Laser holder for the Silhouette Portrait cutter (might work in the Cameo as well)

This is my first iteration of a custom holder for the Silhouette Portrait which allows you to use a cutting/burning laser diode module in place of the knife cutter.

The tab on the side is used to mount a switch which is pressed when the Silhouette moves the pen down (cutting.) This switch is connected between the laser power source to turn the laser on when the portrait doing a cut move and off when the pen is up.

I plan to improve this significantly and would welcome any help. See the instructions tab for some important information to help in this regard.

I have included the Sketchup file so it can be modified/adapted easily. If you derive a design from this, please let me know so we can work together.

Designed for a 12mm diameter laser module. Can be easily adapted for 9mm diode modules.

Currently 500mW is probably the max power safe to use since the current design doesn't allow for a heatsink. I have a 3W diode, so I am planning to improve the design to allow some type of heat-sinking/active-cooling for the laser. Most laser modules have a max temperature of 45-50c before they will start to fail. Well below the melting point of PLA or ABS. Installing a temperature sensor inside the module and using that to compensate in your driving circuit is ideal. I will post a circuit when I get to it.

Most diode modules are designed to focus at 30mm (smallest beam diameter, max power) from the work piece. I have attempted to set the diode at the right height so that it will be 30mm from the work surface when the pen is down. This will need some tweaking.

Currently, it is not possible to adjust the lens once in the holder. So it will need to be focused and threadlocked outside of the holder. One improvement I am planning is to allow focusing (to account for various thicknesses of material) while in the holder. Suggestions appreciated.

The mount for the switch could be improved. It is just blank at the moment. You will need to determine how to mount your switch on your own. We want the switch to engage when the portrait clamp is at the very bottom. I am working to tweak this and lock it in with a particular recommended switch.

The plastic shroud around the portrait carriage snaps off easily, exposing the leads which drive the knife solenoid. I am looking at simple methods to interface directly to that instead of a switch. This would prevent the pen from moving up/down and the signal would be used to turn the laser on/off instead.

But I will likely keep the switch design as well since that is useful for those not wanting to mess with their stock portrait cutter.

So, improvements I am planning/could use some help with:

1. Allow focusing of the laser lens while the module is installed.
   
2. Improve switch mount and sources for the recommend switch
   
3. Adding heatsink/Active-cooling into the design (bonus if it can blow the smoke away from the laser as well)
   

Watch here for additional reverse engineering information and specs.

A. The clamp on the portrait is 17mm tall

B. From the platen to the top of the clamp is 29mm when in the down position and 35mm in the up position (need these verified.)

C. Flat area to the left of the pen is 32mm from the platen

D. Flat area begins about .5mm forward of the centerline of the pen diameter

E. Pen diameter is 14mm

F. Flange of the pen is 17mm diameter

G. 19mm is the max diameter that will fit in the carriage for the back half

Side note: Another application I am investigating is PCB milling and/or etch resist printing.