If you are an avid DIYer, having a tool that can meet your various needs can make your creation go more smoothly. The highly renowned glowforge and the long-established gweike can be your first choice. And gweike has always claimed to be the best glowforge alternative.
Both use a laser beam to cut materials. Read on to learn the difference between them with me!
If you buy a gweike machine through this article, you can also get a high discount coupon. Contact our staff to get the coupon now!
Glowforge vs gweike: Which one do you need?
We show the difference between glowforge plus and gweike pro II by comparing the two. These two machines are each the mid-range brand of all their machines, and both are very representative machine models.
| Glowforge plus | Gweike cloud pro II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,995 | $3,099 |
| Camera | Wide angle & macro | Ultra-wide Camera |
| Ability | Wood, Acrylic, Delrin, Plastic, Melamine, etc | Wood, Acrylic, Delrin, Plastic, Melamine, etc |
| Operate | Difficulty | Easy |
| Connection | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet |
| Noise Rating | ≤70dB | ≤70dB |
| Software | Glowforge Web base | Lightburn, Offline software, gweike cloud Web base |
| Warranty time | 12 months | 12 months |
| Carving Precision | 0.001” (0.025mm) | 0.001” (0.025mm) |
| Operating Systems | Windows/macOS | Windows/macOS |
| Rotary Device | no | yes |
| Weight | 22kg | 45.6kg |
| Guide Rail | Guide Rail | Linear guide |
| Precision | 1355 DPI | 1000 DPI |
| Max. Workpiece Height | 2″ (50mm) | 2″ (50mm) |
Size, work area
| Gweike cloud Pro | Glowforge plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Engraving Speed | 600mm/s | 200mm/s(Pro) |
| Working Area | 510mm*300mm | 495mm*279mm |
| Machine Dimensions | 38.2"*22.2"*9.2" (970mm*565mm*234.5mm) | 16.14"*10.43"*16.92″ (410mm*265mm*430mm) |
Power
The higher the power, the better the laser engraving effect will be, and the higher the power can provide faster speed.
| Gweike cloud Pro | Glowforge plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 50W | 40W |
Working Mechanism
Both are equipped with CO2 laser systems, and both use a positive and negative power supply to act on the gas mixture inside the laser tube and then generate powerful energy. The huge laser beam is then transmitted to the laser head through a reflector. Both then support automatic focusing, using a camera to determine the thickness of the material to be cut.
At the same time, the computer controls and sets the parameters to accomplish its ideal cut.
Cutting Capabilities
Both gweike and glowforge can cut similar materials, including acrylic, food, wood, glass, etc. Also, both support cutting stainless steel, aluminum oxide, and a small amount of metal.
Safety Comparison
Glowfroge plus and gweike cloud pro II are both Class 1 lasers. In the process of use, even if you look directly at the laser, it will not damage your eyes.
Gweikecloud uses a fully enclosed safety guard with a radiation-proof acrylic viewing frame. You can watch the engraving progress of your material at any time.
All machines in the Gweike cloud series are equipped with an emergency stop button and open cover protection. Safety measures are in place if the machine has an unexpected condition or if the lid is opened while the machine is running.
Accessories
Glowforge provides a free air filter attachment. Gweike cloud provides a free material pack and fan to help you absorb the fumes generated during the cutting process and exhaust them to the outside.
Design Software
Glowforge's software has few features and does not allow for complex designs. You will need to rely on other design software for the carving design process.
Gweike cloud supports light burn, very advanced design software, and even one of the most used design software in the world today.
Applications
The application range and cutting thickness are similar, so their application industries are also similar. If you are in the business of acrylic, wood, leather, glass, etc., these two machines are perfectly suited to the task.
Noise
Both noises are less than 70dB, and the sound of the machine cutting is similar to the noise generated by our normal speech. Moreover, the sound of gweikecloud is less than 30dB during standby, so it won't affect you and your neighbors when you put it in the warehouse!
Maintenance
The maintenance process is similar for both, so if you want to learn more about the maintenance process and the maintenance cycle, you can click on the link: The Ultimate Guide: Co₂ Laser Cutting Machine Maintenance
Customers
Glowforge's customer traffic is much larger than gweike cloud because gweike only made trade within China before and only started to shift to international export in recent years. But you don't have to worry because gweike has nearly 20 years of experience manufacturing laser cutting machines.
And with a first-class production team, we can provide timely solutions to any problems you encounter in purchasing products, including after-sales issues.
Which one to choose: Glowforge VS gweike?
This depends on your own choice. If you have a small budget and want to buy a full-featured desktop laser cutting machine, choose gweike. Gweike has always been the best glowforge alternative. If you pursue the brand and want unlimited user experience, glowforge is also a perfect choice.