Is The xTool D1 PRO Really The BEST Laser Engraver ?

The xTool D1 Pro is by far the most capable laser cutter machine we have gotten our hands on so far! Just like its predecessor, the xTool D1, it features excellent mechanics, advanced stepper motor drivers and a powerful laser module. But this bad boy now boasts a quad-diode laser module! It also has some additional features and functionalities compared to the original D1 that we will mention later in this post. In this article, we will put the xTool D1 Pro 20W through a series of tests which will show what this machine is really capable of!

You can also now get this machine in the Metal Grey or Golden Red color as well!

The xTool D1 Pro 20W is mechanically similar to the xTool D1 and has a rectangular working area of 430 * 390 mm. The new xTool D1 Pro features steel rollers on every axis, which should mean there will be a lot of precision at high speeds and very little mechanical wobble. All of the parts are solid and heavy and have a quality feel to them. The assembly of the machine is easy, and it takes less than an hour to assemble it thanks to a really well written manual with great color illustrations.

Cutting and Engraving Different Materials

Engrave: Wood, Cardboard, Plastic, Leather, Acrylic, Canvas, Fabric, PCB Board, Anodized Aluminum, Electroplating Layer and Paint Surface Layer Metal, 304 Mirror Stainless Steel, Glass, Ceramics, Cotton Cloth, Slate.

The D1 Pro 20W is also a monster of a laser cutter!

Cut: Cardboard, Non-woven Fabric, Wood Board, Acrylic, Some Thin Plastic Board, Sponge; cardboard…
You can cut more than 15mm thick material with this laser engraver. The machine can cut wood like butter, especially Poplar plywood which is soft and it is the preferred wood for all laser cutters.
Avoid some plastics like PVC and vinyl since it releases hydrogen chloride gas while being cut. This gas is toxic and very corrosive (your machine may rust quickly if you are cutting such material with it).

We have tested the machine with engraving and cutting many different materials. The xTool D1 Pro gives outstanding results which are not possible with any diode laser available on the market at the moment. It cuts and engraves better than some industrial grade engravers. 

Laser Module
The xTool D1 Pro is available with two laser power options, 10W and 20W. The 10W module has a compressed laser spot of 0.08 x 0.06 mm, but on the 20W module, it's 0.08 x 0.1 mm.
When the laser beam has a compressed spot size, there will be a higher energy density due to the power concentration. This, in turn, allows for high-resolution engravings and deep cuts on materials. For example, with the 20W laser module, you can cut 10mm basswood and 8mm acrylic in one pass. The 20W laser module has four 5W diode lasers inside. Beams from these lasers are combined to give an output power of 20W.

Diode laser engravers with a 20W output power are quite new to the market. Currently, there are two major players who offer a 20W laser module, however the the xTool 20W module is far more superior and it lasts much longer.

Material Capability

The 450nm diode lasers used on the xTool D1 Pro can work on materials like wood, leather, paper, acrylic, fabric, rock, ceramic, glass, and metal like stainless steel.
Remember, as the laser's output power increases you can work on similar material much faster thereby increasing your productivity. For example, with the 20W version of xTool D1 Pro, you can engrave a workpiece at twice the speed that the 10W can achieve. Interestingly, with the 20W laser module on xTool D1 Pro, you can also engrave in colors on metals like stainless steel. It works by oxidizing the surface layer of the metal and exposing it to the laser beam at different speeds and feeds. The color varies depending on the engraving settings.