How to choose between fiber laser cutting machine and CO2 laser cutting machine?

1. Different luminous media

Fiber laser generates laser through diode pumping and transmits laser beam through flexible fiber optic cable, while CO2 Laser Cutting Machine generates laser by exciting nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas in the cavity and then transmits the beam through a reflector.

2. Different structures

Under the same power, fiber laser is more compact than CO2 laser

3. Different electro-optical conversion efficiency

Generally, the conversion efficiency of CO2 laser is about 10%, and the conversion efficiency of fiber laser is about 30%

4. Different laser wavelengths

The wavelength of fiber laser is 1.06μm, and the wavelength of CO2 laser is 9.3μm~10.6μm. Therefore, the focused spot of fiber laser is smaller than that of CO2 laser, the cutting speed is faster, and the processing efficiency is higher

So, since fiber laser has so many advantages, isn't it obvious how to choose between the two? Existence is reasonable, and CO2 laser also has its advantages.

Different cutting materials have different absorption rates for different wavelengths of light. Non-metallic materials such as wood, cloth, plastic, acrylic, etc. have very low absorption rates for fiber lasers, while CO2 lasers have high absorption rates for both metal and non-metallic materials. Therefore, fiber lasers are only suitable for cutting metal materials, while CO2 lasers can be used for cutting both metal and non-metallic materials. In addition, CO2 lasers have good cutting surface finish and high verticality, making them more suitable for cutting materials with high precision requirements.