Laser cutters work by focusing a beam of light to burn, melt, or vaporize the material, and different materials require different amounts of energy to cut.
The laser cutters we have in the shop are 60W and 80W CO2 lasers that are good for cutting wood and plastics. For cutting metal, we would need higher-power CO2 lasers (300W laser can cut through thin steel, 500W can cut through 2mm or thicker) or fiber lasers.
The biggest advantage for a fiber laser is its higher power density even with less wattage, and greater absorption which leads to higher cutting speed and quality. Fiber laser is most optimal (compared to CO2 laser) for steel, stainless, aluminum, brass or copper materials less then 1/2 inch thick, especially when using Nitrogen as the assist gas.
Laser vs. water jet cutting
Waterjet can cut thicker materials, and (presumably) all metals, whereas laser cutter cannot cut highly reflective metals. Waterjet can cut 0.4" to 2.0" (10 to 50 mm), laser cut can cut 0.12" to 0.4" (3 to 10 mm).
Laser cutting is much more precise at 0.006" (0.15 mm) for the cutting slit vs. 0.02" (0.5 mm) for waterjet.
Laser cutter can leave burn marks on the material, whereas water jet might deform parts that are too small due to the high forces it uses.
Service providers
| Provider | Location | Materials | Sizes | File type | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LASER-CUTZ | Brooklyn | N/A | "Small object with not too thick material" (up to 1.6mm thick) | DXF, AI | $250 minimum setup, $250 per hour for small machines, $750 minimum for bigger machines |
| eMachineShop | New Jersey | Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Steel, Stainless Steel, Titanium | N/A | DXF, DWG, IGES, STEP, Image or PDF | (waiting on quote) |
| SendCutSend | Nevada | Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Steel, Stainless Steel, Titanium | N/A | DXF, DWG, EPS, AI | $103 for Stainless Steel, 300mm x 300mm, 3.2mm thick |
| lasergist | N/A | Stainless Steel | 300mm x 300mm, 3mm thick | PDF, AI, DWG | minimum $130 for largest dimensions (goes up from there based on path length) |
- Many of these providers also provide finishing options, like polishing and powder coating.
References
“Laser Cutting Metal: The Basics – Simply Explained.” All3DP Pro, 9 Sept. 2020,
https://all3dp.com/2/laser-cutting-metal-how-to-get-started/.
“CO2 Vs. Fiber Laser Technology: Which Is Right for You?” Bystronic Inc.,
https://www.bystronicusa.com/en/news/technical-articles/130204_CO2-vs-Fiber-Laser.php.
“CO2 Vs. Fiber Laser - Which One Should You Buy?” Laserax, 23 Sept. 2021,
https://www.laserax.com/blog/co2-vs-fiber-lasers.
“Laser Cutter vs Waterjet Cutting: 5 Points to Set Them Apart.” Sculpteo,
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/laser-cutting/laser-cutting-vs-water-jet-cutting/.