3rd SkyFire DIY Fiber Laser Competition
How to Join the 3rd SkyFire DIY Fiber Laser Competition
Registration is open. Choose your division, prepare your build, and submit your project materials before the final deadline.
Start here
A practical guide for builders ready to enter
The 3rd SkyFire DIY Fiber Laser Competition is designed for people building, upgrading, documenting, and testing their own fiber laser systems. If you are still choosing between the Starter Division and Professional Division, begin with the division guide, then use this article as your registration and submission checklist.
The main thing to remember is simple: register first, build and document your project during the preparation period, then submit your final video and required materials before the October deadline.
Ready to register?
Use the official registration form for both Starter and Professional Division entries. The form will ask you to choose your division and provide basic participant, machine, and shipping information.
Timeline
Key dates for the 2026 competition
The build window is long, but the two dates that matter most are the registration deadline and the final submission deadline.
| Stage | Date | Key action |
|---|---|---|
| Competition launch and registration open | Jan 27 | Competition information released and registration opened. |
| Build and preparation period | Jan 27 - Oct 7 | Design, fabrication, testing, video recording, and documentation. |
| Registration deadline | Jul 31 | Last day to register for the competition. |
| Final submission deadline | Oct 7 | Submit all required competition materials. Final video should be 8 minutes or less. |
| Material processing and preliminary review | Oct 7 - Oct 20 | Completeness check, formatting review, and preliminary technical review. |
| Live judging begins | Oct 20 | Multi-day live judging begins, with online voting opening at the same time. |
| Online voting period | Oct 20 - Oct 27 | Most Popular Award voting based on published videos. |
| Finale week | Oct 20 - Oct 27 | Live judging, online voting, final ranking confirmation, and results announcement. |
Official timeline for the 3rd SkyFire DIY Fiber Laser Competition.
Step 1
Choose your division
The registration form starts by asking you to choose a division. Pick the division that best matches the maturity of your project and the level of technical documentation you can provide.
Starter Division
Best for concept-focused and simplified DIY builds. This is the better path if your project is still early, educational, experimental, or focused on demonstrating a clear DIY idea.
Professional Division
Best for advanced, system-level, and near-commercial builds. This path expects stronger technical evidence, including documentation for components, wiring, mechanical structure, cutting tests, and safety thinking.
Not sure which one fits? Read the division guide before registering: Starter or Professional: Which SkyFire DIY Competition Division Is Right for You?
Step 2
Complete the registration form
The registration form collects basic information so the competition team can place your entry correctly, understand your build, and prepare participant materials.
Choose whether you are entering as an individual or as a team.
Enter your participant name, email address, country, and optional state or province.
Select your laser power level so the team can understand the scale of your system.
Provide height, weight, and shipping address information when requested for participant kit preparation.
Registration form
Both the Starter Division and Professional Division registration buttons currently lead to the same official registration form. Choose your division inside the form.
Step 3
Prepare your final submission materials
Every entrant should plan documentation while building, not at the last minute. Your final submission should make it easy for judges and viewers to understand what you built, how it works, and why it matters.
For all participants
- Final project video, 8 minutes or less.
- 16:9 video format recommended for clean judging and publishing.
- Photo of the participant or team with the DIY machine.
- Clear project introduction, build overview, and machine demonstration.
Extra preparation for Professional Division
- Bill of materials and major component list.
- Electrical layout or wiring documentation.
- Mechanical structure information.
- Cutting test records and multi-material cutting parameters.
Required submitted materials differ by division, so check the official rules and templates before preparing your final files.
Official downloads
Rules PDF and technical templates
The competition page includes the main rules PDF and several technical document templates. Professional Division builders should review these early, because they can shape how you document the build while the machine is still being assembled and tested.
Step 4
Submit your final project by Oct 7
After your build, documentation, and video are ready, use the final submission form. This is separate from the registration form.
Important: Registering for the competition and submitting your final project are two different actions. Register first. Submit final materials only when your project package is ready.
Final submission form
Use this form for your completed competition materials before the final submission deadline.
Before you go
Quick checklist before registering
- Decide whether your project belongs in the Starter Division or Professional Division.
- Register before Jul 31 using the official registration form.
- Save the rules PDF and templates before your documentation work begins.
- Record build footage throughout the preparation period, not only at the end.
- Prepare a final video of 8 minutes or less.
- Submit all final materials by Oct 7.
Join the DIY fiber laser community
The competition is not only about ranking machines. It is also a way for builders to share designs, compare ideas, document real problems, and help more people understand how DIY fiber laser systems are built.
