Should I buy a CO2 laser cutting machine or a fiber laser cutting machine?

In the laser cutting machine market, there are two types of machines that are very popular. One is fiber laser cutting machine and the other is Co2 laser cutting machine. In the traditional sense, CO2 laser cutting machines occupy the mainstream position, while fiber cutting machines have become popular in the market in recent years and are becoming more and more popular. But, do you know the difference between these two machines? Which machines can meet our needs and how to choose?

1. First, let’s understand the working principles of the two laser cutting machines.

Working principle of fiber laser cutting machine: Fiber laser cutting machine is a laser cutting machine that uses a fiber laser generator as a light source. Fiber laser cutting machine is a new type of fiber laser that can output a high-energy-density laser beam and focus it on the surface of the workpiece, causing the workpiece to be instantly melted and vaporized in the area irradiated by an ultra-fine focused light spot, and the spot irradiation position is moved through the CNC mechanical system , realizing automatic cutting with fast speed and high precision.

The working principle of the CO2 laser cutting machine is that the laser power drives the laser tube to emit light, which is refracted by several mirrors to transmit the light to the laser head. Then the focusing lens installed on the laser head converges the light to a point where it can reach a high temperature point, so that the material instantly sublimates into gas, which is sucked away by the exhaust fan to achieve the purpose of cutting.

2. The working principles of the two laser cutting machines determine the application fields they are good at.

The wavelength of CO2 laser is 10.6um, and the wavelength of fiber laser is 1.06um. The former is more easily absorbed by non-metallic materials and can cut wood, acrylic, PP, plexiglass and other non-metallic materials with high quality. Fiber laser cutting machines can only cut metal, but cannot cut cloth, leather, stone and other non-metals. The reason is very simple. The wavelength range of the fiber laser cutting machine is not within the absorption range of the above materials, or the absorption is inappropriate, and the ideal cutting effect cannot be achieved. At present, the application advantages of fiber laser cutting machines in non-metal cutting are not so obvious.

3. So which laser cutting machine should we choose?

Of course, we have to choose according to the field of application of materials and machines.

Fiber laser cutting machines are widely used in electronics, electrical, mechanical hardware, new energy, packaging, solar energy, LED, automobile and other industries. Specialized in processing common metal products in daily life, such as advertising metal characters, kitchen utensils, environmental protection equipment, etc. Widely used for cutting various metal materials, such as stainless steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, copper, brass, silicon steel, galvanized steel, nickel titanium alloy, Inconel, titanium alloy, etc.

CO2 laser cutting machine can engrave and cut various non-metals, such as acrylic, duplex steel, marble, wood, MDF, plywood, textiles, leather, glass, paper, etc. It is widely used in many industries such as handicrafts, gifts, souvenirs, etc. Chinese paper-cutting, billboards, clothing, furniture, etc.