--- title: Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving description: A detailed hands-on review of the Makera Z1 desktop CNC machine covers its 150W spindle, quick tool change system, auto probing and leveling, AeroDust chip... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving | daily.dev og:description: A detailed hands-on review of the Makera Z1 desktop CNC machine covers its 150W spindle, quick tool change system, auto probing and leveling, AeroDust chip... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/GaVG9D4ee.png og:image:alt: Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving **[CNX Software](https://daily.dev/sources/cnx-software)** · [@cnxsoft](https://daily.dev/cnxsoft) · 42 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary A detailed hands-on review of the Makera Z1 desktop CNC machine covers its 150W spindle, quick tool change system, auto probing and leveling, AeroDust chip management, and built-in camera. Testing spans letter milling on plastic, high-detail 3D relief carving, aluminum and brass engraving, 4-axis rotary milling with epoxy, and 5W laser engraving on wood and MDF. Optional accessories tested include the Cyclone Dust Collector Lite, vacuum bed, low-profile vise, wired and 3D probes, and the 4th-axis module. The machine pre-orders for $1,099, with accessories sold separately; the reviewer notes it suits shallow metal work and detailed jobs but requires learning material-specific settings, recommending the Z1 Pro for heavier metal removal. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### What depth per pass should I use when milling aluminum on a desktop CNC with a 150W spindle? Aluminum should not be cut deeper than about 1 mm per pass on a 150W spindle setup, and for small bits or detailed work a shallower depth of 0.1-0.3 mm per pass is recommended to reduce cutting force and avoid missed steps. Feed rates of roughly 200-250 mm/min and plunge rates of 50-60 mm/min work well at 12,000-13,000 RPM with a single-flute carbide bit. _daily.dev keeps CNC hobbyists current on machining settings and tool comparisons before they cut expensive stock._ ### Can the 445 nm blue diode laser on the Makera Z1 cut clear acrylic? No, a 445 nm diode laser cannot cut clear acrylic because that material does not absorb blue light well; a CNC bit should be used instead for acrylic cutting. The 5W laser module is better suited to engraving and thin-material cutting on wood, leather, paper, cardboard, fabric, and some plastics, and it should never be used on PVC or vinyl due to toxic gas release. _Makers comparing laser and CNC workflows can track tool limitations like this on daily.dev before starting a build._ ### How long does high-detail 3D relief milling take on a desktop CNC with a small ball nose bit? A high-detail 3D relief job combining roughing and finishing can take about 8-12 hours total on a desktop CNC. Roughing with a 3.175 mm flat end mill takes roughly 45-90 minutes, while finishing with a 1 mm ball nose bit at a 0.08-0.12 mm stepover alone can take 7-10 hours because the bit must pass across the surface in extremely closely spaced lines. _daily.dev helps hobbyists weigh runtime tradeoffs like stepover versus detail before committing a machine for hours._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [A desktop CNC router with 710W spindle tested with UGS and Easel software](https://daily.dev/posts/a-desktop-cnc-router-with-710w-spindle-tested-with-ugs-and-easel-software-mrlo19lj3) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [A 5-in-1 modular laser engraver tested with 20W fiber and 40W diode laser modules](https://daily.dev/posts/a-5-in-1-modular-laser-engraver-tested-with-20w-fiber-and-40w-diode-laser-modules-dy6jrklxf) · CNX Software · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [xTool's M2 does color printing, laser cutting, and engraving for $599—and it actually changes the game for makers](https://daily.dev/posts/xtool-s-m2-does-color-printing-laser-cutting-and-engraving-for-599-and-it-actually-changes-the-ga-44cio8cyq) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#hardware](https://daily.dev/tags/hardware) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee"},"datePublished":"2026-09-01T10:55:37.565Z","dateModified":"2026-09-02T07:00:18.716Z","description":"A detailed hands-on review of the Makera Z1 desktop CNC machine covers its 150W spindle, quick tool change system, auto probing and leveling, AeroDust chip...","image":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/ca4698932e2498675a993de4758b4558?_a=AQAEuop","thumbnailUrl":"https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1/posts/ca4698932e2498675a993de4758b4558?_a=AQAEuop","isAccessibleForFree":true,"articleSection":"CNX Software","inLanguage":"en","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180}},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"CNXSoft","url":"https://daily.dev/cnxsoft","image":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/1366138?v=4","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"EndorseAction"},"userInteractionCount":390}},"commentCount":0,"discussionUrl":"https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee","interactionStatistic":[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":0},{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":{"@type":"CommentAction"},"userInteractionCount":0}],"keywords":"hardware","timeRequired":"PT42M"} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://daily.dev"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"CNX Software","item":"https://daily.dev/sources/cnx-software"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Smart milling, 4-axis module, and 5W laser engraving"}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/smart-milling-4-axis-module-and-5w-laser-engraving-gavg9d4ee#faq","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What depth per pass should I use when milling aluminum on a desktop CNC with a 150W spindle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Aluminum should not be cut deeper than about 1 mm per pass on a 150W spindle setup, and for small bits or detailed work a shallower depth of 0.1-0.3 mm per pass is recommended to reduce cutting force and avoid missed steps. 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