What Is Fiber Laser Cutting

Fiber Laser Cutting is a hot cutting method that utilizes a focused high-power density laser beam as the main heat source. This causes the irradiated materials to rapidly melt, evaporate, ablate, or reach ignition point.

At the same time, the use of high-speed airflow that is coaxial with the laser beam helps blow away the molten material, enabling cutting of the workpiece.

In recent years, the technology behind high-power fiber laser generators has matured and improved, leading to a continuously expanding range of applications.

The fiber laser cutting machine has become a popular focus of industrial research and development.

Advantage of Fiber Laser Cutting

In the realm of thin plate cutting, fiber laser generators are gradually replacing traditional CO2 lasers and YAG lasers for several reasons:

(1) Lower Cost:

The photoelectric conversion efficiency of fiber lasers is around 30%, while the photoelectric conversion efficiency of CO2 lasers is 6-10%, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency of YAG lasers is only 3%. In addition, fiber laser generators have no vulnerable parts, so there is no cost associated with late maintenance.

(2) Compact and Flexible Design:

Fiber lasers have a small size, light weight, and offer a flexible and movable working position.

(3) Improved Cutting Quality:

The use of a flexible light-guiding system in fiber lasers and a constant beam transmission distance avoids poor cutting quality caused by changes in the light path length of CO2 laser generators.

This ensures consistent cutting quality throughout the cutting width, making it ideal for large-format laser processing systems.

(4) Cost Savings:

The beam of a fiber laser travels along an optical fiber, so there is no need for an external reflected light path system, saving the cost of reflection lenses and organ shields.

There is also no need for external optical path adjustments, which reduces the risk of light path pollution from dirt and reduces the weight of moving parts.

(5) Improved Performance for Metal Cutting:

The wavelength of a fiber laser is 1.06 μm, which is more easily absorbed by metal materials compared to the wavelength of CO2 (10.6 μm).

This is particularly beneficial for sheet metal cutting, with cutting speeds 2-4 times faster than CO2.

Fiber lasers also have a better cutting effect for high-reflective materials such as aluminum alloys, copper, and copper alloys.