The ORTUR Laser Master 3 (also known as LM3) is one of the premium laser offerings made by ORTUR. One of the main selling points is having access to the 20.000mm/min at 10W cutting and engraving speeds but the overall construction quality sets the standards quite high in my opinion.
I am not very experienced with laser engravers, as I haven’t tested too many of them due to the special requirements needed to be operated safely. I don’t have a dedicated space to use it, so this will be a preview of the ORTUR Laser Maser 3 and not a full review.
ORTUR Laser Master 3 Shipping and Packaging
Like most laser engravers out there, the ORTUR LM3 comes in a compact box with foam protection, where all the laser components are nicely packaged in two layers.
It took about 30 minutes to assemble the ORTUR Laser Master 3 and it wasn’t a hard process because all the steps required to assemble the laser were nicely described in the manual, and by the stickers present on the sides of the laser.
ORTUR Laser Master 3 Specs
| Motherboard | OLM-ESP-PRO-V2.4 |
| Firmware | OLF-V2.0 Firmware |
| Safety Features | Active Position Protection, Exposure Duration Detection and Limitation, Laser Beam Safety Guard, Emergency Stop Button, Security Lock key |
| Frame Materials | 70% Aluminum, 15% Stainless Steel, 5% plastic, 5% Brass, 5% Others |
| Motors | NEMA 17 Stepper Motors |
| Mechanical Precision | Y:12.5um，X:12.5um |
| Pixel Accuracy | Adjustable – (Default: 300 DP; roughly0.81um Pixel Accuracy) |
| Engraving Area | 400mm*400mm |
| Available Laser Modules | LU2-10 – Optical Power: >9500-10500mw |
| Wave Length | 445±5nm |
| Focus | Fixed Focus |
| Default Focal Length | 50mm (from the heat sink to the object) |
| Control Mode | PWM |
| Power Rate | S0-S1,000 |
| Engraving Speed | 0-20,000MM/Min |
| Baud Rate | 115200 – 921600 (Default: 115200) |
| Computer OS | Win XP, Win 7, Win 8, Win 10 (LaserGRBL) |
| Mac and Linux (LightBurn) | |
| Control Softwares | LaserGRBL (free), LightBurn (Paid Software) |
| Input Format | JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, SVG, etc. |
| Available Materials for Engraving | Wood Board, Paperboard, Black Acrylic, Leather, Food, Stainless Steel, Power Coated Metal, etc. |
| Available Materials for Cutting | Wood Board, Paperboard, Black Acrylic, Leather, Felt Cloth, Dark Color Plastic Sheet (Melt), etc. |
| Input Voltage | 100-240~50/60Hz |
| Power Adapter Output | 24V/4A |
| Operating Temp | -5℃ – 50℃ |
ORTUR Laser Master 3 Design
As mentioned at the start, the ORTUR Laser Maser 3 is completely different from the most popular cheaper alternatives that are built using simple aluminum extrusions.
Of course, this comes with a higher asking price, but I think the experience is much nicer. The assembly process is easier, the alignment of the aluminum parts is better and the overall sturdiness of the LM3 frame is also stronger.
For example, you can see how nice the belt tensioners of the LM3 are part of the Y axis extrusions and can be easily accessed if needed.
I also love the front Power button which has a colorful LED light around it letting you know about the state of the machine, a Key Lock witch that gives you the possibility of disabling the LM3 from unauthorized use and a very nice metallic Stop button which for some reason is oriented at 90 degrees.
The X-axis has smaller V-slot wheels (which I think are similar to Open Builds wheels) while the Y-axis uses regular V-slot wheels as you might find on 3D printers
Rotary Roller switch
The ORTUR Laser Master 3 is also compatible with a Rotary Roller unit, and has a simple switch on the back side that allows you to easily disable the Y-axis motor when you use the roller.
All the connectors for the board are located behind the front section of the laser, where we can find the SD card slot (which is not great if you need to take it out multiple times) and Boot/Reset buttons.
400x400mm engraving and cutting area
With the Ortur Laser Master 3 you can engrave or cut items up to 400×400 mm, which is a pretty respectable size but it’s also pretty common for laser engravers.
I have also seen 400×800 Laser Master 3 variants out there, so I expect an upgrade kit to be available at some point in the future.
Dual lasers for true 10W power
The Ortur LM3 has dual 5.5W laser diodes for a combined total power of 10W which gives it the capabilities mentioned in the specs, being capable of reaching up to 20.000mm/min allowing the laser to complete the job much faster.
Setting the Z offset of the laser focus is done with a simple lever that can be moved from the front of the laser module. The compressed point of the laser is 0.05mm x 0.01mm which is great for very detailed engraving and cutting. It’s also worth noting that the dual lasers include dual fan cooling to keep them cool.
I also like the diagonal laser module adjustment knob which makes it a bit easier to change the position of the laser unit without requiring the use of a hex tool. A small change, but a very helpful one when using the laser multiple times.
What I don’t like too much is the wire connector for the laser. It doesn’t have any strain relief on the connector side, and it seems a bit fragile. I would have liked to see a way to lock-in the wire connector to the laser module for extra piece of mind.
Compatible with Air Assist
When using laser cutters/engravers, it’s quite important to have a way of removing the exhausted fumes. But besides that, it’s also important to ensure that the laser is constantly focused and nothing obstructs its path.
This is where an air assist option works best, and the LM3 from Ortur is compatible with such a system. They even sell the ORTUR Air Assist Pump which is compatible with the Laser Master 3.
The laser module has a coupler integrated into the laser module where a hose attached to an air pump can be connected to blow air through the integrated air-assist exhaust around the laser.
When used with an air assist upgrade, the engraving results will be cleaner, and you should get a bit more power out of the laser when used for cutting.
Sensorless Homing
Another really nice feature is having sensorless homing for the laser. This feature simplifies the wiring of the product while also having a cleaner overall look.
Built-in Wi-Fi
The Ortur LM3 is also compatible with Wi-Fi which is much better developed compared to other laser engravers I’ve tested. It works best with the mobile app which has a plethora of functions but it also has a Web Interface from where you can control the laser engraver.
To increase the signal strength and Wi-Fi performance, the ORTUR Laser Master 3 has an antenna located on the front left side. While it’s nice to have this functionality, the Wi-Fi is only compatible with 2.4 GHz networks, just like most other offerings from other manufacturers of 3D printers and lasers.
Laser Explorer Mobile App
I was pleasantly surprised by the Laser Explorer mobile app which includes compatibility with a few other ORTUR laser engravers. The app is available on iOS and Android and offers much more functionality than I expected.
Besides the regular laser control options, you get a few other easy-to-use features. One of them is the capability of easily generating a QR code that contains a text inputted right from the app. In just a few minutes that QR code can be ready to be engraved right from the app without needing a computer for this.
There’s also a bar cod engraver option or the possibility of selecting an image from your album and engraving it. But the Puzzle feature in the Laser Explorer app is also great in my opinion. With this one, you can quickly create a puzzle ready to be cut without needing to use more complicated laser preparation software on a computer.
Web Interface
Safety Precautions
Wear eye protection
It’s extremely important to take the necessary precautions when using a laser engraver. Always wear protection glasses when the laser is on to avoid eye injury. The laser can instantly blind you so it’s not something to take lightly.
Use the laser in a well-ventilated area
When you start engraving or cutting different materials, smoke is released by the material. Do not use the laser in an enclosed space without ample ventilation because, besides the bad smell, your lungs don’t like the fumes produced. Always use the laser in a well-ventilated area and it’s also recommended to use a face mask if you don’t enclose the laser.
Conclusions: Is the ORTUR Laser Master 3 worth it?
I cannot answer this question, as I was unable to test the laser module included with the Laser Master 3 from ORTUR. I strongly recommend checking a few reviews where people also tested the power of the laser to see the results you can get with it.
But after assembling and using most of the features of the ORTUR LM3, it seems like a premium offering from ORTUR even though in the end, it probably does the same things as a cheaper 10W laser engraver/cutter. Albeit, slower as the cheaper engravers don’t really have the same rigidity as the LM3 has, and the build quality is just great.
I hope ORTUR decides to give 3D printing another go in the future because I would really be interested in a more premium offering from them, to see what they can do in this regard.
Where to buy the ORTUR Laser Master 3
The ORTUR Laser Master 3 can be purchased from the following sites:
Geekbuying – Discount Code: NNNOTLASER3
Ortur
Amazon
AliExpress
Banggood
The ORTUR Laser Master 3 was provided free of charge by Geekbuying for the purpose of this preview. While the article includes affiliate links, all opinions are my own. Nobody reviewed the article before it was posted, following the Review Guidelines.
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