, leather stinks.
Paper
Paper is one of the easiest to cut on the Aufero engraver. It can be cut fast with ease on any of the three laser modules. I found that the LU2-2 laser module is the best for the paper because of its lower power. The other two also work great you just have to use them at a lower power.
Cloth
Cloth is another material that all three laser modules can handle with ease. The Aufero engraver cuts cloth without any issues and the edges are clean and precise.
Things To Consider With The Aufero Laser
Safty
The powerful laser diodes are a great tool, they are a tool, not a toy. The laser safely is very important when handling the engraver. Direct exposure to the laser beam can cause severe burns and eye damage. The Aufero laser 2 has some really good safety measures put into place to avoid laser contact make sure you use them. It is very important that you have the light shield installed on the laser and that you are wearing the laser safety glasses.
Ventilation
Another thing to consider with your Aufero laser 2 is an exhaust ventilation system. The best option is to have the laser in a well-ventilated room like a workshop or open garage. However, another option is to set up an exhaust system. The fumes from the laser are toxic and harmful you do not want to be breathing them.
Files
All the files that are not the pictures from Tim Andraka are from Vecteezy. Vecteezy has a large number of creators with awesome designs. On top of that, a large amount of the designs are free to download. If you search laser hundreds of patterns come up.
Pros And Cons Of The Aufero Laser 2
Pros
- Easily swappable laser modules
- Easy Hight/focus adjustment
- Double safety with laser shield and safety glasses
- Large work area (390x 390mm)
Cons
- Only interface is via USB or special offline controller
- The upgraded laser modules don’t come with extra mounting plates so switching between lasers is not as fast as it could be, however, I found myself favoring one laser module and not needing to switch between them that often.
Where To Buy The Aufero Laser 2
You can pick up the basic Aufero laser for $269.99 on Ortur’s website or 369.99 for one of the upgraded laser modules.
Last Thoughts On The Aufero Laser 2
The Aufero laser 2 is one of the cheapest diode lasers that is actually capable and packs a punch. the laser is larger than most other desktop diode lasers. Its simplistic design and ease of use make it perfect for beginners and Aufero offers upgraded laser modules for more advanced users or someone looking for something with a little more power. The laser produces fantastic engravings and clean cuts on a great number of different materials.
