One of the most frequently asked questions we get from our customers is what materials can Beambox cut and engrave. So let’s talk about this laser cutting technology, and from a machining perspective, different types of laser and what they’re commonly used. for.
1. Solid-State Laser
Solid-state lasers, one of the most ancient techniques, use a crystalline or glass rod which is “doped” with ions that provide the required energy states. The most common two are diode laser and Nd:YAG laser.
Nd:YAG laser uses neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet as an active laser medium with a wavelength of 523 / 1064 nm. This wavelength can be easily absorbed by metal, so it is suitable for metal engraving, but not for non-metal engraving. A higher spec of this laser can operate in pulse mode to adjust the color of its results on metal. The laser power is usually smaller compared to other types of laser, but it is more powerful and faster than diode laser, so it is ideal for metal engraving. Most laser marking machines we see use an Nd:YAG laser, very suitable for large-quantities and small-area metal marking in factories.
2. Fiber Laser
Fiber lasers are a type of solid-state laser that is rapidly growing within the metal cutting industry. Fiber lasers are pumped by semiconductor laser diodes, it supports high output power because of the fiber’s high surface area to volume ratio, which allows efficient cooling. The fiber laser is suitable for metal engraving and cutting, but not for non-metal (except for engineering plastics based on resins). Though this type of laser is more pricey, the high optical quality and speed make it an ideal choice for commercial metal marking and cutting.
3. CO2 Laser
The carbon dioxide laser was one of the earliest gas lasers to be developed, in this type of laser, the electricity runs through a gas-filled tube, to produce light.
40W – 150W CO2 Laser:
The wavelength of this laser is 10640 nm, can be absorbed by most organic materials, so it is very suitable for cutting and engraving on non-metals, including wood, leather, paper, acrylic, rubber and more. Glass, rocks, anodized aluminum can be engraved on. When a 50W machine operating at full power, the temperature of the focus point is close to 300° C, materials with a higher melting point cannot be cut, but if covered with a special coating, even metals like stainless steel, titanium can be marked.
1000W+ High Power CO2 Laser
CO2 laser also comes in 1000W – 5000W, and it can cut metal as well. This technique is more developed than others, the results and precision is better than fiber laser though it is more power-consuming.
Conclusion
Let’s take a look at the awesome chart that sums up this article.
|
Non-metal engraving |
Non-metal cutting |
Metal engraving |
Metal cutting |
|
|
Small |
Diode laser CO2 Laser |
CO2 Laser |
Factory CO2 Laser Fiber Laser |
Factory |
|
Large |
CO2 Laser |
CO2 Laser |
Nd:YAG Laser Fiber Laser |
High-power CO2 laser Fiber Laser |
One Last Thing
Beambox and Beambox Pro is the latest product FLUX proudly presents, a 40W / 50W desktop CO2 laser cutter that is perfect for laser etching and cutting on non-metal materials. Beambox comes with a camera alignment feature, a super active user community and an in-house software that supports Windows 7+ / Mac OS X / Linux, and with our special coating, you can also engrave on metal! Beambox is the best choice for designers, makers, schools, and studios who want to make full use of the laser technology to turn their ideas to life, at a very reasonable price. Please click here for more details.