Many of our customers come to us because they have heard about the great benefits of the fibre laser. Some highlight its precision, others its energy savings and some even ask us more than once about its versatility when it comes to cutting more than one material, as this means they can do without other machines.
However, there are still many people who do not know if the fibre laser is what they need in their workshop or who have the wrong information about how it works. In this article, we will explain what this technology is all about, its benefits and much more.
The fibre laser is a LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) whose active medium is an optical fibre doped with elements such as erbium, neodymium, ytterbium, dysprosium, holmium, praseodymium and thulium which serve as amplifying medium of the light beam. For pumping, one or several laser diodes are used, so most fibre lasers are pumped diode lasers.
This is a technology that has been researched and developed for a long time for all kinds of applications. Today, fibre lasers are already very cost-effective and have become indispensable in the cutting industry.
Before talking about the advantages of the fibre laser, you will be interested to know some of its characteristics, taking a material such as steel as an example:
The fiber laser is used to cut steel, aluminium, brass and copper. It is considered to be the fastest and most accurate system compared to other cutting systems. It is not only used for machining sheet metal, but also for cutting tubes.
It is the best choice for machining metal cutting, as can be seen in this comparison of metal cutting technologies.
The machine set-up process is simple, allowing different shapes and thicknesses to be machined quickly The Maintenance and consumable costs are low, while energy consumption can be considered low/medium, depending on the laser power, so it is also considered an environmentally friendly technology. The operating costs of the machine are medium, but its high cutting speed reduces these costs per part, making it the most productive technology on the market.
The light beam is generated inside a fibre optic cable, like the ones that carry internet data, making it very stable and easy to use. In addition, the fibre laser cutting machine only needs the design of the cutting patterns on the computer, no manual intervention on the machine is needed in the cutting process. This makes it very easy to control from the control system and safer for the operator.
In short, the fibre laser is the ideal choice for any customer looking for versatility and quality in cutting. Industries such as boilermaking, automotive, aeronautics or machinery manufacturers, among others, are already benefiting from the great properties of the fibre laser.
If you want to know more about fibre lasers, we recommend you to contact us or read these related articles:
China's fibre laser machines: 8 things you need to know
Fiber laser vs CO2 laser: The ultimate comparison
CNC punching machine vs fibre laser machine: Which one is right for you?
