There is a time and place for different types of laser cutting. Here are five key reasons why customers choose fiber laser cutting services.
The use of fiber optics continues to evolve. The introduction of fibre optics into the digital, data-driven world has allowed for increased speed and volume of data transmission. Rather than sending information over telephone or copper wires, fibre optics consists of multiple strands of diodes and uses light beams for transmission.
The ability to send beams has been transferred to lasers, as the amount of light transmitted and amplified through fibre optic cables allows for powerful beams that are 200% more efficient than CO2 lasers, and without the need for expensive optical mirror laser cutting systems. For companies looking to invest in laser cutting or needing laser cutting services, there are many advantages to moving to fibre laser cutting compared to other alternatives. Here are the first five advantages.
Fiber Laser Cutting Machine
Probably the most valuable advantage of fibre laser cutting is the price. The cost overhead of this technology represents a significant saving on the initial purchase and throughout the lifetime of the laser. For the uninitiated, it does not require expensive optics as other laser technologies do. In addition, the focusing lens is not exposed, but is sealed inside the cutting head. Therefore, if properly maintained, the focusing lens will be maintained throughout the life of the fibre, rather than being damaged and requiring constant replacement as in other laser applications.
Moving parts lead to increased maintenance effort and higher operating costs. As the light pulse is sent through the fibre optic cable, there is no need to move the mirror to generate the necessary laser light. Other forms of lasers use fast moving mirrors to increase the power of the laser. To extend the life of the mirror, regular maintenance is required. This can lead to a reduction in productivity. However, without regular maintenance, the potential for material damage increases, which not only takes the laser offline, but also increases operating costs.
FD3015 Sheet Metal Fiber Laser Cutting Machine
Another advantage of using fibre laser cutting is the increase in cutting speed. When cutting straight lines up to 1 mm thick, a fibre laser can cut three times faster than a conventional laser. This includes cutting materials such as stainless steel. The time improvement does drop to twice as fast when cutting 2 mm thicknesses, but it still represents a considerable improvement anyway.
One of the main problems when using conventional lasers is the reflective material. There is a risk of the laser bouncing off the reflective material, which in turn can damage the equipment. For this reason, conventional lasers are not commonly used when cutting brass, aluminium and copper. With fibre lasers, however, this problem of reflected material is no longer an issue, which in turn allows these materials to be cut.
Conventional CO2 lasers require a considerable amount of energy to produce the laser beam. In fact, a 2 kW fibre laser cutting unit uses a third of the power of a 4 kW CO2 machine. This means that the fibre configuration will not only save power every time it is used, but it will also help to extend the life expectancy of the hardware due to the lower energy requirements.
There is a time and a place for every laser type. However, these are the five most important advantages that fibre lasers offer over other, more traditional CO2 lasers. Request a quote to find out more about the right laser cutting process for your material.
