ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver review – a powerful, versatile, safe, and easy to use laser engraver!

REVIEW – I’ve reviewed a couple of laser cutter/engravers so far, but I haven’t had the chance to review an IR laser yet. Infrared lasers open up engraving and cutting with a range of new materials like metal and stone that diode lasers can’t handle, at a lower cost than most CO2 laser cutter/engravers. I loved the idea of an all-in-one machine that ACMER is marketing with their 2-in-1 laser module option (though you can also choose different laser module options like just the IR laser, or a higher-powered diode-only laser module). 

What is it?

The ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver is an enclosed laser cutter and engraver with the option to select a dual laser module at purchase (a rare option in this product category). You could also separately purchase different modules if desired. It has a Core XY movement system similar to some 3D printers, which helps the system to move at higher speeds and with more accuracy than models that have separate belts and drives for each axis. A host of safety features keeps the end user safe, and compatibility with all major computer and mobile operating systems means you can use it pretty much however you’d like. There are also packages available with rotary adapters (for engraving on cylindrical objects) and other accessories. 

What’s included?

• ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver
• 2-in-1 Laser Module
• Material package (including calibration pieces)
• Air pump
• AC power supply
• Flexible exhaust hose and hose clamp
• USB cable
• Micro SD card and reader
• Tool kit
• Materials reference sheet
• Guides and manuals

Tech specs (as tested)

Design and features

The ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver is a large device, but really not that much bigger than its internal workspace. The build is mostly aluminum with the acrylic cover on top. 

On the left side of the unit there are no ports or plugs, but notice the ventilation slits on the cover in the photo above. These slits let laser light escape a bit if you’re at just the right angle relative to where the laser is working. I’m not too worried about it, but it’s something to be aware of (eye protection is included with all laser engravers for a reason). The cover prevents almost all of the eye-harming light from escaping, except for this small spot. 

The right side also has ventilation with the same light escape issue, along with a couple of inputs/outputs (from left to right): power input, USB data, air pipe, and the external air pump connection. 

Around back is the smoke/fumes exhaust outlet (and in the phto above you can just glimpse the 40mm fan that actively pumps the air out). There are also two switches on the back right (left in the photo) that turn on the internal LED and the exhaust fan accordingly. 

A large tray slides out to expose the 400mm x 400mm working area covered by a honeycomb plate. There were also four magnetic material clips that work great for holding down slightly warped sheets of wood or anything else thin. 

This sliding tray is fully accessible when inserted as well. 

The laser assembly itself is height adjustable by two large thumbscrews, and has a built in measuring rod that flips down to set the correct height relative to your material and then flips back up to stay out of the way when in use. 

Finally, a brief mention of safety features: in the photo above you can see the inserted keys, power button, and large red stop button (bottom right). The ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver also has Class 1 laser safety (harmful laser radiation), over temperature sensors, tilt sensors, limit protection, a safety lock (keys), and an emergency stop button. The engraver automatically pauses for safety if you lift the lid, and resumes when you close it again. 

Assembly, Installation, Setup

I was sent the basic package with the 2-in-1 laser module of the ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver. An air pump is included even at the base level, and connects to the main unit as shown above. I then installed the exhaust hose (similar to any flexible dryer hose if you’ve worked with those before). Finally, plugging in power and USB to my laptop and I was ready to start the software setup. 

I’ve used LaserGRBL and Lightburn before, and like most people I prefer Lightburn even though it costs a bit while LaserGRBL is free. Profiles/settings are available for both programs, and there’s even a mobile app option. 

A video tutorial on the MicroSD card was helpful to follow for going through the setup and calibration process. The included calibration pattern board and blank wood pieces were exactly what you need to run the camera calibration, and after that was done it was good within a millimeter or so. 

The internal camera sits in the middle of the cover, giving a perfect view of the entire workspace. I updated the camera overlay in Lightburn with a single click, and could position our Gadgeteer logo right over my test board. I followed the handy material reference sheet for speed and power settings (20,000 mm/minute at 100% power with the diode laser)…

And the end result was great, as good as any other laser engraver I’ve tested thus far. I moved on to more exotic materials and projects after that, but I’ll save those for the performance section. The ability to simply place objects onto the workspace and then work in Lightburn with my graphics and designs to match those materials makes the workflow so easy. 

Performance

The above video shows some of my testing with the ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver. The engraver is fast, the reference guide for material settings that ACMER provides was a great starting point for everything I tested with, and the end results have been fantastic. 

But the real test was to play with materials like metal and stone. I tried out some various metal swatches, and they all turned out great, but I was really blown away when I tried engraving onto some slate coaster blanks. The resulting coaster looks beautiful, and I can’t wait to test out more images and designs on these.

What I like about the ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver

• Easy for an amateur like me to use
• 2-in-1 laser module is unique and allows for a ton of materials without swapping laser assemblies
• Good documentation and tutorials

What needs to be improved?

• Still got a couple of stray blue laser light glimpses as I was walking around – ventilation slits in cover allow laser light to escape
• The switch on the 2-in-1 laser module was not explained, took some trial and error to figure out which setting was for which laser (the switch is on the side of the laser module, and blue light indicates diode laser, red light is IR laser)
• Air hose to laser assembly rubs on the overhead camera cable hanging down (I taped this up out of the way to prevent any issues)

Final thoughts

This was the last photo of the ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver in my test lab (also called our garage). Upon completion of the testing for the review, I started carving out a space for it in my basement office/shop and I’ve already listed a couple of product prototypes on my Etsy store created using this laser cutter and engraver. I already had ventilation to the outside for my 3D print farm, so I hooked the exhaust hose into that existing line, and I’ve finally been able to do laser engraving and cutting indoors (previous attempts have resulted in smoke alarms going off and lungs filled with said smoke). I look forward to using the ACMER P3 IR＆Diode Enclosed Dual Laser Engraver for a long time, and the ability to engrave photos and designs onto materials like metal and stone while also doing other materials like wood, leather, and paper opens up what feels like unlimited opportunities for new stuff in the future!

Price: $1799 – $3366 depending on laser and package selection (on sale for $1399 – $2867 at time of review)
Where to buy: Acmer
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Acmer. Acmer did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.