How thick can 6000W fiber laser cut various materials? The cutting capability of a 6000W fiber laser represents a significant advancement in laser technology, particularly in industrial applications where precision and efficiency are paramount. With its high power output, a 6000W fiber laser can effortlessly slice through a wide range of materials with varying thicknesses, including stainless steel, aluminum, and mild steel. This capability makes it highly versatile for industries such as automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing, where the ability to cut thick materials swiftly and with precision is crucial for meeting production demands and maintaining high-quality standards. From Krrass expert, the maximum cutting thickness for a 6kW fiber laser cutter is 25mm for carbon steel, 20mm for stainless steel, 16mm for aluminum, and 12mm for brass.
Introduction
Fiber laser cutting technology has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, providing precise and efficient cutting capabilities. A 6000W fiber laser is a powerful tool, but how thick can it cut through various materials? This article explores the cutting capabilities of a 6000W fiber laser across different materials, including metals and non-metals.
Table of Contents
How Thick Can 6000W Fiber Laser Cut
Metal Cutting Capabilities
1. Carbon Steel
Carbon steel is one of the most commonly cut materials using fiber lasers. A 6000W fiber laser can cut carbon steel with the following thicknesses:
- Mild Steel: Up to 25 mm (1 inch)
- High Carbon Steel: Up to 20 mm (0.79 inches)
2. Stainless Steel
Stainless steel requires a clean, precise cut to avoid oxidation and maintain material integrity. A 6000W fiber laser can handle:
- Stainless Steel: Up to 20 mm (0.79 inches)
3. Aluminum
Aluminum’s reflective properties can pose challenges for laser cutting. However, with the right settings, a 6000W fiber laser can cut:
- Aluminum: Up to 16 mm (0.63 inches)
4. Copper and Brass
Copper and brass are highly reflective and conductive, which can make them more difficult to cut. Nonetheless, a 6000W fiber laser is capable of cutting:
- Copper: Up to 10 mm (0.39 inches)
- Brass: Up to 10 mm (0.39 inches)
Non-Metal Cutting Capabilities
1. Plastics
Fiber lasers can cut various plastics with ease, although the specific thickness capabilities depend on the type of plastic. Generally, a 6000W fiber laser can cut plastics up to:
- Acrylic: Up to 20 mm (0.79 inches)
- Polycarbonate: Up to 15 mm (0.59 inches)
2. Wood
While not a typical application for fiber lasers, cutting wood is possible with the right settings. A 6000W fiber laser can cut:
- Plywood: Up to 20 mm (0.79 inches)
- Solid Wood: Up to 15 mm (0.59 inches)
3. Composites
Composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), can be challenging due to their layered structures. However, a 6000W fiber laser can cut:
- CFRP: Up to 10 mm (0.39 inches)
- Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP): Up to 12 mm (0.47 inches)
Factors Affecting Cutting Thickness
Several factors can influence the maximum cutting thickness of a 6000W fiber laser, including:
- Material Composition: Different materials have varying densities, reflectivity, and thermal properties that affect cutting capabilities.
- Laser Settings: Power, speed, and focus settings must be optimized for each material to achieve maximum cutting thickness.
- Assist Gases: The type of assist gas (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen, or air) and its pressure can significantly impact cutting performance and quality.
- Machine Quality: The precision and stability of the laser cutting machine also play a crucial role in determining cutting capabilities.
How Thick Can A Fiber Laser Cutter Cut
First, it’s important to understand that cutting thickness is primarily influenced by laser power. Different materials require varying amounts of laser power, and different power levels result in different cutting thicknesses. The most common fiber lasers range from 1000 watts to 6000 watts. Below, I’ll introduce four common scenarios to give you a general understanding of their capabilities.
How Thick Can A 1000W Fiber Laser Cut
The maximum cutting thickness of different kinds of metals for a 1kw fiber laser cutter: 10mm carbon steel, 5mm stainless steel, 3mm aluminum, and 3mm brass.
How Thick Can A 2000W Fiber Laser Cut
The maximum cutting thickness for different kinds of metals using a 2kW fiber laser cutter are as follows: 20mm for carbon steel, 8mm for stainless steel, 6mm for aluminum, and 5mm for brass.
Take the KRRASS Smart Series 2000W fiber laser cutting machine for example. This 2kW fiber laser cutter is equipped with high-quality components, such as an auto-focus laser head, blade countertop, and water chiller. In the attached video, it utilizes a high-energy, high-density laser beam to cut various metal materials, including carbon steel, galvanized sheet, and aluminum plate. The machine cuts quickly and produces precise cuts with very smooth edges. Consequently, this machine is highly popular in the advertising industry, furniture industry, and other sectors.
How Thick Can A 4000W Fiber Laser Cut
The maximum cutting thickness for different kinds of metals using a 3kW fiber laser cutter are as follows: 22mm for carbon steel, 10mm for stainless steel, 8mm for aluminum, and 6mm for brass.
Take the KRRASS 4000W Smart Series fiber laser cutting machine for example. This fiber laser cutting machine features a professional design, a rigid and durable frame, easy operation, high cutting speed, and precision. It can cut lines and holes with different diameters from various directions on metal plates to meet centrifugal and non-centrifugal vertical intersection conditions. In the next video, this 4kW fiber laser cutter demonstrates its capabilities by cutting 20mm carbon steel, 6mm brass, 5mm aluminum, and 11mm stainless steel.
How Thick Can A 8000W Fiber Laser Cut
The advantages of 8000W laser cutting machine are: high cutting accuracy, fast cutting speed, automatic cutting and other advantages.The cutting thickness of different materials: stainless steel maximum thickness 30mm, carbon steel maximum thickness 30mm, aluminum maximum thickness 25mm.
CO2 Laser Vs. Fiber Laser: Which Is Better for Metal Cutting
I think you have known about how thick can 6000W fiber laser cut as well as other powers, next let’s discover the cutting capibility between CO2 and fiber lasers, to help you make formed choice.
Fiber Lasers
Fiber lasers are ideal for high-contrast markings such as metal annealing, etching, and engraving. They have an extremely small focal diameter, resulting in intensity up to 100 times higher than CO2 systems, making them perfect for permanent marking of serial numbers, barcodes, and data matrix on metals. Fiber lasers are commonly used for product traceability and identification applications.
One major advantage is that fiber lasers are maintenance-free and have a long service life, with a minimum of 100,000 operating hours. They are also more compact and electrically efficient than CO2 lasers, leading to significant power savings in cutting applications.
Fiber lasers are increasingly used for industrial cleaning applications, including the removal of rust, paint, oxides, and other contaminants.
The cost of a fiber laser system varies widely depending on the application. Industrial fiber laser systems typically start at $40,000 and can reach up to $1,000,000 for high-power laser-cutting machines, with power ranges from 20 W to 6,000 W significantly affecting the price.
CO2 Lasers
CO2 lasers are ideal for marking a variety of non-metallic materials, including plastics, textiles, glass, acrylic, wood, and stone. They are widely used in pharmaceutical and food packaging, as well as for marking PVC pipes, building materials, mobile communication gadgets, electrical appliances, integrated circuits, and electronic components.
For cutting thicker materials, CO2 lasers are the better choice. They offer faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and a smoother surface finish for materials over 5 mm thick.
However, CO2 lasers consume significantly more power than fiber lasers, leading to higher operating costs. For example, a high-power CO2 laser and chiller consume about 70 kW at maximum power, while a similarly powered fiber laser uses approximately 18 kW.
CO2 lasers generally cost less than fiber lasers, with prices for CO2 laser marking systems ranging from $35,000 to $80,000. The power output, typically between 20 W and 150 W, greatly influences the cost.
In summary, when it comes to metal cutting specifically, fiber lasers are generally considered superior to CO2 lasers for several reasons:
1. Cutting Speed:
- Fiber Lasers: Fiber lasers use a wavelength that is highly absorbed by metals, leading to faster cutting speeds, especially in thin to medium thickness metals. The concentrated energy allows for rapid material removal, contributing to increased productivity.
- CO2 Lasers: While effective, CO2 lasers operate at a wavelength less optimal for metal absorption, resulting in slower cutting speeds compared to fiber lasers for metal materials.
2. Cutting Efficiency:
- Fiber Lasers: These lasers are known for their high efficiency in converting electrical energy into laser light. This efficiency translates into faster cutting speeds and lower operating costs per part, as less energy is wasted as heat or in other forms.
- CO2 Lasers: CO2 lasers, while efficient in their own right, typically have higher operating costs due to their lower conversion efficiency compared to fiber lasers.
3. Accuracy and Precision:
- Fiber Lasers: They offer exceptional beam quality and focusability, enabling precise cuts even in intricate designs and thin materials. This capability is crucial in industries where high precision is required, such as aerospace and electronics.
- CO2 Lasers: CO2 lasers also provide good precision but may not match the beam quality and focusability of fiber lasers, especially in cutting thin materials with intricate details.
4. Versatility:
- Fiber Lasers: They are versatile in cutting a wide range of metals including stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass. Fiber lasers can maintain consistent cutting quality across different thicknesses of these metals, making them suitable for diverse industrial applications.
- CO2 Lasers: CO2 lasers excel in cutting non-metal materials such as wood, acrylic, plastics, and fabrics. While they can cut metals, their efficiency and speed are generally lower compared to fiber lasers.
5. Maintenance and Operating Costs:
- Fiber Lasers: Typically require less maintenance due to their solid-state design and fewer moving parts. They also have lower operating costs over the long term, primarily due to their higher efficiency and reduced energy consumption.
- CO2 Lasers: Maintenance costs for CO2 lasers can be higher, particularly related to gas replenishment and optics maintenance. Operating costs may also be higher due to their lower energy efficiency compared to fiber lasers.
In conclusion, while CO2 lasers have their strengths in certain materials and applications, fiber lasers are generally preferred for metal cutting due to their superior speed, efficiency, precision, versatility, and lower operating costs. These factors make fiber lasers the technology of choice in many modern industrial settings where metal cutting efficiency and quality are paramount.
Power Trend of Fiber Laser Cutting Machine In the Future
The power trend of fiber laser cutting machines is advancing towards higher wattages to meet the growing demands of industrial cutting applications. Initially, fiber lasers were introduced with lower power levels, typically ranging from 500W to 2000W, suitable for thin to medium thickness materials. However, recent trends indicate a significant shift towards higher power outputs:
Increased Power Ratings
Modern fiber laser cutting machines now offer power ratings ranging from 3000W to as high as 15000W and beyond. This increase in power allows for faster cutting speeds and the ability to cut thicker materials more efficiently. Like the KRRASS Smart-3015 series, integrate high-power laser sources (e.g., 12000W or above) to deliver superior cutting speeds and precision.
Enhanced Cutting Capabilities
Higher power fiber lasers enable manufacturers to process a broader range of materials, including stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass, across varying thicknesses. This versatility expands the application potential of fiber lasers in diverse industries such as automotive, aerospace, and electronics.
Improved Efficiency and Productivity
The adoption of higher power fiber lasers results in improved cutting efficiency, reducing processing times and increasing throughput. This efficiency boost is crucial for meeting production targets and reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Technological Advancements
Advancements in fiber laser technology, including improvements in beam quality, stability, and cutting head design, support the effective utilization of higher power levels. These advancements ensure consistent cutting quality and accuracy even at elevated power outputs.
Market Adoption
As the demand for faster, more precise, and cost-effective cutting solutions grows, manufacturers are increasingly investing in higher power fiber laser cutting machines to stay competitive in the global market.
In summary, the power trend of fiber laser cutting machines is evolving towards higher wattages, driven by technological advancements that enhance cutting capabilities, efficiency, and overall productivity in industrial manufacturing. If you are not clear what power suit your needs, pls consult Krrass expert for help at any time.
