Creality Falcon T1 review – A 5-in-1 modular laser engraver tested with 20W fiber and 40W diode laser modules

Creality sent us a sample of the Falcon T1 5-in-1 modular laser engraver for review. The company describes it as the world’s first 5-in-1 laser engraving and cutting machine that supports five types of laser modules in a single unit: 20W diode laser 20W, 40W diode laser, 20w fiber laser, 60W MOPA laser, and 5W UV Laser 5W.

The laser heads can be swapped tool-free in just 15 seconds. It works with an HD camera and AI system and can engrave and cut a wide range of materials including wood, leather, acrylic, metal, glass, crystal, and plastic. Diode laser modules are ideal for cutting and engraving wood, leather, and acrylic, the fiber laser module is better suited for marking and engraving metal, the MOPA laser module supports color marking on metals such as stainless steel and titanium, and the UV laser module uses cold processing for high-precision work on glass, crystal, and plastics.

Last February we reviewed the Creality Falcon A1 Pro laser engraver, a laser engraving and cutting machine equipped with a 20W blue diode laser and an HD camera. We were very interested in reviewing their new Falcon T1 model, especially the MOPA laser for color engraving. However, the latter was not available at the time, and instead, the company sent us a kit with a 20W fiber laser module and a 40W diode laser module, along with various materials such as balsa wood sheets, acrylic, anodized aluminum pet name tags, and stone coasters.

In this review, we will cover the specifications, go through an unboxing, show how to set up the machine, and get started with the interchangeable laser modules using various materials. We might receive the MOPA laser module later on, and we’ll publish a second part if we do.

Creality Falcon T1 specifications

The specifications of the laser modules and the Falcon T1 engraver and cutter can be found in the table below.

Unboxing

We received two packages from Creality.

Let’s start by unboxing the larger (and much heavier) box first. Inside, we’ll find the Falcon T1 fully-enclosed laser cutting and engraving machine.

The top of the machine features a “LIFT TO OPEN” cover that can be removed by the user to clean the internal exhaust fan. There is also an unlock/open button to release an installed laser module, and a safety warning sticker advising that the machine should be operated under supervision, along with warnings about the laser beam, moving parts, and the risk of falling objects. The machine body features a dark gray metal structure with rounded corners, offering both strength and a sleek, premium appearance suitable for use in workshops and offices.

One side features a screen mount, an emergency stop button, and a start/pause button, while the other side comes with USB-A and USB-C ports for connecting the machine to a computer.

The top of the rear panel features a specification label identifying it as the Creality Falcon T1 Fiber Laser Cutter and Engraver, with a power rating of 360W, a “voltage” of 24V/15A, a maximum laser radiation output of 20W, a wavelength of 1064±5 nm, dimensions of 463 × 312 × 509 mm, and a weight of 24.82 kg, along with certification marks and laser safety warnings. Underneath is a sticker illustrating the steps for changing the laser module.

On the bottom of the rear panel, we’ll find a power on/off switch, a touchscreen connection port, an exhaust hose connector, a fire suppression system port, a DC jack, a safety key slot, an air purifier connection port, a conveyor belt connection port, and a rotary attachment port. The front cover can be lifted vertically to reveal the working area.
If we look up, we’ll find the (AI) camera and a “field lens” used by the laser modules.

The laser engraver shipped with a range of accessories: a 20W fiber laser module, an interactive control screen, a power adapter, an AC power cord, a slatted panel, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a hose clamp, an exhaust duct, an L-shaped positioning block, a hex key set, a cross-type hex wrench, a USB Type-A to Type-C adapter, ten laser calibration cards, a camera calibration card, ten F-theta lens calibration cards, a lint-free cleaning brush, a rubber air blower, a safety key, a dust-free cleaning cloth, a safety manual, and a quick start guide.

The power supply is suitable globally with a 100-240V 50/60Hz, 5A input, and it outputs 24V up to 15A (360W).

The package also includes a material kit to help users quickly get started.

The second package comes with a 40W diode laser module, a user manual for the module, a cleaning cloth, and another material kit with even more samples.

Preparing the Creality Falcon T1

The first step is to attach the touch control panel to the magnetic holder on the machine, then connect the other end of the cable to the port on the back of the machine.

Next, insert the safety key, connect the power adapter to the DC jack, and install the hose clamp on the exhaust hose to connect it to the exhaust port before securing it.

Our kit comes with two laser modules: “Fiber – 20W” and “Blue diode – 40W”. Let’s show how to install a module in the Falcon T1 laser engraver.

Start by turning the emergency stop button clockwise to unlock it, and press the power switch to turn on the laser engraving machine. After that, the Z-axis will automatically move to its highest position.

This will reveal the slot for the laser module with the connectors and an opening for the lens (protected by a cap in the photo below). At this point, turn off the machine and remove the cap.

Do the same on the laser module by removing its red cap.

We can now install the laser module onto the main unit by pushing it in until we hear a “click” sound, which indicates that the module is securely locked into place.

If later on, you’d like to change the laser module, press the unlock button to release the module with one hand, while pulling the handle on the back of the module with your other hand.

After you’ve worked with a module for a while and want to change to another laser module, press and hold the Start button for 3 seconds to activate the “laser module Quick-Replacement” mode. Once the laser module section has moved up, turn off the machine to change the module.

An alternative way is to select Replace Module on the touch panel and follow the instructions.

A third method to replace the laser module is to tap the Focus button on the screen, then tap on the Home icon to move the Z-axis back to the Home Position. After that, press the unlock button on the top of the machine and proceed to change the module.

Once the module is installed, pull the yellow hanging tab downward to remove the lens protective cover inside the machine.

When turning on the machine for the first time, the screen will prompt you to select the language and set the time zone. Various menu icons are available on the left side. An important setting for the laser engraving and cutting machine is the Calibrate section, especially since you must recalibrate the laser every time the laser module is changed.

To do so, click the settings icon to enter the Calibrate menu, and then you can calibrate the laser module, auto-focus, and the field lens.

During calibration, the “Stop on Cover Open” safety feature will be temporarily disabled while the laser beam will be active. The Falcon T1 is safe to use during normal use since it’s a fully enclosed machine and won’t work if it’s not fully closed. However, you should take precautions during the calibration process, such as potentially wearing safety goggles, not looking directly at the laser beam, and ensuring that no unauthorized persons are near the machine.

• Laser module calibration is used for first-time laser use, uneven engraving depth, incorrect focus position, and abnormal autofocus system operation.
• Autofocus calibration is used when the measurement of the workpiece base height is inaccurate, or the engraving depth is uneven.
• Field lens calibration is used when changing the lens, when the engraved pattern becomes distorted, or when the workpiece size deviates from the specified dimensions (after completing the laser module calibration).

Once you are familiar with it, the calibration process takes 3 to 4 minutes. You’ll also need to use (scrap) material each time, at least for the laser calibration, and the panel for the lens calibration can be reused.

Adding the Creality Falcon T1 to the Falcon Design Space app

The Creality Falcon T1 laser engraving machine can be used in online mode, offline mode, and via the cloud. Creality provides the Falcon Design Space app for Android and iOS, and a desktop version for macOS and Windows; no Linux support. We’ll mostly follow the instructions found on the wiki and use an Android smartphone (Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G) and a Windows PC during our review.

To get started, let’s download and install the Falcon Design Space Mobile app v1.8.3 for Android, then tap Add Device to add the T1 machine.

Before pairing the machine, make sure the Falcon T1 is properly connected to the Wi-Fi network. On the machine’s screen, tap the Robot icon and go to Account -> Scan QR Code, then use the smartphone app to scan the QR Code to log in and pair the device. Once the connection is successful, the machine will appear in the Device List with the status “Connected”.

We are now ready to use the Falcon T1.

Testing the Creality Falcon T1 with the 20W fiber module

We’ll start with the 20W fiber module. In our first test, we’ll tap the “Experience Now” button, select an image, the Line Art Filter, and the material.

Creality provides a table for each module with recommended laser power, speed, number of passes, and interval, including for the 20W fiber laser. However, we don’t need to use it here, since the app automatically selects the optimal parameters for the job.

We used a 150×150 mm paper cardboard in our first test with the following parameters:

• Layer: Picture engraving
• Speed: 2,000 mm/s
• Power: 80%
• Pass: 1

Place the workpiece into the machine, then select Autofocus -> Frame -> Start Processing. The files will be sent to the laser machine. Press the Start button on the touch panel to proceed with the job. You can also monitor the engraving process in the app from the camera.

It took 6 minutes and 42 seconds.

Let’s now switch to a computer and install Falcon Design Space v1.9.6 for Windows. The Falcon T1 can connect to the host through the provided USB-C to USB-A cable or Wi-Fi. We used both, and no problem with either.

For the first use, we must go through the Camera Calibration step.

We placed the provided ArUco calibration card inside the machine so that the software can detect the marker positions and calibrate the camera.

We then replaced the card with some material (black paper cardboard), the machine engraved four points, and on the camera alignment page, we manually selected the center of the four circles so that the camera image accurately matches the actual coordinates of the machine’s working area.

We are now ready to test engraving from the Windows program. We used aluminum dog tags (51 x 36 x 0.7 mm).

We set the parameters as follows:

• Fill engraving, speed: 4,000 mm/s, power: 50%, pass: 10
• Line engraving: speed: 4,000 mm/s, power: 50%, pass: 10

It took 1 minute and 32 seconds for all three tags.

Fiber lasers can also be used for metal coin engraving, and we had limited success when trying with the LaserPacker LP5 last year. Let’s try again with one of the blank commemorative coins provided in the kit with a 2.7mm thickness and a 40 mm diameter.

The first time we tried with one pass, but it was rather dim/pale, so we increased that to 10 passes.

Parameters:

• Line engraving, speed: 500 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 10
• Fill engraving 1, speed: 500 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 10
• Fill engraving 2, speed: 500 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 10

This job took 11 minutes and 55 seconds. The result is decent for this 2D design, although the motifs at the top are not quite as dark.

Using the Creality Falcon T1 with its 40W diode laser module

Let’s now switch to the 40W diode laser module. We’ll use the parameter table on the Creality website to select the recommended speed, laser power, and passes.

The first test will be with an aluminum business card (95 x 50 x 1 mm).

Parameters:

• Image engraving, speed: 2,000 mm/s, power: 100%, pass: 1
• Line engraving, speed: 5,000 mm/s, power: 100%, pass: 1

It just took 29 seconds.

Let’s now switch to a cutting (and engraving) job using 3mm plywood and the following parameters

• Fill engraving 1, speed: 800 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 1
• Fill engraving 2, speed: 800 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 1
• Line cutting, speed: 16 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 1

The workpiece fitted in a 68 x 68 mm square, and it took 1 minute and 9 seconds to complete the job.

We also tested semi-transparent red acrylic with 3mm thickness with the following parameters.

• Fill engraving, speed: 83 mm/s, power: 20%, pass: 1
• Line cutting, speed: 2 mm/s, power: 60%, pass: 3

It’s a larger 140 x 120 mm design, and the cutting and engraving process took 5 minutes and 34 seconds.

Conclusion

The Creality Falcon T1 5-in-1 laser engraver offers a modular design supporting five different laser modules, including diode (20W and 40W), fiber, MOPA, and UV. This enables it to be an ultra-versatile machine handling wood, acrylic, metals, specialty materials, color engraving, internal 3D engraving, and more.

We didn’t receive the more exotic MOPA and UV laser modules enabling color and internal 3D engraving for this review, but still conducted real-world tests with both the 20 fiber laser and 40W diode laser modules. We found the software easy to use on mobile or desktop, and the machine delivered quality pieces with decent speed and accuracy, as well as safety thanks to a fully enclosed design. The T1 machine also features an AI camera system, automatic focusing, and convenient connectivity (USB and WiFi), making it easy to get started. It is well-suited for professional users, product manufacturers, and anyone seeking a versatile all-in-one laser machine capable of handling multiple types of work. We might receive a MOPA or UV laser module, in which case, expect a second part of the review soon.

We’d like to thank Creality for providing the Falcon T1 laser engraver along with 20W fiber laser and 40W diode laser modules for review. The Creality Falcon T1 with the 20W fiber module is sold for $2,429 on Amazon or the Creality store, and you can also go the laser module page to add the $1,259 40W diode laser module and/or the $809 20W diode laser module. The $3,059 60W MOPA module and $2,339 5W UV module are not available yet, except as part of a T1 laser engraver + UV module bundle for the latter. Once all modules are available, a complete Creality Falcon T1 5-in-1 laser engraver kit should cost close to $10,000, although I don’t see why the 20W diode laser model would be needed if you already own a 40W diode laser module.

CNXSoft: This article is a translation – with some additional insights – of the original review on CNX Software Thailand by Suthinee Kerdkaew.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.

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