Fiber Laser Cutting Machine

A fiber laser cutting machine uses a fiber-optic laser source to cut materials, most commonly metals. The laser beam is generated in a doped fiber and delivered to the workpiece, where its high intensity melts or vaporizes the material. Fiber lasers emit light around 1070 nm (invisible infrared) with excellent beam quality. These machines excel at cutting reflective metals and are extremely efficient. As with other laser cutters, they offer the “unmatched precision, speed, and efficiency” mentioned for laser cutting generally, with particular advantages for metal.

Type of Product
 Fiber laser cutters vary by configuration:

• Power Rating: From ~1000 W for thin metal cutting to 10+ kW for heavy industrial cutting (thick plates). Higher power enables faster cutting of thicker materials.
• Mode: Typically continuous-wave operation for steady cutting; some include pulsed capabilities for specialized tasks (e.g. engraving).
• Machine Build: Usually large CNC-controlled gantry machines. The laser source (fiber) is separate or integrated into the machine housing, with fiber cable guiding the beam to the cutting head.
• Automation: Many have auto-focus heads, automatic nozzle changers, and full enclosures for safety. Some systems are designed for parts marking/engraving as well.
  
  

Applications in Various Industries
Fiber laser cutting is especially used for metal fabrication:

• Automotive: Cutting steel/aluminum sheets for car body parts, chassis, brackets.
• Metal Fabrication: Construction of metal furniture, industrial equipment panels, enclosures.
• Aerospace: Cutting aircraft sheet parts (e.g. wing ribs, panels).
• Electronics and Electrical: Fabricating precision metal parts for electrical cabinets and enclosures.
• Medical Devices: Cutting surgical instruments and metal components requiring high precision.
• General Manufacturing: Wherever ferrous or non-ferrous metal components are needed, fiber lasers provide clean cuts with narrow kerf. (Fiber lasers can cut copper and brass better than CO2 lasers, which suits certain electronics and electrical parts.)
  
  

Material Selection Considerations
Key materials in a fiber laser cutter include:

• Laser Fiber: The gain medium is a coiled ytterbium-doped glass fiber, which must have minimal impurities and be heat-sunk to manage pump diode heating.
• Pump Diodes: Semiconductors (gallium arsenide) that generate pump light, housed in aluminum or copper heat sinks.
• Cutting Head Lens: Made of fused silica or germanium (transparent at 1 µm wavelength), often AR-coated.
• Machine Frame: Rigid welded steel (often with epoxy granite base in high-end models) to prevent vibration.
• Cooling System: Chillers use copper/aluminum radiators, brass/steel fittings for water circuits to cool the laser source and optics.
• Assist Gas System: Typically uses compressed air or nitrogen (for stainless) – components like gas filters/regulators are brass or stainless steel.
• Safety Enclosure: Steel frame with polycarbonate or silicon-sealed doors/windows rated to block IR laser radiation.