At our Test Lab, we recently got our hands on the Creality Falcon 2 (22W) laser engraver. Now, first off, you may know Creality for its wide range of 3D printers. However, the company seems to be looking to be an all-round company catering to hobbyists and craft makers. Why do we say this? Well, it does not only manufacture 3D printers, but also laser engravers and robots.
Well, for today, we’ll be reviewing the Creality Falcon 2 (22W) laser engraver. We first wrote about the Falcon 2 laser engraver a while ago when it was released. Now, we’ve had hands-on experience with the device and can provide a comprehensive review.
Let’s get started.
AVAILABLE ON CREALITY
Creality Falcon Laser Engraver (22W) Review
As the name suggests, the Falcon 2 laser engraver is a new version of the first CR-Laser Falcon 10W laser engraver. This unit is large and a great addition to your workshop, whether you are a beginner or advanced laser engraving enthusiast.
What’s in the Box?
The package came packed well and cushioned with foam for safety of the items during shipping. The machine is quite large (measuring 26.14 x 22.44 x 6.81 inches), so don’t be too surprised when the package arrives at your home.
Here’s what’s in the box:
i) Almost fully assembled Falcon 2 laser engraver frames
ii) TF card with some test files as well as other files
iii) Instructions manual
iv) Safety goggles
v) Power cords
vi) Toolkit
vii) 22W laser head
You may already know of 10W or 20W diode lasers. In fact, at our workshop, we’ve tested a number of these, such as the Snapmaker 20W laser. But what is a 22W laser module? Well, this is essentially the same as a 20W module, which combines four 6W modules. The four modules are combined and focused together to produce a more powerful laser output.
With that out of the way, let’s go through the features of the Falcon 22W laser. But if you prefer a video, here we go:
Design & Build
Some of the open frame laser engravers that we’ve tested in the past, for example, the Longer Ray 5, use standard aluminum extrusions to form the frame. But the Falcon has more than this for the build. The machine has a customized frame that is sturdier and more rigid, allowing the laser module to move at 25,000 mm/min.
The laser engraver also stands out with its built-in air assist accessory that is powered by the machine itself. Therefore, you won’t need an additional air pump and nozzle on the laser module. You can adjust the airflow using a knob located on the side of the machine.
The Falcon 2 doesn’t have a touchscreen. However, it supports offline engraving. Simply put your design on an SD card, and when you press the Frame button, the machine will read the latest file on the MicroSD card. At the same time, the laser module will start going in a square fashion to display the preview of the job. As it’s doing this, you can position your material appropriately.
When you’re ready, simply click the Play button to start the job.
Safety Features
The Creality Falcon 2 comes with a number of safety features that you will appreciate. For example, there is a conspicuous red emergency stop button, a sensor to hold the machine if it tilts or drops and a lock to prevent unauthorized use.
On the laser module, there are LED light indicators that monitor air flow, flame detection, and whether the lens of the laser module needs cleaning.
Overall, the features of the Falcon to look promising. But we know that features are nothing if they cannot perform.
Let’s get ready for performance. But first, assembly matters.
Assembly
The Creality Falcon 2 machine comes pre-assembled. The entire frame of the X-axis is put together in the package.
Apart from the assembled frame, we have the 22W laser module air, and air assist pump, laser machine legs, the power supply, some tools, and some cables. There is also some 2mm plywood and a couple of other sample material that you can use to get started.
Finally, there is an SD card which has a number of files in it. For instance, there is the assembly instructions and sample files.
To get started with a job, simply connect the air pump cable to the machine. The air assist is powered by the machine and not externally, like is the case with the Xtool D1 Pro and other laser machines we have tested before. When the air assist is connected to the machine, it can be turned on and off using G-Code on the software you are using (we used Lightburn for our test).
After connecting the air tube, the next step is to connect the laser module on the X-axis. Secure the laser head with two thumb screws that are on the side. Next, connect the other end of the air tube to the laser module and plug in the laser head cable and to the left side of the X-axis connector. The whole process is easy to follow even for beginners. In case you get confused, simply follow the installation instructions on the SD card or the instructions manual that come as part of the package.
The cables are wrapped well to avoid obstruction during machine travel.
Now that you have set up the laser, we have a few steps to complete before we start testing it. First, set the focal length using the three level metal plate provided. The metal plate is based on the thickness of the material.
Adjust the laser head and to the focal length that you want and then fasten it using the screws on the side. That is all you need to set the laser focal length. And with that, you can turn on the machine by switching the ON button that is on the side.
Ensure that the X & Y, axis and limit switches are functioning correctly. You can then connect your laptop to the side by plugging in the USB cable to run a job. Alternatively, insert a microSD card with the file you want to work on.
This machine does not have a touchscreen, unlike is the case with the Longer Orange laser. However, it supports offline engraving. When you insert the micro SD card, the machine will read the latest file on the SD card and run it automatically.
Before you start engraving, you have to define the work area of the laser head. To do this, press the Frame button on the machine. Alternatively, you can also press the Frame button on Lightburn. Pressing the button will see the laser head travel to draw preview frame of the job. The laser head will continue traveling around the defined work area. At this time, you have to adjust your material so that it fits the preview work area.
The laser head will continue drawing the preview to give you ample time to set the material position. When you are satisfied that the material is in the right position, you can press the Start button to commence your project.
Test Cuts and Engraving
The machine can work with a wide range of laser cutting and engraving software. For our test, we used Lightburn and set up the machine profile on it.
We started our test on a 3mm plywood that was lying around the workshop. After selecting the machine profile on Lightburn, we tweaked the settings of the machine. For power, we selected 100% and for speed, we run it at 300mm/min. Since this is a 20W laser head, we felt the settings will be sufficient for cutting a 3mm plywood.
We cut two rectangles, one while using the air assist and another without the air assist. Here are the results:
In both runs, the machine cut the 3mm plywood flawlessly. The cut is clean and neat. And regarding the use of the air assist, you can see that it clearly makes a difference. The rectangle cut that was made while using the air assist is cleaner and has no burn marks.
The rectangle that we cut while the air assist was turned off had some slight hints of burn marks on the side. This may not look like a big deal for this test but when it comes to actually creating small items, such as earrings, boxes, frames and the like, the burn marks will make your final product more difficult to post-process.
So, clearly, using the air assist really makes a difference.
For our next test, we chose a 6mm plywood for some test cuts. Since this is a thicker plywood, we had to set the focal point of the laser head using the leveling metal plate. The plywood we chose is not specifically meant for crafts as it comprises of 3 layers that are held together using wood glue. Generally, you want to use wood specifically meant for crafts. However, since this is a 20W laser, let’s see what it can do.
We also cut rectangles on the 6mm plywood, first with the air assist turned on and without the air assist on. The results are impeccable. The laser cut the 6mm plywood in one pass. And just like is the case with the 3mm plywood, having the air assist on helps to prevent burn marks at the edges of the cut.
So, we clearly can see how important the air assist accessory is when you want to make clean cut.
Remember, the laser produces quite a lot of smoke. So, you definitely want to ensure you are using it in a well ventilated workshop.
For our third test, we wanted something larger. So, we chose an 18-inch plywood. Would this cut? Let’s see.
As the laser was cutting, we noticed that the Fire LED indicator on the laser module was blinking amber. This means that the laser had detected a fire. And we could even see sparks of fire on through the laser head protection cover.
At that time, we hit the red emergency stop button and in an instant, the job stopped and the laser went off. This was a good test to see how the emergency stop button works. We checked the material and it seems that when the laserhead module was traveling, it hit the 18mm wood and this led to the fire sparks.
Nothing big here but it was nice to test the emergency stop button, just in case we have a “real” emergency in future while working on our projects.
We replaced the 18mm wood with another plank, changed the settings on Lightburn to 100% power and 100mm/min speed and choose 2 passes for the laser head.
The laser cut the 18mm plank in 2 passes. The cuts are clean and there were no burn marks since we used the air assist. We are happy that this 22W laser can cut such a large plank in just two passes. This goes on to show how much creative we can get with our projects by using this laser.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Overall, we love the Falcon 2 22W laser. This is a powerful machine that allows us to take our creativity to the next level. First, the sheer amount of power is just amazing. 22W is sufficient for you to cut and/or engrave a whole range of materials, from wood to ceramics, metal to leather. We’ll be doing some creative works with this laser so make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel to see us trying to push the boundaries of the machine.
We also love the air assist accessory. With it, you can be sure of clean cuts or engravings. Moreover, the air assist can be turned ON or OFF using GCode. So, you don’t have to power it manually or plug it off manually, like has been the case with other lasers we’ve tested in the past.
Speed is another feature that makes this laser stand out. I mean, at 25,000mm/m, this is quite fast. If you have a small number of items you need to make, you will save time. And even at those high speeds, the machine cuts clean cuts.
But it’s not just about cutting, engraving it also a bliss. I won’t say much about engraving since you have to tweak various settings of the machine, depending on the material you will be using. However, we engraved two pictures on a wooden plank. Here is one of them:
As you can see, the amount of detail that the laser engraves is just amazing. And what the picture may not also show is that the engraving is quite deep, something similar to what you would get with a CNC machine. In fact, we are thinking of pushing this machine to the limit by making deeper engravings to see the kind of texture we can get. More of that in upcoming videos on our channel.
And finally, we also love that the unit comes about 95% pre-assembled. The assembly process may not be a big thing for experienced users but if you are beginner, you will appreciate that the only thing you’ll need to do to get the laser ready is simply fix the cables of the air assist and the laser head. No need for you to worry about setting the frames up since the unit is shipped with the frame already assembled.
Cons
The biggest issue, which is not really big, but we’d still want to mention is that the machine lacks a touch screen. The unit can only read the littlest file on the MicroSD card. If you have products that need to be regularly produced, having a touchscreen machine will be more convenient.
Also, the unit works with third party software like Lightburn, which is a paid product. Of course, there is a 30-day free trial, but still, it would be convenient if Creality had their own standalone software. However, given that the laser cutting and engraving industry is in love with Lightburn and LaserRGBL, this is not a big deal.
Conclusion
The Falcon 2 22W is a decent laser with enough power and a large work area of 400mm x 415mm. This area is large enough for you to make a wide range of crafts. The unit does not have a touch screen but can work offline.
Unfortunately, the machine does not come with a a floor panel and honeycomb by default. You’ll need to purchase these accessories separately. However, if you have been doing laser engraving before, you probably have these in your workshop. Still, if you are purchasing the Falcon 22W as your first engraver, we recommend getting a decent honeycomb and floor panel. These are important especially if you will be doing a lot of cutting work in your workshop.
The best thing about the Falcon 2 22W laser engraver is its integrated air assist that makes cutting faster and cleaner. As you could see from the test cuts we did, the air assist helps to eliminate burn marks. Moreover, with the unit on, the machine’s cutting power is increased significantly, allowing it to cut a 15mm plywood in one pass. So, the air assist is definitely a plus for this machine.
This budget laser engraver under $1000 can work offline. You can connect your laptop to the machine using a USB cable or simply insert an SD card with your file on the side for the machine to access the files you need to work on. The buttons on the front of the frame are intuitive and self-explanatory,
Overall, we love the Falcon 2 22W laser engraver. The only thing we would have loved is it having a touchscreen to make it easier for us to select different files for engraving (for example, if you have different files that need to be cut or engraved, the machine will only select the latest file on the SD card to work on. This can mean having to change your files frequently on the SD card if you have multiple files to be worked on, which can waste quite a bit of time.)
AVAILABLE ON CREALITY
