Industries are incomplete without cutting tools, and a fiber laser cutting machine utilizes high-powered fiber laser sources to precisely and speedily cut through different metals and materials. These laser rays sharply and accurately cut various objects and are integral to metal works, fabrication, manufacturing, and automotive industries. They are extensively used for shaping and cutting metals like stainless steel, brass, steel, aluminium, and copper.
The fiber laser cutters and the CO2 laser cutters are utilized for laser cutting purposes, but they are based on different laser technology. Let us explain this further:
Efficiency and power:
Fiber laser cutter: The key element of a fiber laser cutting machine is a high-power fiber laser, which generates an intense beam of laser light. This laser light is transmitted through a pliable fiber optic cable directly to the cutting head, where it is focused on the workpiece. The focused laser beam rapidly heats and vaporizes the material, creating a narrow and precise cut.
- Highly efficient
- Need lower power consumption
- Conversion rates of energy differ from CO2 cutters (approx 30%).
CO2 laser cutting machine:
- less efficient
- conversion rate is 8-20%
- consume more power
Fiber Laser Cutter:
A fiber laser is the main source of energy generation in a fiber laser cutting machine. The light is amplified in the optical fiber and then transported to the cutting head through a flexible fiber cable. The narrow laser beam has high energy density and can easily slice through thin to medium metal sheets quickly. The precision quality makes the fiber laser cutting machine ideal for aerospace, automotive, and metal sheet fabrication.
CO2 laser cutters:
CO2 lasers have gas mixtures, which need more maintenance because of this complexity. The laser tube, filled with CO2 gas, needs periodic replacement. The gas supply system of the CO2 gas mixture is expensive and adds to the operational cost. Fiber lasers need much lesser maintenance and have a longer lifespan than CO2 lasers.
Laser technology:
CO2 Laser Cutter and fiber laser cutter:
A carbon dioxide gas mixture generates laser beams in the CO2 Laser cutter, and the laser generated has a 10.6 μm wavelength suitable for cutting acrylic, wood, paper, leather, fabrics, and other thick non-metal materials in comparison to 1.06 micrometers of fiber laser cutters. The CO2 gas mixture is excited with the help of high-voltage electrical discharges, and a laser beam is produced. They may cut thin metal sheets slowly but can still create intricate designs with smooth edges.
A fiber laser cutting machine uses an intense laser light beam called a fiber laser for this. This light beam travels through the fiber optic cable and focuses directly on the cutting head and then onto the workpiece. The strong heat heats the area, melts it, and vaporizes the material into an exact cut.
Fiber lasers are reliable, efficient, and vastly different from the CO2 laser cutting machine. Their high beam quality helps make smoother and finer cuts on the material. Moreover, they work amazingly well on reflective materials and have excellent cutting speeds, making them an ideal choice for high production volumes with amazing quality.
