Laser cutting machines are also divided into several types. Understanding the classification of laser cutting machines is actually very simple, mainly including CO2 laser cutting machines, YAG (solid state) laser cutting machines, and fiber laser cutting machines. XT Laser mainly produces and develops fiber laser cutting machines.

In recent years, laser technology has developed rapidly and has become the mainstream cutting technology. In industrial production, laser cutting accounts for more than 70% of laser processing, and is the most important application technology in the laser processing industry. With the improvement of processing accuracy requirements and the rise in raw material prices worldwide, laser equipment with low consumption, high efficiency, and high accuracy has become the focus of attention.

According to different laser generators, the current laser cutting machines on the market can be roughly divided into three types: CO2 laser cutting machines, YAG (solid state) laser cutting machines, and fiber laser cutting machines. The following is a brief introduction to the characteristics of these three laser cutting machines:

The first type: CO2 laser cutting machine.

The CO2 laser cutting machine can stably cut carbon steel within 20mm, stainless steel within 10mm, and aluminum alloy within 8mm. The wavelength of the CO2 laser is 10.6 um, which is relatively easy to be absorbed by non-metals. It can cut non-metallic materials such as wood, acrylic, PP, and organic glass with high quality, but the photoelectric conversion rate of the CO2 laser is only about 10%. The CO2 laser cutting machine is equipped with a nozzle for blowing oxygen, compressed air, or inert gas N2 into the beam outlet to improve cutting speed and smooth cutting. In order to improve the stability and lifetime of the power supply, CO2 gas lasers must solve the discharge stability problem of high-power lasers. According to international safety standards, laser hazards are classified into four levels, with CO2 lasers being the least hazardous.

Main advantages: High power, generally between 2000-4000W, capable of cutting full-size stainless steel, carbon steel, and other conventional materials within 25mm, as well as aluminum plates within 4mm, and acrylic, wood, and PVC plates within 60mm. It can cut thin plates quickly. In addition, because the output of the CO2 laser is a continuous laser, it has the smoothest and best cutting effect among the three laser cutting machines.

Main market positioning: 6-25mm medium and thick plate cutting and processing, mainly for large and medium-sized enterprises and some laser cutting and processing enterprises purely engaged in external processing. Later, under the tremendous impact of fiber laser cutting machines, the market was in a state of significant contraction.

The second type: YAG (solid state) laser cutting machine.

YAG solid state laser cutting machines have the characteristics of low price and good stability, but their energy efficiency is average. Currently, the output power of most products is below 600W. Due to the small output energy, they are mainly used for drilling, spot welding, and thin plate. The green laser beam that cuts it can be applied in pulsed or continuous wave situations. Short wavelength, good light concentration. Suitable for precision machining, especially hole machining under pulse. It can also be used for cutting, welding, and photolithography. The laser wavelength of YAG solid state laser cutting machines is not easily absorbed by non-metals, so they cannot cut non-metallic materials. However, the problem that YAG solid state laser cutting machines need to solve is to improve the stability and life of the power supply, that is, to develop large-capacity, long-life optical pumps. Exciting light sources, such as using semiconductor light pumps, can greatly improve energy efficiency.

Main advantages: It can cut most nonferrous metal materials such as aluminum and copper plates that cannot be cut by other laser cutting machines. The purchase price of the machine is cheap, the use cost is low, and the maintenance is simple. Most key technologies have been mastered by domestic enterprises. The price of accessories and maintenance costs are low, and the operation and maintenance of the machine are simple, with low requirements for the quality of workers.

Main market positioning: Cutting less than 8mm is mainly used by small and medium-sized enterprises for their own use and most sheet metal manufacturing. Users in industries such as home appliance manufacturing, kitchenware manufacturing, decoration, advertising, and other industries that do not have particularly high processing requirements, gradually replacing traditional processing equipment such as wire cutting, numerical control presses, water cutting, and low-power plasma.

The third type: fiber laser cutting machine.

Due to the unprecedented flexibility, fewer failure points, convenient maintenance, and extremely fast speed of fiber laser cutting machines, which can be transmitted through optical fibers, fiber laser cutting machines have great advantages in cutting thin plates within 4mm, but are limited by the wavelength of solid state lasers. Affects its poor quality when cutting thick plates. The wavelength of the fiber laser cutting machine is 1.06 um, which is not easily absorbed by non-metals, so it cannot cut non-metallic materials. The photoelectric conversion rate of fiber lasers is as high as 25%, and the advantages of fiber lasers are quite obvious in terms of power consumption and supporting cooling systems. According to international safety standards, the laser hazard level is divided into four levels. Fiber lasers are the most harmful class because of their short wavelengths, which are harmful to the human body and eyes. For safety reasons, fiber laser processing requires a fully enclosed environment. As a new laser technology, fiber laser cutting machines are far less popular than CO2 laser cutting machines.

Main advantages: High photoelectric conversion rate, low power consumption, capable of cutting stainless steel and carbon steel plates within 12MM. It is the fastest laser cutting machine among the three types of machines for cutting thin plates. cutting

Main market positioning: Cutting below 12mm, especially high-precision machining of thin plates, is mainly aimed at manufacturers with high requirements for machining accuracy and efficiency. It is estimated that with the emergence of 4000W and above lasers, fiber laser cutting machines will eventually replace most of the CO2 high-power laser cutting machine market.

Laser cutting machine is a new type of sheet metal processing equipment that appeared at the end of last century and the beginning of this century. After nearly 20 years of continuous technological updates and technological development at home and abroad, laser cutting technology and laser cutting machine equipment are being familiar and accepted by the majority of sheet metal processing enterprises, and are known for their high processing efficiency, high processing accuracy, and good cutting section quality. Many advantages such as three-dimensional cutting gradually replace traditional sheet metal processing methods such as plasma cutting, water cutting, flame cutting, and numerical control punching.