ComMarker 5W UV Laser
ComMarker Omni X 5W UV Laser
⚠️ NEVER LEAVE THE LASER UNATTENDED WHILE RUNNING ⚠️
⚠️ KEEP THE GREEN SAFETY DOOR CLOSED WHILE OPERATING ⚠️
⚠️ USE PORTABLE FUME EXTRACTOR NEAR MACHINE AT ALL TIMES ⚠️
The ComMarker Omni X is GRM's UV laser engraver. Unlike CO2 or fiber lasers, the UV laser uses a 355nm wavelength that marks materials through a "cold marking" process — minimal heat means less burning, charring, or warping, making it ideal for plastics, glass, coated metals, and heat-sensitive materials. It does not cut.
This is currently the most beginner-friendly laser at GRM for tumbler engraving with the R5 Rotary attachment.
Software
ComMarker Studio (Primary)
ComMarker Studio is the primary software used for this machine at GRM. It is free to download and use on your own laptop.
First-time setup:
- Download and install ComMarker Studio
- Connect the machine via USB data cable
- On first connection, click Confirm when prompted to load device parameters, then restart the software
- Click Create to start a new project
For Mac users: If you see a security warning that the app cannot be verified, go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Open Anyway.
LightBurn (TBD)
The Omni X is compatible with LightBurn Pro, but a device profile has not yet been set up at GRM. This is TBD — check with a staff member or volunteer for current status.
If setting up LightBurn manually, the device type is BSLFiber. Key settings:
- Laser type: UV
- Enable Galvo 2 is X Axis
- Door protect port: 1
- Frequency range: 20–200 kHz
- Pulse range: 1–50 ns
- Machine units: mm/sec
See the Software & Design section of the main laser page for LightBurn download and license information.
Other Design Software
You can design in any of the following and import into ComMarker Studio or LightBurn:
| Software | Cost | Export Formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkscape | Free | SVG | Native SVG works great |
| Affinity Designer | Free | SVG, PDF, EPS | Professional-grade vector tool |
| Adobe Illustrator | Paid | SVG, EPS, DXF, AI | Industry standard |
| Any 2D/3D CAD program | Varies | DXF, DWG | Export as DXF or DWG for best results |
File Formats
The UV laser works with 2D flat files only — no 3D formats.
Vector Files (preferred)
- SVG, DXF, AI, PLT
- Can be scaled to any size without losing quality
- Allows you to assign different operations to different layers
Raster/Image Files
- BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG
- Used for photo engraving and image marking
- Works well for high-contrast images on metal and glass surfaces
Machine Overview
The Omni X has a distinct design compared to GRM's other lasers — the laser head moves up and down on a column rather than the bed moving. Key components to know:
| Component | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Power Switch | Front base of machine | Main power on/off |
| Emergency Stop Switch | Front base of machine | Red button — press to immediately cut power; rotate clockwise to reset |
| Up / Down buttons | Front base of machine | Manually raise or lower the laser head for focusing |
| Indicator Light | Under laser head | Must be solid green before marking — if not green, the laser is not ready |
| Safety Door (green) | Front of machine | Must be closed for the machine to fire; door sensor will prevent operation if open |
| Auto-focus Sensor | Under laser head | Used for automatic focusing — unique to this machine |
| Field Lens | Under laser head | The engraving lens; two positions available (A and B) |
| Foot Switch | Floor, connected by cable | Optional — press to start/stop job hands-free |
⚠️ If the Emergency Stop has been pressed: Resolve the issue first, then rotate the red button clockwise to reset it before powering back on.
Startup Procedure
- Ensure the work surface is clean and level
- Turn on the portable fume extractor — position it near the machine
- Press the Power Switch on the front base to power on
- Verify the Emergency Stop button is in the released position (rotate clockwise if engaged)
- Connect to your computer via USB data cable
- Open ComMarker Studio — confirm the machine shows as Connected
- Confirm Door Sensor is ON in the software status bar
- Verify the indicator light under the laser head is solid green before running any job
⚠️ Operating temperature: 10°C–28°C (50°F–82°F). Temperatures outside this range may cause the laser to stop working. Do not use the machine in a cold or very hot environment.
⚠️ The portable fume extractor must be running before you start any job. A permanent exhaust system is not yet installed.
Focusing the Laser
The Omni X has built-in autofocus — this is much simpler than the CO2 laser's manual focus process.
- Place your material on the work surface, aligned under the red sensing spot from the auto-focus sensor
- In ComMarker Studio, click the Focus button (bottom-right of the UI)
- The machine will automatically adjust the laser head height to the correct focal distance
- Wait for the indicator light to confirm ready status before proceeding
Available Lenses
The Omni X has two lens positions. The active lens is selected in the software (Field Lens A or B in the status bar).
| Position | Lens | Work Area | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A (default) | 70mm lens | 70mm x 70mm | High precision; 3D internal glass/crystal engraving; fine detail; photo work | Default lens installed; higher power density |
| B | 150mm lens | 150mm x 150mm | General engraving; everyday flat work; wider coverage | Switch to B-field lens in software after physically swapping |
⚠️ If you change the lens, you must switch the Field Lens selection in the software to match (A or B). The software defaults to Position A (70mm). Running with the wrong setting will produce out-of-focus results.
See the lens size and power distribution note on the Fiber Laser page for a general explanation of why larger lenses require adjusted settings.
Software Settings (ComMarker Studio)
Key Parameters
| Parameter | What It Does | UV-Specific Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Speed (mm/s) | How fast the galvo mirrors scan | Higher speed = lighter mark; lower = darker/deeper |
| Frequency (kHz) | Pulse repetition rate — 20 to 200 kHz | UV range is much narrower than fiber — stay within 20–200 kHz |
| Pulse Width (ns) | Duration of each pulse — 1 to 50 ns | UV pulses are very short — this is what makes "cold marking" possible |
| Pass | Number of repeat passes | Multiple passes at lower power often better than high single-pass power |
| Interval | Spacing between scan lines | 0.1mm is a good all-around starting point |
| Marking Mode | Flat mode (standard) or other modes | Use Flat mode for most work |
⚠️ UV laser parameters are very different from CO2 and fiber. The frequency and pulse width ranges are much narrower. Always run a test first.
Framing & Preview
Before running any job:
- Click Preview to visualize the processing area using the preview helper (green card included with machine)
- Place the preview helper on your material, click Preview, confirm placement
- Remove the preview helper and close the safety door
- Click Start (F2) to begin
⚠️ The safety door must be closed before the laser will fire.
Material Test Cards
Always run a test on scrap before committing to your final workpiece. UV laser results vary significantly by material type, surface finish, and coating.
Use ComMarker Studio's material library as a starting point (Library button in the Laser Settings panel), then adjust from there based on your test results.
Materials Reference
✅ Approved Materials
Note: The UV laser marks and engraves — it does not cut. All operations are surface marking only.
| Material | Mark/Engrave | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plastics (PP, PE, ABS, most types) | Yes | Excellent — marks without burning or melting; UV excels here |
| Glass | Yes | Clean surface marking; good contrast |
| Coated / Painted Metals | Yes | Removes coating cleanly to expose metal beneath |
| Anodized Aluminum | Yes | Good results |
| Stainless Steel | Yes | Surface marking; lower contrast than fiber laser |
| Ceramics | Yes | Surface marking |
| Wood | Yes | Light engraving; less ideal than CO2 but works |
| Leather | Yes | Light marking |
| PCBs / Electronic Components | Yes | UV is well-suited for heat-sensitive components |
| Bronze / Brass / Alloys | Yes | Surface marking |
❌ Do Not Use These Materials
| Material | Why |
|---|---|
| PVC / Vinyl | Releases chlorine gas — extremely dangerous |
| Polycarbonate / Lexan | Produces toxic fumes; catches fire easily |
| Any material of unknown composition | Always verify material before use |
⚠️ Do not engrave materials with unknown properties.
Safety Rules
- Keep the green safety door closed while the laser is operating. The door sensor will prevent the laser from firing if the door is open — do not bypass or defeat this sensor.
- Laser safety glasses are recommended even with the enclosed safety door — wear them when the door is open or if working with the door removed.
- Always stay by the machine while it's running. Never leave a running job unattended.
- Run the portable fume extractor for every job — position it close to the machine.
- Do not operate below 10°C or above 28°C — the laser may malfunction outside this temperature range.
- If you need to step away: press Stop or use the foot switch to pause.
- In an emergency: press the red Emergency Stop button on the front of the machine.
See Emergency Procedures on the main laser page for emergency contact and equipment locations.
Rotary Engraving
The Omni X supports rotary engraving for tumblers and cylindrical objects using the ComMarker R5 Multi-Functional Rotary attachment. This is currently the most beginner-friendly tumbler engraving option at GRM.
See Accessories on the main laser page for full rotary attachment details, setup documentation, and video links.
Helpful Features
Foot Switch
The included foot switch connects to the back of the machine and can be used to start/stop jobs hands-free — useful when positioning items for batch work.
Batch Processing
The galvo scanning system is fast and well-suited for batch marking. Set up a grid of items and use the array/repeat tools in ComMarker Studio to mark them in a single job.
Saving Your Settings
- Save project files with descriptive names including material and result (e.g., pint-glass-logo-2025)
- Store files in Google Drive or on a flash drive
- Note which lens (A or B) was active when you achieved good results
Design Resources
| Resource | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| ComMarker Support | Official support articles and tutorials for the Omni X | commarker.com/support |
| ComMarker Tutorial Playlist | YouTube tutorials for ComMarker machines | 📚 Watch Playlist |
| Cuttle | Parametric laser design templates; outputs SVG | cuttle.xyz |
| Etsy / Maker World / Thingiverse | Free/paid laser-ready SVG and DXF files | Search on each platform |
| GRM Discord / Volunteers | Ask for help with settings, file prep, or troubleshooting | Ask at the space or in Discord |
Troubleshooting & Staff Notes
| Problem | Possible Solution |
|---|---|
| No laser emission | Check indicator light is solid green; recalibrate focal length; verify software parameters; confirm door sensor is ON |
| Laser fires but no mark | Confirm material is compatible; recalibrate focus; increase power or decrease speed; check lens selection matches installed lens (A or B) |
| Machine won't power on | Check Emergency Stop is released (rotate clockwise); check power cable |
| Software won't connect | Ensure USB cable is connected before opening software; try restarting software; check USB driver installation |
| Out of focus results | Verify correct lens position is selected in software (A vs B); re-run autofocus |
| Temperature warning / laser stops | Check ambient temperature — must be 10°C–28°C; allow machine to cool or warm before use |
- ComMarker support: support@commarker.com or www.commarker.com
- Questions or issues at GRM: Leave a note on the whiteboard by the machine, or flag the on-duty volunteer.
