The Advantages And Disadvantages of Fiber Laser Cutting Machine

All cutting processes have their inherent advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of laser cutting seem to be far more than any other processes, and they are gradually being widely used by various industries such as telecommunications, medicine, and industry. Do you want to know about optical fiber lasers? If you are curious about using optical laser cutting, please continue to read. This article will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of optical fiber laser cutting machines.

How does the Fiber laser cutting machine work?

The key component of the fiber laser cutting machine is a fiber laser generator, which focuses on high-power laser beams. When this powerful laser hits the surface of the material, high-intensity light is absorbed and converted into heat, thereby melting the surface. The following is the specific working process of an optical fiber laser generator:

Light in the laser diode: To generate light, the diode uses two semiconductors with different charges. When the positive charge and negative charge meet, they will try to combine Entering fiber cables and will be used to produce laser beams.
The pump is guided in the fiber cable: In nature, light spreads in all directions. To focus on one direction to obtain laser beams, the fiber cable uses two basic components: optical fiber core and bag layer. Due to the refractive index of the bag layer, the light can be retained in the core and the path is continued.
Light is amplified in the laser cavity: When the pump light passes through the fiber cable, it finally enters the laser cavity -this is the place where the laser beam is formed. The laser cavity acts as a resonant here, which has led to “enlarged radiation light”, so laser occurs.
The laser generates a specific wavelength: Because specific particles release specific photons, the photons produced in the laser cavity have the same wavelength. This explains why each type of fiber-fiber laser produces a specific wavelength -and only that wavelength.
Laser beam plastic surgery and release: The photon that leaves the resonance cavity forms a beam of a laser beam. Due to the optical guidance characteristics of the fiber, the laser beam is straight. To make the laser beam have an ideal shape, we usually use different components, such as using the lens to change the focal distance, the short focus distance can concentrate more energy into one area for more aggressive laser ablation forms, applicable to applicable Laser applications of in-depth materials (that is, laser carvings and laser texture processing).

The working principle of the optical fiber laser cutting machine is basically the same as that of other traditional laser cutting machines, but the main difference is that the laser generator is different, which determines how energy is transmitted and focused on the workpiece.

What type of materials can the laser cutting machine cut?

Sheet metal processing is one of the largest cutting applications in the manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure industries. Fiber laser cutting machines can cut any metal sheet such as carbon steel, stainless steel, iron, and titanium. With the help of a fiber laser cutting machine, metal processing becomes easier. One of the main problems with traditional laser generators in the past has been reflective materials, from which the laser light has the potential to bounce and damage the device. But this is not the case, fiber laser technology is now more advanced, and is especially good at reflective materials such as copper, brass, and aluminum, which are difficult for CO2 laser generators to handle.
Depending on the power, the fiber laser cutting machine has different capabilities, but almost all fiber laser cutting machines can cut metal sheets. The 10kw fiber laser cutting machine can cut mild steel up to 30mm, stainless steel up to 30mm and aluminum up to 20mm.

Advantages of Laser Cutting Machines

Fiber laser generators offer performance superior to many similar laser generators, and the powerful laser light emitted from a fiber laser cutting machine can cut thick materials such as steel very easily. Because of these advantages, fiber laser cutting machines are being widely used in many fields such as industry and aviation. In this section, we will give you a detailed introduction to the 7 advantages of fiber laser cutting machines.

Precision Cut

Fiber laser generators offer higher levels of beam quality, can be highly focused for extremely accurate levels of precision, and have higher power densities. The precision laser beam enables the manufacture of tight tolerance components and minimal kerfs in a fast, clean, and efficient manner, allowing tight nesting of parts.
Many industries can benefit from this, such as the electronics industry, where the beam works at a very small size without damaging any necessary components to maximize yield and minimize material waste.

Versatility

One of the strengths of a fiber laser cutting machine is its versatility, enabling precise, high-quality cuts in a variety of different materials, including iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, and a variety of reflective materials. This ability to cut a variety of materials has made it increasingly popular in creative fields, such as metal art and sculptural processes.

High Speed And Efficiency

Speed is also a notable feature of fiber laser generators, which can cut three times faster than conventional laser generators when cutting straight lines with a thickness of 1mm. Fiber laser technology is fast and consumes less energy than other types of sheet metal cutting machinery, allowing you to get more work done in less time.

Low Cost

Fiber laser generators are ideal for reducing costs and operating expenses. It is a cost-effective solution, the overhead of the purchase cost will be the largest expenditure during the entire machine’s life, and the machine’s maintenance cost is extremely low. Equipping with a fiber laser generator will not only save electricity every time it is used, but it also helps extend the hardware’s life expectancy due to lower energy requirements.

Easy To Operate

The laser cutting machine allows the use of an intelligent control system to operate the equipment, and the computer-aided design workstation receives the data, and after completing the settings, controls the laser cutting material to produce a specific pattern or design. Simple operations can be completed even without much operating experience.

Ease of Maintenance

Fiber laser cutting machines are less prone to breakdowns, require little adjustment and replacement of these parts, and run long-lasting, reducing maintenance burden and expense. Additionally, fiber laser generators can use nitrogen assist during their cutting process, enabling faster and more precise cuts.

Customization

If the general laser-cutting machine cannot meet your production needs, you can request customization from the manufacturer. Most highly qualified manufacturers in the industry provide customized services, and customized machines can better meet the flexibility of enterprise production. For example, adjusting the size of the machine table can make the machine fit better in your workshop, saving time every time the material is changed.

Disadvantages of Laser Cutting Machines

Metal Thickness Limitation

Fiber laser cutting is not suitable for cutting very thick sheets compared to other thermal cutting methods. The maximum cuttable thickness depends on the power and expertise of the machine. On average, metal fabrication companies tend to use lasers to cut 15-30mm of metal.
At present, the power of the fiber laser cutting machine can reach up to 50kw, which breaks through the limit of metal thickness to a certain extent, but the cutting speed for thicker metal is slower.

Hazardous Gas Smoke

While many materials do not emit hazardous fumes during cutting, many polymers and some metals react to produce fumes and dangerous fumes. For example, polytetrafluoroethylene and various fluoropolymers generate phosgene when heated to high temperatures. Poor ventilation can cause operator discomfort and damage the machine itself, so a good ventilation system is a must for a safe working environment.

Professional Knowledge Required

In order to realize the full potential of a laser cutting machine, a professional machine operator is essential. Proper cutting settings will ensure the cut quality is as expected for that metal.

Purchase Cost

If you’re looking to buy a fiber laser cutting machine, you’re probably going to need to spend a fortune. A fiber laser cutting can cost twice as much to purchase compared to a waterjet or plasma cutter. While the purchase cost is high, the running costs and cutting efficiency make up for it in the long run.

Partial Material Evaporates

Evaporation tends to occur when you are cutting certain materials, such as plastics and is a significant disadvantage of fibrt laser cutting machines. While this shortcoming can be easily overcome by a professional machine operator, preventing this problem can be very costly.

Summarize

In summary, fiber laser cutting machines offer a range of advantages, such as high speed and precision, low operating costs, and the ability to process a wide variety of materials. But before we invest in a fiber laser cutting machine, we should also consider issues such as investment cost, machine complexity, and poor ventilation. Knowing the pros and cons of fiber laser cutting machines can help you grow your business.
If you are planning to buy a laser cutting machine, you can contact us at any time. AccTek Laser has 10 years of experience in laser cutting machine production and is committed to providing professional laser solutions to global customers. We manufacture high-precision fiber laser cutting machines based on mechanical design technology optimized through rigorous structural analysis. As a professional manufacturer of fiber laser cutting machines, we have designed fiber laser cutting machines with different powers and models to meet the needs of different customers. AccTek executes a strict assembly process and world-class branded parts to ensure high cutting accuracy and powerful cutting ability, thus maximizing the productivity and profitability of sheet metal fabricators.

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