Replacing gas and crystal lasers as the most efficient laser-cutting technology, fiber lasers provide an incredibly precise cut that is typically easier to achieve than its predecessors. As the latest in laser-cutting technology, fiber lasers utilize a different technology and mode of operation, which are the two primary reasons behind its effectiveness.
What Are Fiber Lasers?
Fiber laser cutting consists of a laser whose source of optical gain is an optical fiber typically made out of an extremely thin, flexible, and transparent piece of glass or plastic.
The optical fiber has also been doped in rare earth metals such as erbium, holmium, or thulium, among others, typically because these rare earth metals allow you to achieve a greater intensity laser beam without needing a source laser of an equivalent wavelength.
What Are the Benefits of Fiber Lasers?
If you need something cut using a laser, fiber laser cutting can provide a whole host of benefits that other forms of lasers cannot provide or, at least, cannot provide as efficiently. For that reason, fiber laser cutters are quickly becoming the preferred type of laser by many cutting companies.
- Light already exists in the fiber
- Higher output power
- High optical quality
- Fiber can be bent or coiled
- More compact
- More reliable
Overall, fiber lasers tend to perform better and are quite easier to work with given their flexible fibers and more compact size. If you were looking to invest in a fiber laser cutting machine yourself, you would be pleased to know that fiber laser cutters are typically less expensive to own than other forms of lasers. With all of that in mind, it’s no wonder that so many are turning to fiber laser cutters for their cutting work and investing in fiber laser machines for their companies.