Genmitsu's beginner 3018 with the safety kit already fitted: limit switches, an emergency stop and a Z-probe, on an aluminium frame whose gantry and one-piece aluminium bed arrive pre-assembled.
The PROVer V2 is the 3018 for someone who wants the machine to know where it is. Limit switches let GRBL home to a fixed corner, the emergency stop kills motion with one press, and the Z-probe sets tool height by contact. On most other 3018 kits those three parts are add-ons; here they come fitted.
What each one changes on a real job, such as matching pockets for a cherry inlay:
The frame is aluminium, and the gantry and one-piece aluminium spoilboard arrive pre-assembled with the cables already managed. Genmitsu quotes under 35 minutes from box to machine. Acrylic baffles keep chips inside the work area.
Cherry is a good match for this machine. It machines cleanly with a 1/8 in end mill, shows crisp edges in shallow pockets, and rewards the repeatability that homing and probing bring.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | Genmitsu 3018-PROVer V2 (3018PV2L) |
| Working area (X × Y × Z) | 284 × 180 × 41 mm (11.2 × 7.1 × 1.6 in) |
| Frame | Aluminium structure |
| Bed | One-piece machined aluminium spoilboard |
| Pre-assembled parts | Gantry frame and spoilboard, tidy cable management |
| Assembly time (maker's figure) | Under 35 minutes |
| Spindle | 775 motor, 24V |
| Maximum spindle speed | 10,000 rpm |
| Stepper drivers | Toshiba TB6S109 with 32-bit chips |
| Control board | Redesigned, with extra add-on ports |
| Limit switches | Fitted |
| Emergency stop | Fitted |
| Z-probe | Included |
| Guards | Acrylic baffles |
| CAD/CAM software named | Carveco, Fusion 360, Easel |
| Materials named | Wood, plastic, acrylic, PVC, PCB, carbon fibre, density board, copper, aluminium |
| Weight | 9.24 kg (20.4 lb) |
| Y extension | Extends Y to 460 mm; 400 mm effective travel with the extended bed |
Genmitsu lists a wide range of materials for the PROVer V2: acrylic, PVC, PCB, carbon fibre, density board, plastic and wood, plus soft metals such as copper and aluminium. The machine handles all of them at hobby scale, and the 775 spindle at up to 10,000 rpm sets how hard each one can be pushed.
| Material | Typical PROVer V2 job | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Hardwood, plywood, MDF | Signs, inlays, boxes, coasters | Dust; fit a shoe for MDF |
| Acrylic, PVC | Panels, badges, edge-lit signs | Melting at low feed |
| FR4 / PCB | Isolation-milled prototype boards | Glass-fibre dust; extraction and a mask |
| Carbon fibre sheet | Drone frames, brackets | Conductive, abrasive dust |
| Copper, aluminium | Tags, thin plates, engraving | Shallow passes, single-flute bits |
Carbon fibre and FR4 deserve extra care. Both make fine, abrasive dust that should be caught at the bit and never breathed, and carbon dust conducts, so keep it away from the controller.
Good habits for the harder materials:
For steadier metal work, the PROVer V2 takes Genmitsu's aluminium Z assembly with a 52 mm mount for a 300–500W spindle. Starting feeds and material notes are on what a 3018 cuts.
With the gantry and bed pre-assembled, the build is mostly joining the two and plugging in labelled cables. What is left of that first evening goes on software: a CAD/CAM program to make the G-code, a GRBL sender to run it, and a homing cycle to give the machine its reference.
GRBL settings worth knowing on a machine with switches. Each is typed in the console as a dollar sign followed by its number:
Leave these at Genmitsu's defaults until the machine has run a few jobs. Most homing problems on a new build turn out to be a loose connector or a switch knocked out of line, not a setting.
Genmitsu names Carveco, Fusion 360 and Easel for design and toolpaths. Carveco Maker suits signs and V-carving; Fusion 360 suits parts with dimensions. Walkthroughs of both, and of the senders, are on the 3018 software page.
The PROVer V2 comes on its own or paired with one of more than a dozen add-ons. The machine is identical in each; the bundle just decides which upgrade arrives first. Choose by the first project that the bare machine cannot do.
Against its neighbours:
| Machine | Pick it when |
|---|---|
| PROVer V2 | Switches, E-stop, probe and a metal bed wanted from day one |
| 3018-PRO kit | Lower cost, offline controller included, homing not needed |
| LUNYEE 3018 Pro Max | Aluminium and 80 mm of Z are the plan, with a 500W spindle |
The first bundle worth weighing is the offline controller. The PROVer V2 has the ports for one, and once jobs run from a handset, the laptop is free for other work while the machine cuts in the garage.
Plan the bench for the machine plus an enclosure later, and note that many add-ons are V2-specific: probes, spoilboards and clamps differ between the V2 and older PROVer models. The whole Genmitsu line is compared on the Genmitsu 3018 page.
It ships with limit switches, an emergency stop and a Z-probe; the gantry and the one-piece aluminium bed come already built.
About 284 × 180 × 41 mm (11.2 × 7.1 × 1.6 in). The Y extension kit lengthens Y to 400 mm of effective travel.
Not out of the box; it runs from a GRBL sender over USB. An offline controller or MPG handwheel is available separately or in a bundle.
Soft aluminium and copper in shallow passes, yes. For regular metal work, add the aluminium Z assembly and a 300–500W spindle.
Yes: it arrives mostly assembled, and homing, the E-stop and the probe remove the most common early mistakes.
