What is the difference between a CO2 laser cutter and a fiber laser cutter?

CO2 laser and optical fiber laser, because of the different physical characteristics of the laser, the processing technology of laser cutting machine using them is also different. Of course, in fact, the two have their own strengths and weaknesses, according to the different processing objects, they have advantages and disadvantages.

A CO2 laser is a gas beam produced by stimulating a carbon dioxide molecule with a wavelength of 10.6 nanometers. A fiber laser is a crystal of a mediating Yb (ytterbium) compound in a fiber. Different wave length has great influence on the processing characteristics of the two.

Laser cutter from the generator to the processing point......

CO2 laser cutters, from the vibrator to the processing point, transmit the laser by means of a mirror, usually in the light path isolated from the outside air. Although the light path is filled with air without common dust or foreign objects, the surface of the mirror, after a long period of use, will also be covered with dirt and needs to be cleaned. In addition, the mirror itself will absorb a small amount of laser energy loss, need to be replaced. In addition, in order to transmit the laser from the generator to the processing point, multiple mirrors are needed to adjust the reflection Angle of the laser for transmission, so to maintain normal operation requires certain technical ability and management.

However, from the generator to the processing point, the laser is propagated by 1 optical fiber. This fiber is commonly called a optical fiber. Because do not need optical components like mirror, is in the air isolation with the outside world spread the light of optical fiber laser, so the laser was almost no loss, but strictly speaking, repeated spread on the periphery of the laser light in optical fiber, so how much light optical fiber itself will have loss, but this compared with CO2 laser cutting machine in the mirror, several times longer service life. In addition, if the propagation path is above the minimum curvature of the optical fiber, the path can be determined freely, so it is also very convenient to adjust and maintain.

Laser vibrator

The optical fiber laser oscillator, as mentioned earlier, is generated inside the optical fiber and is isolated from the outside air. There are no optical components, so there is little need for regular maintenance.

Maintenance cycles such as cleaning up CO2 laser oscillators are set at about 4,000 hours, while optical fiber laser oscillators are set at about 20,000 hours. In terms of service life and maintenance performance, it can be said that the optical fiber laser processing machine has great advantages.

Cost of operations like power consumption

Generally speaking, the vibration generator of the optical fiber laser processing machine has higher requirements for the accuracy of the cooling temperature management of the oscillator compared with that of the CO2 generator. However, under the same laser output power, the cooling capacity of the CO2 laser oscillator of the optical fiber laser processing machine is about 1/2 ~ 2/3. So in terms of the power consumption of all the devices in the laser processing machine, the optical fiber laser processing machine can operate under the power consumption of about 1/3 of the CO2 laser processing machine, which can be said to be a very energy-saving laser cutting machine.

The photoelectric conversion rate of CO2 laser oscillator is said to be about 10-15%, while the optical fiber laser oscillator is about 35-40%. Because of the high photoelectric conversion rate, less electrical energy is converted into radiating heat, allowing optical fiber laser processors to control the amount of power consumed by cooling devices such as coolers.