the comparative between fiber laser cutting machine and co2 cutting machine

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The Comparative Between Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting Machine Cutting is one of the most widely applied laser processing techniques. Fiber laser and CO2 laser are the most commonly used laser cutting equipment. It is necessary for users to have a knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of both the two ways of cutting. Source : fe.infn Wavelength of fiber laser is 1.06μm and Wavelength of CO2 laser is 10.6μm. Both are infrared light and can be absorbed by material so that they can be applied in Industrial material processing. Fiber laser is unable to be applied in non-metal cutting, such as wood, plastic, leather and ramie cotton fabric. In case of non-metal cutting, CO2 laser is the only choice. But CO2 laser cannot cut copper products, including brass and red copper.

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The Comparative Between Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting Machine

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Page 1: The Comparative Between Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting Machine

The Comparative Between Fiber Laser

Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting

Machine

Cutting is one of the most widely applied laser processing techniques.

Fiber laser and CO2 laser are the most commonly used laser cutting

equipment. It is necessary for users to have a knowledge of the advantages

and disadvantages of both the two ways of cutting.

Source : fe.infn

Wavelength of fiber laser is 1.06μm and Wavelength of CO2 laser is 10.6μm.

Both are infrared light and can be absorbed by material so that they can

be applied in Industrial material processing. Fiber laser is unable to

be applied in non-metal cutting, such as wood, plastic, leather and ramie

cotton fabric. In case of non-metal cutting, CO2 laser is the only choice.

But CO2 laser cannot cut copper products, including brass and red copper.

Page 2: The Comparative Between Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting Machine

Because copper is highly reflective material for CO2 laser, laser will

be reflected instead of absorbed by copper, which can cause harm.

Laser is evaluated by integrated index as cutting speed, drilling

efficiency and section quality.

Fiber laser has an advantage in cutting thin plate, especially for

thickness under 3mm. Its maximum cutting speed ratio can reach to 4:1 and

6mm is critical thickness for the two kinds of lasers. When it is thicker

than 6mm, fiber laser shows no preferential; as the thickness increases,

CO2 laser shows preferential gradually but not outstandingly. Generally

speaking, fiber laser has an advantage in cutting speed.

Drilling efficiency:

Before cutting, laser beam should penetrate workpiece. Fiber laser needs

more time in drilling than CO2 laser. Take 3KW optical fiber laser and

CO2 laser as an example, The latter saves 1 second in drilling 8mm carbon

steel; and 2 seconds in 10mm drilling. As thickness grows, CO2 laser will

save more time.

Source : nufern

Section quality:

Section quality usually means the roughness (surface perfection) and

perpendicularity.

When cutting steel plate under 3mm, section quality of fiber laser is worse

then CO2. As thickness grows, the difference becomes more obvious.

In addition, carbon steel plate has high absorptivity on fiber laser

energy, so it has shortcoming in cutting holes (aperture ≤ panel

Page 3: The Comparative Between Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and CO2 Cutting Machine

thickness).

The above comparison will help users make a reasonable choice. The cutting

speed of the two lasers is equally matched. Fiber laser is inferior to

Co2 laser in section quality and drilling efficiency. There is no quick

answer to which is better. They both have advantages and disadvantages

in specific application demands.

By the way ,laser cutting precision has nothing to do with the adoption

of lasers. It is determined by machine positioning precision, resetting

precision and consistency of kerf width. Fiber laser has narrower kerf

than CO2. Kerf width doesn't affect precision of the parts either, since

it can be offset by cutting gap compensation.