Fiber versus CO2 Lasers: The Basic Differences

Advantages

The advantages to fiber lasers are plentiful. There are no moving parts or mirrors in a fiber laser which means nothing must be aligned. This results in a lower overall maintenance cost. The insensitivity of the machine leads to lower operating and maintenance cost. Fiber lasers have excellent electrical efficiency when compared to CO2 lasers. This makes them more efficient than CO2 with the added benefits of lower running costs along with being environmentally friendly. Fiber lasers also have an advantage with regard to cutting thin materials. They are close to three times faster at cutting on stainless steel with a 1 mm thickness than CO2 lasers. Finally, fiber lasers have the ability to cut reflective materials such as copper, brass, and aluminum.

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Laser cutters are high-energy, focused laser beams that cut sheets of steel, wood, plastic, and other materials into two-dimensional parts in the manufacturing and hobbyist arenas. "Laser" is a commonly used term for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation," which explains the physical science necessary to generate laser light. It is a widely adopted technology suited for the mass production of precise two-dimensional parts.

The laser-cutting process utilizes a computer-generated program called a G-code, a set of machine-readable instructions instructing the machine where to move the laser-cutting head. Once the program is loaded, the material may require additional preparation before loading material onto the cutting bed. Once the material is loaded, a small, high-energy light beam is initiated and focused on one spot to heat the material and initiate the cutting process. As the material heats, the laser is directed to cut multiple parts using a series of mirrors and lenses. The intense heat melts and often vaporizes material as it is directed across the bed while cutting parts from the material sheet. Parts are removed and may be further processed.

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Laser cutters are used in a range of applications, including engraving, laser welding, tube cutting, and sheet metal and plate cutting. There are several different types of lasers and methods used for Laser Cutting. These include the following:

Types of Laser Cutting:

• CO2 Lasers &#; This laser utilizes carbon dioxide (CO2), Helium (HE), and Nitrogen (N) to optimize the cutting process; Nitrogen help to amplify the energy while Helium helps to dissipate the remaining energy after the cut. These lasers are often used with metals plate but struggle with materials that have high reflectivity and thermal absorption.
• Fiber Lasers &#; Flexible fiber optic cables carry photons to produce the beam with the assistance of rare earth elements such as erbium, neodymium, thulium, or yttrium. Each element produces different wavelengths for varying applications. These lasers are best suited for cutting reflective materials like brass or gold and, due to the flexibility of the fiber cable, can be mounted to robotic arms. 
• Nd:YAG lasers &#; This powerful, high-density laser is often used for marking and etching. This laser utilizes a neodymium (Nd) doped yttrium aluminum garnet crystal (Y3Al5O12) which aids the photon acceleration to create a high-intensity beam. Nd:YVO lasers operate similarly with improved power stability, reduced heat, and greater laser intensity. 

Laser cutters are used to cut a wide range of materials. The most commonly cut materials are listed as follows:

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• Acrylic &#; This transparent, rigid material is also known as polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA.
• Aluminum &#; A reflective material, fiber lasers cut most types of aluminum.
• Brass &#; Best cut with a fiber laser.
• Cork &#; Cork can be easily laser-cut or engraved.
• Felt &#; A fabric that cuts easily, especially if 95%+ wool. 
• Hardboard &#; Easy to cut but releases fumes from adhesives.
• Leather &#; This material is easily cut or engraved, often for personalized items
• Stainless Steel (SS) &#; Fiber lasers are best suited for SS.
• Steel &#; This includes mild steel and carbon steel. High-power lasers can cut up to 20&#;25 mm plate thickness. 
• Wood &#; Low-power lasers are used for the different types of wood.
• Other materials include: