In 2010, Christian Waber and Jiskar Schmitz built their first laser cutter: the SPOTmini. This was Snijlab’s very first machine and the starting point of the service as it exists today. Snijlab now operates four second-generation SPOTmini machines. We are happy to share how and why this machine was developed.
Why build a laser cutter yourself?
Christian Waber and Jiskar Schmitz, founders of Snijlab
After graduating from Delft University of Technology, Christian and Jiskar missed an accessible laser cutting service. Existing providers worked slowly, relied on manual quotations, had waiting lists, and only accepted large production runs. Laser cutting is an innovative technology that should also be accessible to small inventors.
Snijlab became a laser cutting service where customers can upload their own design through an online ordering system, instantly see the price, and place orders faster. A good production service is reliable and delivers consistent, high quality.
The market was divided between machines that delivered high quality but required expensive service contracts, and machines that produced inferior results. Being able to perform maintenance in-house is essential to reduce downtime and remain cost-efficient. Building our own machine was the only way to create the ideal laser cutter, leading to the development of the SPOTmini.
Second generation
Operator working on the SPOTmini 2.0 at Snijlab
Only one first-generation SPOTmini was built. This machine was improved and further developed into the SPOTmini 2.0. Snijlab now operates four of these machines, which handle the majority of our production.
The SPOTmini 2.0 has a working area of 1250 × 650 mm, suitable for a quarter of a furniture board. Its 90W CO₂ laser source cuts plywood up to 15 mm, foam up to 20 mm, and acrylic up to 8 mm. The repeat accuracy is below 0.1 mm. What truly sets the SPOTmini apart is its Live AutoFocus feature, which automatically adjusts the laser’s focus distance during cutting. We explain the benefit of this below.
Why the name “mini”?
Operator operating the large-format SPOTmaxi laser at Snijlab
The name SPOTmini refers to the focal point of a laser beam, the “spot”, as well as the machine’s size. “Mini” was added because from the very beginning we planned to build a large-format laser capable of cutting full-size furniture panels. After the SPOTmini, other company developments took priority, all serving as building blocks for a high-quality service.
Fifteen years later, in 2025, the SPOTmaxi became a reality. This machine would not have been possible without the experience gained from developing the SPOTmini, even though it was not built entirely in-house. Read the story of SPOTmaxi here.
Innovative machine feature: Live AutoFocus
The focus distance between material and laser head is automatically adjusted with Live AutoFocus
For high-quality cutting and engraving, it is essential that the laser head maintains the exact correct distance to the material. A deviation of just 0.2 mm already results in visibly poorer outcomes. However, sheet materials are rarely perfectly flat or evenly thick. Cast acrylic has high thickness tolerances, and plywood can warp or bow.
Nearly all laser cutters on the market must be set at the start of a production run, fixing the focus distance for the entire cut. Because materials are never perfect in practice, this often leads to average quality. When a laser goes out of focus, the cut becomes wider, details are lost, and more soot builds up.
High-precision parts cut with Live AutoFocus on the SPOTmini at Snijlab
To solve this focus issue, we developed Live AutoFocus. This dynamic system continuously adjusts the focus distance while cutting. A sensor measures the distance and corrects it in real time. This allows us to always cut with the thinnest possible kerf, achieve sharper engravings, and reduce soot buildup. With Live AutoFocus, we deliver quality we fully stand behind.
Building in-house is part of Snijlab’s DNA
Machine maintenance in Snijlab’s workshop
The SPOTmini marks the starting point of Snijlab and perfectly represents our company philosophy. From the beginning, we have built what we need ourselves, both digitally and physically. Our online ordering system, where customers upload designs and instantly see pricing, was developed in-house. Later machines and tools in our workshop were also created by our team.
We build things ourselves because the learning process is invaluable. The knowledge and experience gained from developing the SPOTmini were used to create the innovative, fully automated autoSPOT. Curious to learn more? Read the story of autoSPOT in this blog.
