Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine Review

The Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine is just one of the engraving machines in Orion’s five product lines. They have been designing superior engravers for a decade and the experience shows.

As a stand-out feature, you’ll find that this machine allows for cylindrical engraving, a more unique aspect that is sure to grab the attention of those who are looking to spice up their craft.

While you’ll discover that the overall finish and variety of engravings is among the highest available, there are still a few points about this machine that should make you think.

It does have all the necessary requirements to be an excellent introduction machine, but the size and weight of this machine make it less appealing to those who have never laser engraved anything themselves before.

Because of this, the more devoted hobbyist and expert are more likely to get the full potential out of this machine. If you’re a beginner, it might be wise to start with a lighter version and get some firsthand experience.

If you’re still interested in finding out more about what this engraver can do, we invite you to read on and discover all there is to know.

Orion Motor Tech CO2 Laser Engraving Machine: The Details

In a Nutshell

• Product Dimensions: 40 x 25.6 x 24.8 inches.
• Weight: 143.3 lbs.
• Plate size: 12 x 20 inches.
• Stand-Out Feature: Cylinder rotary attachment and a red dot pointer.

Features

Cylinder Rotary Attachment

As a more unique feature when it comes to engraving, this machine comes with a cylinder rotary attachment.

If you’re not entirely clear on what that means, it’s basically an attachment that allows you to engrave curved objects as well as flat ones.

Since the technology behind this is a bit more finicky, it is not a common feature on most laser engraving machines, making this one way of standing out from the crowd.

Red Dot Printer

Since the laser beam itself is invisible to the naked eye, Orion has included a handy red dot printer so you can still estimate where your engraving will begin.

While it will still take you a few tries before you can correctly interpret what this means for your projects, it is a thoughtful touch and one that is certain to have benefits for you.

Just keep any dot-chasing pets out of the pictures, or you’ll never get any work done.

Variety of Parts

Orion is very proud of the amount of work they’ve put into getting this engraving machine together.

With a Japanese motherboard and a Germany-original stepping plate, you’ll find that no expense has been spared in finding the most harmonious way of making this machine happen.

Since they have devoted this much time to perfecting the machine components, it has also greatly improved on this engraver’s overall life expectancy.

The Orion Motor Tech is the best engraving machine when you’re looking for durability.

Compatible With Varying Image Sizes

A lot of laser engraving machines only do well with one or, at most, two different file types. The included RDworks/Corelaser software is compatible with PLT / DXF / BMP / JPG / GIF / PGN / TIF, and other file types, opening up a range of options for you no matter what you’re hoping to create.

Further expanding on this is the compatibility with Win 7, Win 8, Vista, XP, and Win 2000. This makes the Orion Motor Tech Engraver one of the most versatile machines available.

Shutdown Button

Safety is one of the most important features in any heavy machinery.

Apart from taking the necessary precautions by yourself, such as keeping long hair and loose clothing out of the way, you also need a way of shutting down the machine in case the worst happens.

The Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine comes with a large shutdown button located in plain sight.

Should something out of the ordinary happen, all you need to do is press down on the button and the machine will immediately shut down.

All Necessary Accessories

You’re probably not looking to buy any additional machines soon after purchasing your first laser engraving device.

As such, it’s a good thing that most come with ample materials necessary for all your future projects. Included in the box, you’ll find:

• 1x Main Body.
• 1x Cylinder Rotary Attachment.
• 1x Air Pump.
• 1x Water Pump.
• 1x Exhaust Fan.
• 1x Smoke Pipe.
• 1x Laser Tube.
• 1x Manual/Accessory Bag.
• 1x User Manual.
• 1x USB Cable.
• 1x CD.
• 1x Power Line.
• 1x Wrench.
• 1x Key.

Note that very few of these items are exclusively suited to this specific engraving machine, making it perfectly acceptable for you to use these on any future devices.

Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine Review

The Positives

Great Choice of Materials

When you get a laser engraving machine, you typically want some variety in the type of objects you’ll be able to work with.

Thanks to the Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine, you won’t need to skimp on any future projects.

Our testers have mentioned that they’ve experienced great results with wood, bamboo, acrylic, fabric, glass, ceramic, delrin, cloth, leather, and many other non-metal materials.

While metal requires a different approach from non-metal, you can still engrave harder objects, though it will be more difficult to achieve the perfect finish that you’re seeking.

Doesn’t Rely on WiFi

Many engravers and printers have gone wireless in recent years, making users connect to their WiFi or internet connection in order to print from anywhere.

While this can be great on a stable connection, many people have issues due to wonky connections, or unstable WiFi. This can be detrimental if it interferes with your project, or leaves it incomplete.

With the Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine, you can choose to connect via USB cable or keep things wireless by using a flash drive that can be connected right into the machine.

This is great for classroom and office settings, as it will be easier for everyone to utilize the printer.

Easy to Use with Great Instructions 

While the size of this machine may look intimidating, customers have noted just how easy it is to use. Once they followed the instructions in the manual, they found that things came together easily.

Orion Motor Tech has done all the hard building for you, leaving assembly a simple task of connecting the dots. Once assembled, this machine continues to operate easily, with assistance from the manual.

Intermediate and advanced users were also able to follow the instructions to learn more techniques and features that this engraver could do, making it a great printer to grow with.

Customer Service

When investing in any machine, it’s great to know the company stands behind their product by offering a warranty.

In the case of the Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraver, you’ll receive a 1-year limited warranty to protect against any damages or errors in manufacturing.

Should you notice any defects in your machine, contact their customer service department and they’ll handle it from there.

Some customers have also noted that they’ve received great customer service from Orion Motor Tech, so rest assured you’ll be taken care of.

The Negatives

Big Package

Great things can come in even greater (read: massive) packages, as is proven by this engraving machine.

That being said, it really is quite bulky, so you’ll want to do some measuring beforehand to be sure that it will fit.

Due to its size, the company does prefer delivering it to your home or business while you’re present, so clear some space in your agenda to do the honors yourself.

Some Additional Investments Required

Going the full mile for your hobby or business is laudable, but the Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine could have used a few more extras to ensure it stood out further.

Several users have mentioned tweaking the cooling systems or making other adjustments to make sure this engraving machine is up to their personal taste.

While customization is its own joy, finding that several people have been making the same adjustments could be a sign that Orion needs to take a closer looks at their original design.

Not for Macs

While integrating a USB drive onto the machine itself makes for easy operating in a communal environment, the fact that this printer doesn’t seem to support Mac may lessen its convenience.

This is an issue we see with a lot of printers and engravers, so we’re hoping more companies will work to include all operating systems as we grow in the printing world.

Mac (and Linux) users can utilize a Windows emulator in this scenario, but it might be a hassle for those who aren’t familiar with this process.

Here’s a video showing what this Tech Laser Engraving Machine looks like out of the box.

Overall Verdict

The Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine is an outstanding device that has several outstanding features. Both the rotary printing and guaranteed durability help to lift this engraver from among the masses.

While it can work with a lot of materials and has no problem reading several file types, it does seem that several users have modified theirs to fit to their personal tastes even better.

We can recommend this machine to beginners and professionals alike, but it is likely that the size of this engraver will deter all but the most serious hobbyists.

The quality and variation of designs are among the best you could find, but the few downsides should have you consider how serious you are about pursuing this engraver.

All in all, it’s a recommendation for those with the passion (and space) to commit themselves.

Where to Buy the Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine

Orion Motor Tech has definitely made a splash with their Laser Engraving Machine, perfect for both home and commercial users alike.

Their background in the industry is still very new,  as the rest of their product line seems to be more motor oriented.

Nonetheless, enthusiasts have been raving about the quality of this machine, many calling it one of the best engraving machines on the market. With this success, we hope to see more items like this in the future.

It may be a little tricky to find this machine both in-store or online though, as this brand is still growing their presence in both avenues.

While it’s usually best to check craft and specialty stores, you can kick-start your search with the following online retailer.

• Wal Mart (from $1,475)

And of course, you can find this engraving machine on Amazon.

That’s it for our Orion Motor Tech Laser Engraving Machine review. Tempted to give it a try?