When we were looking for ways to enhance our laser cutting capabilities we made a list of the advantages we could see from going to a fiber machine. It turned out to be a long list. To avoid boring you with detail, here, in reverse order, are the top 5 advantages we identified.

1. Better material utilization and tighter nesting, thanks to narrower kerf and less distortion due to workpiece expansion.

2. Cut thicker sheet and plate material. With this laser, we can cut mild steel up to 0.312” thick and stainless and aluminum up to 1” thick.

3. Faster piercing and cutting. Higher power and a smaller spot size mean a fiber laser “punches” through in less time. On a job where there are a lot of holes to cut that can lead to big time savings. Plus, faster melting allows higher traverse speeds. That’s even more time saved.

4. Cut reflective materials like aluminum and copper. Cutting these with a CO2 laser meant going very slowly because they reflected most of the laser energy. The shorter wavelength of fiber means we can cut these at a speed that’s high enough to be useful.

5. Better cut edge quality. This is primarily a result of higher power and air assist, but laser beam geometry and workpiece thermal conductivity contribute too. The thinner beam keeps the energy more tightly focused, and that means a sharper edge. In addition, by putting less heat into the metal there’s less distortion.