YOU CAN BUILD THE 50,000 DOLLARS LASER INSTRUMENT THAT IDENTIFIES CHEMICALS — OPENRAMAN
Shine a laser at a pill or powder and read the molecular fingerprint — the same technique labs use to catch counterfeits, now published with every drawing and part number.
by Luc Absillis (The Pulsar)
ScienceOpen-hardware
- difficulty
- ●●●●●
- time
- multiple weekends
- license
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE0 stars
●●●●● · multiple weekends · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 0 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
OpenRAMAN is a complete open publication of a benchtop Raman spectrometer — the kind of instrument that costs 50,000–150,000 dollars commercially — brought down to around 3,000 dollars in parts. Raman spectroscopy identifies substances by their molecular scattering signature: point a laser, collect the scattered light, read the spectrum. Labs use it for pharmaceuticals, materials science, and forensics. This build uses Thorlabs cage optics, a 532nm laser module, and a FLIR camera, all specified with exact part numbers across multiple BOMs. The documentation is exemplary: SolidWorks assemblies, STEP exports, PDF drawings, and even the Zemax optical design. The one-hour assembly video shows real machined parts and cage assembly in detail. The hard part is not the documentation — it is the seven CNC parts (baseplate, mounts, brackets) and the fact that aligning a Raman optical path is unforgiving. This is a research-grade instrument build for someone with optical bench experience or the will to learn it the slow way. If you have never aligned a laser through a spatial filter or tuned a notch filter stack, your first attempt will take longer than the video implies. The license permits commercial use, so contract labs and university groups have already built copies. The single biggest mistake would be ordering all the Thorlabs parts before confirming you have CNC access — the custom mounts are not optional.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —211 CAD files (SolidWorks, STEP, PDF), Zemax optical design, and per-assembly BOMs with Thorlabs/FLIR/MISUMI part numbers are all published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- —Seven custom parts require CNC machining — drawings and tolerances are provided, but you need machine access or a service.
- —Parts cost around $3,000; optical cage components and the FLIR camera are the bulk of it.
- —No firmware or software is included in the documentation site — the instrument is optomechanical hardware; spectra are captured via the camera.
- —Active maintenance (last commits March 2026), but this is a research instrument build, not a turnkey kit.
- —CC BY-SA 4.0 permits commercial use with attribution and share-alike terms.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterHeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.
Videos
assembly tutorial (verified from payload)
one-hour assembly walkthrough showing machined baseplate and cage optics; the real build, not renders
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the full documentation (CAD, BOMs, and Zemax files are here)
- 2.Confirm CNC access or get quotes(seven custom parts with drawings and tolerances provided; ordering optics before solving machining is the most common mistake)
- 3.Watch the assembly video (one hour of real assembly; your first pass will take longer)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Ordering the full Thorlabs BOM before confirming CNC access — the custom mounts are not optional, and outsourcing them adds weeks and $200–600.
- Underestimating optical alignment time — a Raman system has a laser, spatial filter, collection optics, notch filters, and a spectrograph; each interface matters, and the notch filter angle is critical.
- Skipping laser safety planning — this is a Class 3B laser, and reflections off samples or optics are a real eye hazard; you need glasses, procedures, and a space where stray beams are controlled.
- Assuming the FLIR camera is optional — it is the spectrograph detector; substituting it requires recalculating the optical design.
- Expecting plug-and-play software — the docs cover hardware; spectrum acquisition and analysis are left to the builder (likely Python + camera SDK).
- Building this as a first optics project — if you have never aligned a multi-element optical path, this will be a semester-long learning curve, not a weekend.
What can I actually identify with this?
Anything with a Raman-active molecular signature: polymers, pharmaceuticals, minerals, solvents. You compare the measured spectrum against a reference library (RRUFF for minerals, in-house for pharmaceuticals). It will not identify metals or elements directly — Raman reads molecular bonds.
Do I need to build the whole thing or can I buy some assemblies?
The Thorlabs parts are off-the-shelf; the seven CNC parts are custom. You could in theory buy a partial cage system pre-assembled, but the documentation assumes you are building from components per the BOM.
Is there software included?
No. The build is the optomechanical instrument. Spectrum capture is via the FLIR camera SDK (Python or C++), and analysis is your own or existing Raman libraries. This is normal for research-grade hardware.
Can I use a different laser wavelength?
Theoretically yes, but the notch filters, dichroic, and camera sensitivity are all tuned to 532nm. Changing wavelength means recalculating the whole optical design in Zemax and sourcing different filters.
How does this compare to a used commercial Raman?
A used benchtop unit will have software, calibration, and support, but will still cost $15,000–40,000 and you cannot modify it. OpenRAMAN is $3,000 in parts but you build, align, and troubleshoot it yourself — it is a research tool, not a product.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Commercial Raman spectrometers are $50,000–150,000; this open build is ~$3,000 in parts and seven CNC pieces. What would you use a home Raman setup for — minerals, polymers, mystery powders?
Luc Absillis (The Pulsar)
Luc Absillis publishes open-source scientific instruments under The Pulsar project. OpenRAMAN is one of several builds aimed at making lab-grade measurement tools accessible outside institutional budgets.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM5d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the documentation site at docs.open-raman.org hosts all 211 CAD files, Zemax optical design, and per-assembly BOMs with exact Thorlabs/FLIR/MISUMI part numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0, permits commercial use). The one-hour assembly video at youtube.com/watch?v=47Uw0OJH3Aw shows the real machined baseplate and cage optics, not renders. No firmware or software is included — the instrument is optomechanical hardware; spectra come from the FLIR camera. The single biggest trap is ordering the $3,000 in optics before solving the CNC machining for the seven custom parts (baseplate, mounts, brackets) — drawings and tolerances are provided, but you need mill access or a service, and that is where the schedule slips. Last update March 2026; the project is active but this is a research instrument, not a kit. Photo note, 22 August 2026: this page had no images. We added 4 photographs of this specific build, each credited above; nothing here is a stock shot or another project.