Main categories of laser cutting machines
Laser cutting machines are mainly divided into CO2 laser cutting machines and fiber laser cutting machines.
Principle:
Using carbon dioxide gas as the medium, it generates infrared laser with a wavelength of 10.6μm.
Features:
Suitable for cutting non-metallic materials (such as acrylic, wood, leather, cloth) and some metals (such as stainless steel, aluminum).
The cutting section is smooth, but the energy consumption is high and the gas needs to be maintained regularly.
The equipment is large in size and moderately priced.
Principle:
Ytterbium-doped rare earth laser is transmitted through optical fiber, with a wavelength of 1.06μm.
Features:
Specializes in metal cutting (carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, etc.), with high efficiency and good precision.
High photoelectric conversion rate (more than 30%), low energy consumption, and simple maintenance.
Small size, suitable for high-power (up to tens of thousands of watts) industrial applications.
Cutting Performance
| Feature | CO₂ Laser Cutter | Fiber Laser Cutter |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable Materials | Non-metals (acrylic, wood, leather), some metals (stainless steel, aluminum) | Metals (carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum) |
| Cutting Speed | Slower (for metals) | Faster (3-5x faster on thin metals) |
| Cutting Precision | High (better for non-metals) | Extremely high (fine metal cuts) |
| Thick-Cutting Capability | Medium (metals ≤20mm) | Excellent (carbon steel ≤40mm) |
| Energy Efficiency | ~10% electro-optical efficiency | 30-50% electro-optical efficiency |
Key differences:
CO₂ laser has a longer wavelength and is easily absorbed by non-metallic materials, making it suitable for cutting organic materials;
Fiber laser has a shorter wavelength and a high metal absorption rate, making it particularly suitable for metal cutting.
Typical scenarios:
CO₂: acrylic letter cutting and wooden crafts in the advertising industry;
Optical fiber: automotive sheet metal and metal precision parts processing.
How to choose?
Choose CO₂ laser cutting machine if:
Mainly cutting non-metallic materials;
Limited budget and low demand for metal cutting;
Require smooth non-metallic cutting section (such as acrylic polishing effect).
Choose fiber laser cutting machine if:
Mainly cutting metal (especially thin to medium and thick plates);
Seeking high efficiency and low energy consumption;
Want to reduce maintenance and downtime