How I’m Using a Tiny Laser to Scale My 3D Printing Business
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I do not just own a few 3D printers. I run a 3D printing business.
That means I am constantly looking for tools that can improve existing products, add personalisation or help me create something that other sellers are not already offering.
A laser engraver seemed like an obvious addition.
The problem is that many laser engravers are large, open machines that need a permanent workbench, a connected computer and a fair amount of experience before you can use them confidently.
The AlgoLaser Pixi is different.
It is a tiny, enclosed laser engraver with a built-in touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity and a 100mm by 100mm working area. It can engrave, cut materials and even work directly on certain 3D printed parts.
More importantly, it is compact enough to sit in my home without taking over another room.
AlgoLaser sent me the Pixi to test, and I have now spent several weeks engraving almost everything I could find.
Disclosure: AlgoLaser supplied the Pixi used in this video and article. I was not paid to produce the review, and the company did not approve or control my opinions. I do get to keep the machine, and the link below is an affiliate link, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through it.
Why add a laser to a 3D printing business?
There are already thousands of sellers producing 3D printed products.
Buying another printer can increase capacity, but it does not necessarily make the products any more distinctive. A laser engraver gives me a way to add names, dates, messages, logos and other details after the printing process is complete.
It can also work with materials that I do not normally use, including:
- Cork
- Wood
- Leather and imitation leather
- Felt
- Card
- Certain plastics
- Coated metals
- Existing 3D printed parts
Personalisation is especially important on marketplaces such as Etsy, where customers are often looking for something made specifically for them.
Instead of offering the same printed object as everybody else, I can add a customer’s name, commemorate an event or combine printed parts with engraved wooden and cork elements.
That makes a fairly simple product feel much more personal.
What is the AlgoLaser Pixi?
The Pixi is a small enclosed desktop laser engraver.
The version I tested uses a 10W laser and costs $299 before any optional accessories. Despite its small size, it can engrave and cut a reasonable selection of materials.
The main working area is 100mm by 100mm. The physical bed is slightly larger, but only the central area can be used by the laser.
The machine includes:
- A built-in touchscreen
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- USB file support
- USB-C connectivity
- A mobile application
- LightBurn compatibility
- An exhaust connection
- A removable and reversible work surface
- More than 400 included designs and test projects
- Adjustable height for thicker objects
The machine arrived with an exhaust tube, power supply, tools, test material and a small focus gauge.
It looks more professional than many beginner-focused machines. It does not have the bright plastic appearance of a children’s craft product, so I am happy to have it sitting in my living room.
It is also comparable in size to a small 3D printer, which makes it much easier to accommodate than a large open-frame laser.
An important note about laser safety
An enclosed laser is more approachable, but it still needs to be treated seriously.
Laser engraving can produce smoke and fumes, depending on the material being used. The included exhaust connection should be vented properly rather than allowed to release everything into the room.
You also need to confirm that a material is safe to engrave before putting it inside the machine. Certain plastics and coatings can release dangerous fumes when heated or burned.
The Pixi uses a passcode to prevent somebody from immediately starting the machine. This is useful if it is being used in a home where children or visitors might be able to reach it.
I would still never leave it unattended while it is operating.
The enclosure makes the machine safer and easier to use, but it does not turn a laser into a toy.
Setting up the Pixi
The initial setup is much closer to configuring a small appliance than building an industrial laser system.
After powering it on, I connected it to Wi-Fi and created a security passcode. The touchscreen then gave me access to the built-in projects, material presets and machine controls.
You can operate it in several different ways:
- Directly through the touchscreen
- Using files on a USB stick
- Through the mobile application
- Connected to a computer
- Through LightBurn
For my own workflow, USB files and the mobile app make the most sense.
The Pixi will not permanently sit beside my computer, and I do not need advanced desktop software for the type of work I currently plan to do. I can prepare a PNG, place it on a USB stick and start engraving from the machine itself.
LightBurn is available for people who want more detailed desktop control, but it is paid software and was not necessary for my testing.
Using the built-in projects
The Pixi includes more than 400 example files and templates.
There are decorative designs, seasonal images, sports-themed projects, keyrings and test patterns. It is a useful way to start using the machine without immediately needing to create your own files.
The most helpful built-in designs are the power and speed tests.
Different materials react very differently to a laser. A setting that produces a clean dark mark on cork might burn straight through another material.
The test files let you engrave a grid using different power and speed combinations. You can then compare the results and choose the setting that produces the finish you want.
This saves material and removes some of the guesswork.
There are also presets for common materials. These should be treated as starting points rather than guaranteed settings, especially when you do not know the exact composition or thickness of the material.
Most of laser engraving is testing, adjusting and gradually building a list of settings that work for the materials you use regularly.
My first engraving attempts
My first attempt was on the small piece of wood included with the machine.
I selected the birch plywood preset without knowing exactly what type of wood I had been given. The setting was either too powerful or too slow, and the result was darker than intended.
That was my fault rather than the machine’s.
The second test was on a cork coaster.
I used a lower-power leather setting, positioned my 3D Print Land logo and started the engraving.
The result was significantly better.
The laser created a dark, clean logo without cutting deeply into the cork. I had not positioned it particularly well, but the engraving itself looked professional.
Once I understood how the material reacted, the process became straightforward.
Positioning an engraving
To engrave an item, you place it on the work surface and adjust the height of the laser using the included focus tool.
The focus tool sits between the laser assembly and the surface of the object. You turn the adjustment control until the spacing is correct, then remove the tool before starting.
After selecting a file, the Pixi can trace a rectangular preview around the area it is going to engrave.
This lets you check whether the design will fit on the item before firing the laser at full power.
The preview currently shows a rectangular bounding box rather than following the exact outline of the design. It works, but I would prefer it to trace the actual shape.
For a circular coaster, for example, I need to judge whether the rectangle fits within the edges rather than seeing the exact circular logo previewed.
It is one of the main software improvements I would like to see.
Engraving almost everything I own
After the first few tests, I began trying the Pixi on different objects around the house.
I engraved the 3D Print Land logo onto a coated metal wallet. The finished mark looked surprisingly clean and permanent.
I also engraved a felt desk mat.
Because I only had one desk mat, I started with a weak setting rather than risking destroying it immediately. The first pass was too light, so I increased the power and ran another pass.
The final result worked well.
That is one of the main lessons with a laser engraver: when testing an object you cannot easily replace, begin with less power.
You can normally run another pass or increase the setting. You cannot undo an engraving that has burned too deeply.
Engraving directly onto a 3D print
The test I was most interested in was engraving PLA.
Being able to add details after printing could make the Pixi genuinely useful for my existing products.
For the test, I printed a flat black PLA piece and engraved the name “Jay” onto its surface.
I began with a relatively low power setting.
Rather than carving deeply into the plastic, the laser slightly changed the finish. The engraved area became darker and shinier, producing a subtle contrast against the surrounding PLA.
I increased the power for a second attempt, which made the lettering more visible without severely damaging the part.
The engraving was not particularly deep or tactile, but that was probably a good thing. I wanted a clean personalised mark, not a trench cut into the model.
It created a result that would be difficult to achieve using the 3D printer alone.
Exactly how well this works will depend on the filament, colour, additives and surface finish. Every material should be tested carefully, and you need to confirm that it is safe to engrave.
For the black PLA I used, the result was very promising.
A real product I can sell
The most useful test was not a random logo or sample project.
It was a product I can genuinely add to my Etsy shop.
I regularly receive messages from people who have lost a pet and want something small to remember them by. I already produce printed animal figures and memorial items.
Some of these products use cork pads underneath the printed model.
With the Pixi, I can engrave the pet’s name, dates or a short message directly onto the cork base before attaching it to the print.
That turns a standard product into a personal memorial.
It is a small addition, but it gives the customer something made specifically for them. It also allows me to charge for personalisation without redesigning and reprinting the entire model for every order.
This is where I think a small laser can make the biggest difference to a 3D printing business.
It does not have to replace the printer. It can add another stage to the same product.
Cutting wood with the Pixi
The Pixi does more than engrave.
The work surface can be flipped over to reveal a grille designed for cutting. This improves airflow and stops the laser from damaging the normal flat surface when it passes through the material.
Flipping the platform requires removing four screws, turning the bed over and reinstalling it.
It only takes a short time, but I would prefer a sliding or magnetic system. Moving between engraving and cutting would be much easier if the bed could be swapped without tools.
For the cutting test, I used the supplied wooden sheet and selected one of the built-in cat keyring designs.
The machine first engraved the details of the cat, then completed a slower and more powerful pass around the outline.
There was visible smoke and even a few small sparks during the cut, reinforcing why the machine should be supervised and placed on a suitable non-flammable surface.
The laser passed through most of the sheet. A few sections needed to be separated manually because I had selected a generic 3mm plywood setting without knowing the actual material.
Despite that, the finished keyring looked excellent.
The darkened cut edges gave the piece a more finished appearance, and the engraved details were surprisingly clean for something created from a built-in template.
Reverse engraving
The Pixi also includes a reverse engraving mode.
Instead of engraving the dark parts of an image, it engraves the negative space around them. This can create a reversed or stencil-like effect.
It works best with designs contained inside a clear shape, such as a square logo or badge.
The feature is not something I expect to use every day, but it gives another option for creating contrast on wood and similar materials.
It also shows that the built-in software goes further than simply moving a laser around a basic image.
Using the mobile app
The AlgoLaser mobile app provides many of the same tools as the touchscreen.
You can upload files, choose projects, add text, draw directly on the screen and send work to the machine over Wi-Fi.
The app also includes more fonts than the Pixi’s built-in interface.
The touchscreen initially offered only a small selection of typefaces, and I could not find a supported method of installing additional fonts directly onto the machine.
For basic names and messages, the mobile app is therefore the better option.
I did find one issue when importing images through the application. It occasionally cropped part of my logo near the edge, even though the original file was complete.
Leaving some blank space around the artwork reduced the problem, but it is something that should be corrected in a future update.
It is still useful to have several ways of operating the Pixi.
You can use the touchscreen when you want something quick, the app for more text options, USB for prepared files and desktop software for advanced control.
Raising the enclosure for larger items
The laser’s working area is small, but the enclosure can be raised.
Removing the rear screws allows the upper section to sit higher, creating enough space for thicker items and optional accessories such as rotary rollers.
A rotary attachment can be used for cylindrical objects, including bottles and tumblers.
I did not test any rotary accessories, but the adjustable height makes the machine more versatile than its size initially suggests.
Raising the enclosure does create a safety concern.
The normal closed body helps contain the laser, but lifting it creates exposed gaps around the lower edge. It becomes possible to reach underneath the enclosure while the machine is operating.
Extra care is needed whenever it is used in the raised position.
What I like about the Pixi
The biggest advantage is ease of use.
The touchscreen interface feels similar to a simple tablet application. You do not need to understand G-code, configure complicated software or permanently connect it to a computer.
It also does not require much space.
A large open-frame laser would be difficult for me to place safely in my home. The Pixi can sit on a desk or cabinet while still offering proper engraving and light cutting.
The enclosure, passcode, included projects and material tests make it approachable for somebody who has never owned a laser.
I also appreciate that AlgoLaser has produced guides and learning material rather than shipping the machine and leaving beginners to work everything out themselves.
Most importantly, I have found genuine uses for it.
It can personalise my existing prints, engrave cork bases, add logos to packaging materials and help me develop products that combine 3D printed and laser-cut parts.
What could be improved?
The Pixi is easy to use, but there are several areas I would change.
The positioning preview
The outline tool only displays a rectangular boundary.
I would like it to follow the real shape of the design, making it much easier to centre circular logos and unusually shaped artwork.
Limited built-in fonts
The machine itself has very few fonts, and I could not find a way to install more.
The mobile app has a better selection, and you can always create text as an image on another device, but custom fonts should ideally be available directly from the touchscreen.
The reversible bed
Changing from the normal engraving surface to the cutting grille requires removing four screws.
A tool-free sliding or magnetic design would make switching much faster.
The power cable
The included cable is shorter than I would like.
Laser placement is already restricted by the need for proper ventilation, so a longer power lead would provide more flexibility.
A temporary movement issue
Before installing a software update, I had one engraving where the laser appeared to lose position and began moving the design sideways.
It has not happened again since the update, but I cannot confirm that the software was definitely the cause or the fix.
It is another reason I would not leave any laser engraver running unattended.
Mobile image cropping
The app cropped the edge of one imported logo.
Adding blank space around the image helped, but the software should preserve the complete file without requiring a workaround.
Can the AlgoLaser Pixi help scale a 3D printing business?
For my business, yes.
It will not increase the number of models my printers can produce each day. It gives me something different: the ability to make those products more valuable.
I can add names to prints, engrave memorial bases, create branded inserts, cut wooden accessories and combine multiple manufacturing methods in one product.
That can help me:
- Offer paid personalisation
- Create products with less direct competition
- Increase the value of existing designs
- Produce small branded components
- Test new product ideas without outsourcing
- Add wood, cork and other materials to printed products
It is particularly useful because it fits into my existing workspace.
A larger laser might be faster and offer a much bigger cutting area, but it would also require more room and a more complicated setup.
The Pixi is small enough that I will actually keep it accessible and use it.
Is the AlgoLaser Pixi worth it?
The Pixi is not the machine to buy if you want to cut large sheets of wood or run a high-volume laser production business.
Its working area is only 100mm by 100mm, and the enclosure limits the size of the objects you can place inside without raising it.
It makes more sense for personalisation, small products, keyrings, coasters, labels, logos and decorative details.
That is exactly what I need from it.
After several weeks, I am still using it and still finding new things to engrave. More importantly, I already have a real product that benefits from it.
The touchscreen is genuinely useful, the machine is easy to learn and the results have been better than I expected.
It has a few software quirks and some physical design choices I would change, but none of them prevent me from using it as part of my business.
I originally saw it as a small laser engraver to experiment with.
Now I see it as another production tool.