What’s the Range of Laser Cutting Machines?

What’s the Range of Laser Cutting Machines?

Laser cutters create patterns and designs by cutting into materials with a laser beam that melts, burns, or vaporizes the material it’s being applied to. It can be programmed to produce custom designs, patterns, and shapes per the designer’s requests.

Since the process is thermal-based, materials such as wood, glass, paper, metal, plastic, and gemstone are great candidates to be cut or engraved with a laser cutter.

History of Laser Cutters

C. Kumar N. Patel invented the laser cutter in 1963 when he developed the first CO2 laser. This laser still has the most modern applications over any other kind of laser on the market.

Kinds of Laser Cutters

There are two primary kinds of laser cutters on the market — CO2 lasers and fiber lasers.

CO2 lasers can have a more focused and intense beam, amplifying the cutting power — a good option for cutting through especially tough materials. However, they carry potential danger from reflective metals like copper, brass, bronze, and stainless steel, since there’s a risk of the material reflecting the laser back into the machine or nearby production.

Fiber lasers offer lower risk for this kind of damage, since they’re designed to reduce the risk of unwanted reflection. These machines are often lower-maintenance and allow production teams to spend more time turning around projects rather than focusing on repairs.

What To Consider When Buying

First, consider whether your machine can complete the project you’re buying it to complete. For heavier materials that need quick, effective cutting, a CO2 machine may be your best option. If you need a machine that can handle many materials with little risk of reflection damage, consider a fiber machine. Finally, consider where you want the machine to be — a desktop machine for smaller projects at home is a very different purchase than something built for an assembly line.

Machine Options to Consider

Best CO2 Budget Pick: OMTech 40W (DF0812-40BG) — A combination engraver and cutter, a great entry point into laser cutting for home use, costing around $500. It cuts 2-3mm deep, giving flexibility for coated metal, rubber, wood, and leather.

The Can-Do-It-All: Glowforge Plus — A CO2 laser-type providing precision up to .025mm, optimized for home and office use but capable of heavy-duty projects. Can handle glass, acrylic, fabric, and cardboard, cutting up to 12mm deep. Priced around $3,500, but requires a constant internet connection to operate.

Small Business Winner: DXTECH-1309I — A small fiber laser cutting machine that fits on most countertops, capable of producing metal jewelry, accessories, ornaments, and tools. It can handle flat cutting, engraving, drilling, and flying cutting, and offers protection from laser radiation. A welded cast iron bed gives it a life of over 20 years with no deformities.

Best For Large-Scale Projects: DXTECH-1530F — Fantastic for large projects, with multiple laser powers to select from ranging from 500W-12000W. Great for manufacturing electric cabinets, automobiles, elevators, aircraft, or robots, and can handle silicon steel, titanium alloy, or carbon steel. With over 100,000 hours of working life in the fiber module, it’s a strong addition to any significant assembly line. Cost ranges between $48,000 and $52,000.

Still Lost?

If you’re still working through the intricacies of laser cutting machines, we at Engineered Mechanical Systems can help. Sign up for our newsletter to learn everything about laser cutting, forming, inspection, and more. We’ve been providing diversified and quality fabrication and manufacturing services since 1990, and we’d love to share that knowledge with you.