ComMarker B4 is a fiber laser engraver with a compact design and is available in a wide range of power outputs, making it suitable for beginners as well as professionals.
This article critically reviews the ComMarker B4 laser engraver by putting it to the test, and I’ll share my honest opinion on the performance, pricing, features, and more.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ideal for engraving metals, plastics, etc. | Auto-focus is not available |
| Fast engraving | Small engraving area |
| Quick setup | |
| Portable to be used in hand-held mode | |
| Outline preview | |
| Rust cleaning |
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Quick takeaways from our tests.
- The ComMarker B4 is a sturdy, compact, and powerful fiber laser that gives its competitors a run for their money.
- Wider range of frequency allows for more control to produce greater variations in the results, like producing different shades when engraving on stainless steel.
- Delivered exceptional engraving results on acrylic, polycarbonate, leather, stainless steel, aluminum, and even gold.
- With the right technique and some additional passes, it can even cut through 0.2mm thick aluminum cards.
- Features like quick design preview, placers for workholding, and the foot pedal make it the ultimate setup for bulk production projects.
- User-friendly software and intuitive controls combined with excellent power and precision result in a perfect laser for beginners and professionals alike.
Not a reader? Watch our review video of ComMarker B4 that also helps you understand why you might need a Fiber laser.
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Testing ComMarker B4: How did it perform?
I tried engraving a cool design on an anodized aluminum card, and by varying the laser parameters, I was able to get different shades of black and gray.
I got the bright white engraving at 100% power, 4000 mm/sec speed, 30 KHz frequency, and 423 DPI resolution.
Then, I got that black outline and other features like eyes and mouth at 90% power, 100 mm/sec, 50 KHz frequency, and 423 DPI.
You can also get a grayish shade at 10% power, 1000 mm/sec, 20 KHz frequency, and 423 DPI.
After I was done with the engraving tests, I wanted to try something that I had always been curious about: Laser cutting aluminum cards.
So, I tried a few settings and finally managed to laser cut 0.2 mm thick aluminum card at 100% power, 8 mm/sec speed, and 20 KHz frequency.
But laser cutting metal can produce immense heat that can deform the card. To prevent that, I placed the card on a ribbed metal plate with water filled between the ribs to prevent the aluminum from overheating.
Although it is much slower than engraving, the result is really cool, and you can use the ComMarker B4 to customize aluminum cards with intricate cut patterns.
After that, I tried engraving a stainless steel container at 100% power, 1000 mm/sec speed, 20 KHz frequency, and 508 DPI.
It resulted in a brownish engraving with good contrast that could not be easily removed by scratching the surface.
I also tried engraving a blue steel ring that I got with my ComMarker B4 at 100% power, 1000 mm/sec speed, 30 KHz frequency, and 423 DPI.
The engraving turned out great, and with the help of the tilt function of the rotary attachment, I was also able to engrave the inner surface of the ring.
Next, I tried engraving a black acrylic sheet at 10% power, 400 mm/sec speed, 20 KHz frequency, and 508 DPI.
I performed this test, particularly for those who have a misconception that fiber lasers can only be used on metal.
The results were amazing. I was able to get sharp engravings with excellent contrast.
You can also engrave other colors of acrylic with a fiber laser, except for the clear acrylic.
Apart from acrylic, you can also engrave on other plastic workpieces like the Earpod case made of polycarbonate plastic.
At 10% power, 2000 mm/sec speed, 10 KHz frequency, and 508 DPI, I was able to get a gray engraving on my white Earpod case.
The ComMarker B4 can also engrave leather, but you might need a few passes to get the desired contrast, based on the color of leather used.
I tried engraving leather at 10% power, 600 mm/sec speed, 60 KHz, and 508 DPI, but had to perform almost 4 passes to get a good contrast on the engraving.
Finally, I tried engraving a 22K gold ring to test if we can actually use this laser to customize jewelry items, and surprisingly, you can engrave gold ornaments with the ComMarker B4.
I used 45% power with 1500 mm/sec speed, 37 KHz frequency, and 508 DPI. The engraving turned out great, which means if you are into the jewelry business and want a compact laser to customize gold jewelry, ComMarker B4 can be an excellent choice.
After I was done with testing the engraving capabilities of the ComMarker B4, I decided to test its ability to clean rust.
And, as expected, the results were great! I managed to clean rust from iron workpieces using 100% power at 10,000 mm/sec speed and 20 KHz frequency.
Depending on the amount of rusting on the workpiece, you might need to increase the number of passes to get the desired cleaning effect.
ComMarker B4 Review
| Parameters | ComMarker B4 |
|---|---|
| Laser Type | Fiber |
| Output Power | 20W , 30W, 50W, 60W, 100W |
| Laser Focus | Semi-Automatic |
| Spot Size | 0.01 x 0.01 mm |
| Work Area | 110 x 110 mm (110mm lens) 200 x 200 mm (200mm lens) |
| Transmission | Galvo-style |
| Max speed | 15,000mm/s |
| Frequency | 20-60kHz |
| Wavelength | 1064nm |
| Design Preview | Yes |
| Rotary | Available as an upgrade |
| Software | EzCAD2, LightBurn |
| Supported Files | BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG , DXF, DST, Al, etc, |
| Assembly | 15-30 minutes |
| Warranty | 2 Year |
| Price | Check price |
The ComMarker B4 is a compact fiber laser engraver that comes with a sturdy, all-metal build.
With its compact size and minimal moving parts, assembling the machine is pretty easy, and it takes only about 15-30 minutes to get your laser up and running.
The front of the machine houses the power button, focus adjusting buttons (up and down buttons), and the emergency stop button.
The ComMarker B4 is available in 20W, 30W, 50W, 60W, and 100W variants.
One I used is a 20W variant, which is ideal for beginners and small-business owners who are exploring fiber lasers for the very first time.
But if you are planning to set up a professional fiber laser business, then you should surely opt for a higher power output as it provides deeper and faster engravings.
It is a Galvo-style laser, which means there is no moving gantry, and the laser is positioned on the workpiece with the help of mirrors.
This results in an extremely high traversing speed of 15000mm/s but reduces the work area of the laser.
The work area of a Galvo-style laser depends on the lens used, and ComMarker B4 comes with two lenses: a 110 mm lens and a 200 mm lens.
With the 110 mm lens, you get a work area of 110 x 110 mm, and with the 200 mm lens, you can work on workpieces as big as 200 x 200 mm.
But there is a catch: the larger work area of a 200mm lens comes at the cost of engraving detail.
What that means is that the 110 mm lens provides a smaller spot size of 0.01mm, which is ideal for engraving intricate details, while the 200 mm lens has a comparatively larger spot size.
However, I did not need to go beyond 508 DPI (0.05mm) for any of my test projects with the ComMarker B4, so I think the slightly larger spot size of the 200 mm lens should be more than enough for most projects.
While ComMarker B4 has a spot size of 0.01mm, the ability to get high precision lies in the ability to set the right laser focus.
The B4 comes with a semi-automatic focusing mechanism, where the Z-axis is motorized, and you can move it up and down using the buttons on the front of the machine.
You can also rotate the hand crank at the top to manually adjust the Z-height of the laser head.
Unlike diode lasers, where you have a metal probe to set the right focus, ComMarker B4 provides three red laser dots to set the right focus.
Place the workpiece and move the laser head up and down until the three dots are perfectly aligned.
The issue that I faced with this was that sometimes, the focus adjustment I made was not as accurate as it should be, and this affected the overall dimensions of the engraving.
So, you will have to ensure perfect laser focus to get the right results, which, in my opinion, might involve a few hit-and-miss before you master it.
It also comes with a spacer for hand-held engraving, maximizing its ability to be used in the portable form for engraving on almost any surface.
The spacer ensures perfect focus distance, so you don’t have to worry about setting the right focus in the hand-held mode.
Now, if you are new to fiber lasers, then you need to know that with fiber lasers, you have an additional parameter that affects your laser output: Frequency.
ComMarker B4 provides a wider frequency range of 20 – 60kHz compared to other fiber lasers at the same price point.
| Laser Engraver | Frequency |
|---|---|
| ComMarker B4 | 20 – 60 kHz |
| OMTech 20W | 30 – 60 kHz |
| EM-Smart One | 20 – 40 kHz |
| Gweike Cloud G2 | 30 – 60 kHz |
Adjusting the frequency adjusts the number of times the laser hits the surface per second.
Low frequency means fewer pulses of laser hit the surface but with higher energy, leading to more material removal.
On the other hand, higher frequency means more pulses hit the surface but at a lower energy, producing a smooth engraving.
Apart from that, different configurations of speed, power, and frequency can give different colors of engravings on some materials like stainless steel and titanium.
Now, coming to the hardware part, the laser head has two buttons marked as R and M.
The R button is for firing the red laser that shows you the placement of your design in real-time, whereas the M button fires the laser to begin the laser marking.
The B4 also comes with a foot pedal that connects to the laser, and instead of pressing the M button, you can fire the laser with the foot pedal.
Now, at first, it seemed like an unwanted accessory, but when combining it with the placers that you get with the laser, you can set up a perfect station for bulk production projects.
Simply use placers to secure position, place the workpiece, align the design, and then press the foot pedal to mark the workpieces one after the other.
ComMarker B4 is also compatible with rotary attachment, perfect for engraving circular workpieces like rings and tumblers.
The rotary attachment that I got with the machine is the D69 chuck-type rotary system powered by a NEMA 34 stepper motor with a dedicated driver module and a hefty design that provides stability.
Best thing about this rotary attachment is its tilt adjustment, which allows you to engrave the inside of workpieces like rings.
So, if you plan to engrave tumblers or jewelry items like rings, then you need to consider the cost of including this rotary attachment with your laser.
The ComMarker provides the EzCad2 software in the thumb drive that comes with the machine, and you do not need any license to activate it.
But if you are a LightBurn fan like me, then you can also use ComMarker B4 with LightBurn software, but you will need the LightBurn galvo license for that.
I personally feel that the interface of EzCad2 looks a bit dated, but it provides all the necessary tools and features to get you started on your laser projects.
When comparing fiber lasers against diode and CO2 laser, fiber lasers have a significantly longer life span, and the ComMarker B4 has a lifespan rating of around 100,000 hours.
Apart from that, it comes with a two-year warranty, and you can get in touch with their customer support via email.
2-in-1, desktop and handheld operation
LightBurn compatible and ideal for engraving all types of metals, acrylics, leather, etc.
Final Thoughts: Is B4 Really a Good Choice?
A compact design, sturdy build, immense functionality, and powerful laser output make ComMarker B4 an excellent choice for anyone planning to step into fiber lasers.
The availability of different power variants and a significantly large work area in the Fiber laser domain, provides it an edge over its competitors.
While you might find other alternatives like OMTech 20W, EM-Smart One, and Gweike Cloud G2, ComMarker B4 stands out due to its compact design, larger work area, and competitive pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you make deep engravings on brass with the ComMarker B4 20W variant?
Yes, you can make deep engravings on brass with the ComMarker B4 20 variant, but you will need to perform multiple passes to get a significant amount of depth.
Can you engrave wood with the ComMarker B4?
No, you cannot engrave wood with the ComMarker B4, or any other fiber laser. This is because the wavelength of fiber lasers is not readily absorbed by the wood, which can cause burn marks or even set the wood on fire.
What is the maximum workpiece height that the ComMarker B4 can work with?
Commarker B4 can work on a workpiece with a maximum height of 204 mm or around 8 inches.
