The tube on my laser cutter started died. It's a consumable item that produces the collimated beam. If I'm replacing it anyway, I felt it would be nice to upgrade it from a 35W (ostensibly 40W--the manufacturers tend to exaggerate) to a larger 50W model.
This laser model has a cutout for an extension case, but it doesn't actually fit with the power plug in the way. After a few iterations of tracing, cutting, and prototyping, I designed a 3d-printed enclosure that would fit the opening perfectly. The steel step flashing was secured inside the print to provide grounding.
The first stage is very sturdy and secures to the chassis with three screws.
It's a terrific fit with everything assembled. The power cable connects without any further modifications and the wire on top provides grounding to the internal metal plates. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. the increased power almost doubles my cutting speed.
