CO2 vs Fiber Laser Cutting &#; Pros and Cons

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A Burning Question

Fiber laser cutting or CO2 laser cutting: Which is better for cutting metal?

This question has sparked years of conversation and discussion among manufacturing experts. Some insist CO2 is the better technology, while others would never go back to CO2 after experiencing the innovations of fiber laser cutters.

Is there a definite right answer? Most laser manufacturers offer both CO2 and fiber laser cutting systems, but in recent years fiber laser cutting has really made a name for itself. The truth is customers must carefully analyze their operational capabilities, power sources, performance requirements, and material types and thickness before investing in the laser cutting system that works best for them.

What is Fiber Laser Cutting?

Fiber laser cutting, or solid-state laser technology, is newer to manufacturing and metalworking, making its debut only about 15 years ago. CO2 laser cutters have been around for almost a half-century, but fiber laser technology burst onto the scene and impacted the entire sheet metal fabrication industry with its prodigious power and speed.

In just five years, fiber lasers had already achieved the 4kW cutting threshold that took CO2 lasers about two decades to reach. Today, fiber lasers have achieved up to 12kW and beyond. Contrary to popular belief, speed isn&#;t everything, but it is a testament to how far laser cutting technology has evolved.

A fiber laser cutter delivers an extremely intense, amplified beam to the cutting head of the laser machine. The beam is readily absorbed into the material and not reflected. The fiber receives the light source from the resonator of the laser cutting machine and brings it to the CNC-controlled cutting head.

Fiber lasers can cut metal that is more than one inch thick, but optimal performance comes on cutting metal that is 1/2 inch thick or less. For processing stainless steel, aluminum, brass or copper, fiber laser cutters are becoming known as the fastest and most economical option.

Fiber laser cutters work when nitrogen or oxygen is employed as an assist gas. Nitrogen can expel molten material as fast as it is melted. Using oxygen as an assist gas creates a wider channel to expel the molten steel. The wider beam profile also produces faster cutting speeds and increased cut edge quality on thicker materials.

So what are the advantages? Fiber laser cutters have a long list:

• Less power to operate. Usually one-third to one-half of what a CO2 laser system would need.
• Faster cutting speeds. A high-powered fiber laser cutter can cut up to five times faster than a conventional CO2 laser. For example, a 4KW CO2 in 16 GA Mild Steel using N2 as a cutting gas has a recommended cutting speed of 260 IPM; an equally equipped fiber laser has a cutting speed of about 1,417 IPM &#; quite a difference.
• Easier to maintain. Fiber laser cutters have no mirrors, lenses, or bellows to clean and replace.
• Initial Costs: As this laser technology becomes more common; costs are decreasing throughout the industry.

Taken all together &#; greater throughput, lower operational costs, and less maintenance &#; these advantages can mean greater productivity, lower cost per part, higher potential profit margins, and shorter return on investment time.

What is CO2 Laser Cutting?

On a CO2 laser cutter, light is produced when electricity flows through a gas-filled tube with mirrors at both ends. One mirror is fully reflective while the other one lets some light come through. These mirrors guide the laser beam into the material to be cut. The gas is carbon dioxide as the name suggests.

CO2 laser cutters can cut all types and thicknesses of steel and metal: Mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, as well as plastic, tile, marble, and stone.

CO2 laser cutters offer several advantages:

• CO2 laser cutters have more flexibility to cut through a wider range of materials, including non-metals.
• Thicker materials: For thicker materials over 5mm, CO2 laser cutters can deliver faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and smoother surface finishes.
• Edge quality: The finishes obtained in CO2 laser cutters will be beaten every time when compared to fiber laser.
• Reliability: CO2 laser cutters have been around for more than three decades, and many in the industry are familiar with their functions.

The downside is CO2 lasers cost more to operate and maintain. Aside from the consumables, and gasses required to keep the beam path delivery system functioning optimally, power costs can be up to 70% higher.

The Bottom Line

Each laser cutting system has its strengths and weaknesses, as well as compelling arguments for specific uses when cutting various metals like aluminum, stainless steel, and steel.

Which laser cutter is right for you comes down to usage. Which systems best fit your operation and application? How much faster and how much more cost-effective are your parts going to be produced? The answer comes only after a careful analysis of operation costs, throughput, maintenance expenses, and costs.

Your Laser Cutting Partner

No matter what laser cutting system you decide to use, Mid Atlantic Machinery supplies high-quality, high-performing Trumpf fiber laser cutters and CO2 laser cutters to cut whatever metal you utilize and create the precision parts that satisfy your customers&#; needs.

The fiber laser cutting and CO2 laser cutting systems we offer provide the innovative features you expect from an industry-leading manufacturer of metal fabricating equipment:

• Available in a variety of sizes and speeds
• Have expansive capabilities complete with automation options
• More accuracy, better parts, and faster throughput
• Help reduce waste
• Maximize productivity and profitability

Mid Atlantic Machinery has served fabricators, manufacturers, and related businesses with the latest in fabrication and machine tool technology for more than a quarter of a century. We represent top equipment brands throughout the Mid Atlantic region and New England. From Maryland to Maine, we&#;re a one-call resource for the latest fabrication technology. Fill out a Contact form to get in touch today!

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Laser cutting advantages include: high precision, no material contamination, high speed, unlimited 2D complexity, a wide variety of materials, and a wide variety of applications and industries.

High Precision

The narrowness of the energy beam and the precision with which the material and/or the laser optics can be moved ensures extremely high cutting quality. Laser cutting allows the execution of intricate designs that can be cut at high feed rates, even in difficult or fragile material substrates.

No Material Contamination

Traditional rotary cutter processing of materials requires coolants to be applied. The coolant can contaminate the cut parts, which must then be de-greased. Grinding processes may also require coolant/lubricant to be applied. The ablation of the grinding wheel, a natural part of the process, leaves carbide granules that are a hazard in many products. Similarly, water cutting leaves garnet residues. Laser cutting involves only energy and gases and poses no risk of material contamination of the resulting parts.

High Speed

Few production methods can come close in processing speed to laser cutting. The ability to cut a 40 mm steel sheet using a 12 kW oxygen-assisted laser provides speeds some 10x faster than a bandsaw and 50&#;100 times faster than wire cutting.

Unlimited 2D Complexity

Laser cutting allows intricacy through the nature of the G-code movement control method of positioning and the small size of the applied energy hot spot. Features that are only weakly attached to the main body are cut without any application of force, so the process is essentially limited by material properties, rather than process capabilities.

Variety of Materials

Laser cutting is a flexible technology that can be adapted to cut widely different materials efficiently, including: acrylic and other polymers, stainless steel, mild steel, titanium, hastelloy, and tungsten. This versatility is increasing as technology develops. For example, dual frequency lasers can be applied to cut carbon fiber reinforced composites&#;one frequency for the fiber, one for the bonding agent.

Variety of Applications and Industries

Laser cutting finds application in many manufacturing industries because of the combination of versatility, high processing speeds, and precision. Sheet materials are key to production across most manufacturing industries. Applications of laser cutting across industries include: airframes, ships, medical implants, electronics, prototyping, and mass production.

Laser Cutting Disadvantages

Laser cutting disadvantages include: limitations on material thickness, harmful gases and fumes, high energy consumption, and upfront costs.

Limitation on Material Thickness

Most laser cutting machines sit in the <6 kW range. Their cut depth is limited to ~12 mm in metal thickness&#;and they accomplish that only slowly (~10 mm/s). It requires the largest and most powerful machines to reach the practical limits of cutting. However, similar limits apply to waterjet and wire erosion cutting. All three processes perform these deeper cuts faster than can otherwise be achieved.

Harmful Gases and Fumes

While many materials&#;particularly metals&#;do not produce harmful gases in the cutting process, many polymers and some metals do. For example, PTFE and various fluoropolymers produce phosgene gas (which is incompatible with human environments) when heated to high temperatures. These materials require controlled atmosphere processing.

High Energy Consumption

Laser cutting machines have a higher energy consumption rate than other cutting tools. A 3-axis CNC machine cutting out 40 mm steel plate blanks will consume around 1/10th of the power of a laser cutting machine extracting the same part. However, if the processing time is 1 minute on the laser cutter and 20 minutes on the CNC, the net power usage is 2:1 in favor of the laser cutter. Each part will have a different profile in this regard, but the differentials are rarely simple to analyze.

For more Co2 Laser Cutting Machineinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.