<h2>Not with consumer equipment.</h2>
<p>FDM printers are functionally three-axis motion control machines: &quot;extrude quantity <strong>W</strong> material at position <strong>X Y Z</strong>, continue to next <strong>W</strong>, <strong>X</strong>, <strong>Y</strong>, and <strong>Z</strong>.&quot;</p>
<p>Adapting it to control a laser position is a relatively simple task, because most of the logic is the same. &quot;fire laser for <strong>W</strong> duration&quot; instead of &quot;extrude quantity <strong>W</strong> material&quot;. Moving the laser around is functionally similar to moving the print head around.</p>
<p>Consumer SLA (aka &quot;DLP&quot; or &quot;mSLA&quot;) is an entirely different logic, a different process. It is effectively layer-by-layer snapshots, rather than multi-axis motion control. They do a whole layer at a time, then lift the whole object up for the next layer: &quot;flash layer <strong>1</strong> for <strong>W</strong> duration, lift bed <strong>Z</strong>, proceed to layer <strong>2</strong>.&quot;</p>
<p>Professional/industrial SLA printers that use lasers exist (like SLS), but they're tuned to precisely cure photopolymer resins, not cut things.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-28T20:11:50.410Z
2020-02-10T15:38:53.723Z
2020-06-18T08:29:41.667Z
T.J.L.
<p>While trying to figure out if I should start 3D printing with FDM (Creality Ender 3) or with SLA (Elegoo Mars), I got hooked on the bonus feature of attaching a laser upgrade on the 3d printer to make paper cutouts and cards. I read that its quite easy for the Ender 3 and dozens of other FDM printer, but I could not find anything about adding a laser to resin printers.</p>

<p><strong>Question: Is it possible at all to attach a laser engraving module to a SLA 3D Printer like it can be done to FDM?</strong></p>

<p>Additional information about pro/cons regarding this topic would be nice and are truly welcome.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-28T14:47:29.330Z
Why would you want to?  A resin printer has no mechanism for securing your paper stock to the build plate.
Carl Witthoft
<sla><laser>
Is it possible to attach a laser engraver to a SLA / resin 3D printer?
user19928
# Is it possible to attach a laser engraver to a SLA / resin 3D printer?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-26)

While trying to figure out if I should start 3D printing with FDM (Creality Ender 3) or with SLA (Elegoo Mars), I got hooked on the bonus feature of attaching a laser upgrade on the 3d printer to make paper cutouts and cards. I read that its quite easy for the Ender 3 and dozens of other FDM printer, but I could not find anything about adding a laser to resin printers.

**Question: Is it possible at all to attach a laser engraving module to a SLA 3D Printer like it can be done to FDM?**

Additional information about pro/cons regarding this topic would be nice and are truly welcome.

**Tags:** sla, laser
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Why would you want to?  A resin printer has no mechanism for securing your paper stock to the build plate.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-28. Score: 4

## Not with consumer equipment.

FDM printers are functionally three-axis motion control machines: "extrude quantity **W** material at position **X Y Z**, continue to next **W**, **X**, **Y**, and **Z**."

Adapting it to control a laser position is a relatively simple task, because most of the logic is the same. "fire laser for **W** duration" instead of "extrude quantity **W** material". Moving the laser around is functionally similar to moving the print head around.

Consumer SLA (aka "DLP" or "mSLA") is an entirely different logic, a different process. It is effectively layer-by-layer snapshots, rather than multi-axis motion control. They do a whole layer at a time, then lift the whole object up for the next layer: "flash layer **1** for **W** duration, lift bed **Z**, proceed to layer **2**."

Professional/industrial SLA printers that use lasers exist (like SLS), but they're tuned to precisely cure photopolymer resins, not cut things.


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