Turn your creative ideas into finished products with the Glowforge Aura craft laser cutting machine. Cut wood, acrylic, leather, and 15+ other materials with ±0.03mm precision on your desktop. Over 6,000 machines helping makers and small businesses across 35 countries since 2015.
Real stories from makers, artists, and small business owners who use the Glowforge Aura every day.
Whether you are personalizing gifts, prototyping product designs, or building a craft business, there is a Glowforge Aura system sized and priced for your needs.
Entry-level desktop craft laser with a 12" x 12" cutting area. Cuts wood, leather, acrylic up to 3mm, and paper. Built-in camera for material alignment. Plug-and-play USB and Wi-Fi connectivity. Ideal for hobbyists, teachers, and home crafters.
Mid-range craft laser cutting machine with an expanded 19.5" x 11" bed and passthrough slot for longer materials. Upgraded 10W diode module cuts up to 6mm plywood and 5mm acrylic in a single pass. Autofocus sensor and lid camera simplify alignment.
Professional-grade CO2 laser system with a 20" x 12" work area and 40W sealed CO2 tube. Handles thicker materials and faster engraving speeds than diode systems. Air assist and integrated exhaust. Designed for production studios running 6+ hours daily.
We built every Aura system around three things that matter most: easy setup, precise results, and the freedom to work with the materials you love.
The Glowforge Aura arrives assembled. Unbox, connect the exhaust hose, plug in, and connect to Wi-Fi. The browser-based Glowforge app works on any computer or tablet without software installation. Upload your SVG, PNG, or PDF file, position it on the built-in camera preview, and press Print. The material settings library includes presets for 50+ tested substrates, so you skip the guesswork.
Note: Setup time depends on your ventilation arrangement. Window exhaust kits add 30-60 minutes. An inline filter unit adds roughly 15 minutes but eliminates the need for window access.
The Glowforge Aura laser cutter positions with ±0.03mm accuracy, which means hairline cuts on 3mm basswood, clean engraved text at 6pt font size, and joints that snap together without sanding. The integrated lid camera maps your material surface before each job, compensating for slight placement shifts.
Precision depends on material flatness. Warped sheets may reduce edge accuracy by 0.1-0.2mm. Use the included crumb tray and hold-down pins for best results.
A single Glowforge Aura handles plywood, hardwood, MDF, bamboo, cork, leather, suede, acrylic (cast and extruded), paper, cardstock, fabric, felt, rubber stamps, and select ceramics for engraving. The Aura Pro passthrough slot accepts materials up to 24 inches long for oversized signs and banners.
The Aura cannot cut metals or glass. It engraves on anodized aluminum and coated surfaces only. PVC, vinyl, and polycarbonate must never be processed due to toxic fume release.
The Glowforge Aura works with wood (plywood, hardwood, bamboo, MDF), acrylic (cast and extruded), leather (genuine and faux), fabric, felt, cork, cardstock, rubber, and select food-safe materials. It cannot cut metals or glass. For metal engraving, a fiber laser from another category would be needed. Our material library includes tested settings for each type so you can switch between plywood and acrylic in seconds.
The Glowforge Aura lineup ranges from 6W diode models to 40W+ CO2 models. Higher wattage means faster cutting speeds and the ability to cut thicker materials in a single pass. The 6W diode model handles thin plywood (up to 3mm) and engraving on most materials. The 40W CO2 model cuts up to 6mm plywood and 6mm acrylic. Choose based on your typical material thickness and production volume.
No prior laser experience is required. The Glowforge Aura ships with pre-aligned optics and a browser-based design interface. Our guided setup walks you through connecting, focusing, and running your first cut. Most users complete a production-quality project within four hours. We also offer free online workshops, video tutorials, and a community forum with over 12,000 active members.
Yes. All Glowforge Aura models are fully enclosed Class 1 laser products, the safest classification under IEC 60825-1. The lid interlock shuts off the laser immediately if opened during operation. An integrated fume extraction port connects to a window vent hose or a standalone air filter unit. No safety goggles are required during normal operation.
The Glowforge Aura supports SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, and DXF files. SVG and DXF provide vector-based cut paths for clean edges. PNG and JPG are used for raster engraving of photos and complex graphics. The browser-based interface also includes basic design tools for adding text and shapes directly without external software.
All Glowforge Aura systems include a 12-month standard warranty covering the laser source, motion system, and electronics. Extended warranty plans are available at purchase. Our support team responds to email inquiries within 24 hours on business days and offers video call troubleshooting. Replacement parts (lenses, mirrors, belts) ship same day from our US fulfillment center.
Tell us what you want to make, the materials you work with, and your production goals. Our team will recommend the right Glowforge Aura system and send a quote within one business day.
