This wide range of wavelengths gives rise to various applications for fiber lasers in the telecommunication, medical, and manufacturing industries. In this article, I provide a clear picture of the differences between the two laser technologies and the correct applications for each. Whereas, a high-powered CO2 laser (10.6µm) can be used for cutting most of the metals and non-metals. The wavelength of fiber laser (1.06µm) is readily absorbed by metals and is not recommended for non-metals. In a nutshell, fiber lasers provide a faster cutting speed, while CO2 lasers provide greater material flexibility. In addition, fiber lasers are much more expensive compared to CO 2 lasers, which limits their adoption considerably. When engraving or cutting metals like aluminum or brass, a fiber laser is the natural choice and not a CO 2 laser.įor applications like sheet metal cutting, the choice is not readily apparent and it depends on parameters like cutting speed, material thickness, and operational cost among others. There are applications where CO 2 laser works better than a fiber laser such as wood, and plastics. While CO 2 lasers became widely used from the 1960s, fiber lasers only started gaining traction in the 1990s. Fiber lasers and CO 2 lasers are some of the most popular options for laser engraving and cutting in 2022.
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