Following in the footsteps of 3D printing, laser engraving and CNC machining are getting popular as hobbies that can be supported at home thanks to the migration of the necessary tech into the consumer space. Snapmaker is a start-up that got behind enthusiasts that might want to move into more than one of those 3 pursuits with its line of 3-in-1 machines that swap between these functions thanks to "modular" designs.

The Artisan is the latest addition to this series; however, it is not launching through Kickstarter as with its 2.0 predecessor. The new 3-in-1 is touted to improve in this generation with an updated "Linear Module" system touted to allow the user to swap modes in about 1 minute thanks to hot ends that are as interchangeable as its toolheads and platforms.

Furthermore, there are no screws that might need to be removed and replaced per mode-switch this time. The Artisan comes with 3 modules (and their corresponding platforms): 1 for up-to-200W CNC, 1 10W laser engraver/cutter and 1 300°C Dual Extruder-powered printing.

The former is thus rated for desktop CNC that might be up to 6 times faster when working on materials such as beech thanks to power increased by 3x compared to its forebear, and a max spindle speed upgraded to 18,000rpm. The laser module is also backed to be faster, and, with new 0.05 mm × 0.2 mm focus specs, might produce finer and more accurate work as well.

Finally, the plastics module supports dissolvable-support and breakaway-filament 3D printing for easier support elimination and potentially smoother edges. The modules are mounted in one of Snapmaker's "all-metal" builds, rated to combine "rock-solid" stability even in demanding CNC sessions with an enlarged 400 × 400 × 400 mm working area. Finally, the Artisan 3-in-1 has a control unit with an "ultra-wide" 7-inch touchscreen.

Then again, at a pre-order price of US$2,799, the Artisan might also cost as much as 3 different desktop-fabbing machines. It will be available from August 9, 2022 on the official Snapmaker website.

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