Advantages of High-Power Fiber Laser Cutting Machines Compared to Plasma

Advantages of High-Power Fiber Laser Cutting Machines Compared to Plasma

Technological Advancements in Laser Cutting Machines

Before 2015, laser cutting had long-term limitations in thickness applications. Traditionally, flame cutting was believed to cut the widest range of plate thicknesses, especially for thick and extra-thick plates above 50mm, with obvious speed advantages and suitability for low-precision processing. Plasma cutting had significant speed advantages in the 30-50mm range but was not suitable for processing thinner plates (<2mm). Laser cutting mostly used kilowatt-class lasers, showing speed and precision advantages below 10mm.

However, with the upgrade of fiber laser cutting machine technology, current laser power has exceeded 100KW, and the ultimate cutting thickness has surpassed 500mm (carbon steel), starting to develop towards thick and extra-thick plates.

Increased Cutting Thickness and Efficiency

As the power of fiber laser cutting machines increases, the cutting thickness and efficiency of the equipment also increase, gradually becoming an alternative to plasma cutting. The 20KW laser cutting machine has broken through the optimal cutting thickness of carbon steel and stainless steel to 70mm, respectively. Considering that steel plates are generally divided into thin plates (<4mm), medium plates (4-20mm), thick plates (20-60mm), and extra-thick plates (>60mm) according to thickness, now high-power fiber laser cutting machines can complete the cutting of medium-thin plates and most thick plates. The application scenarios of laser cutting equipment continue to extend to the field of medium-thick plates, reaching the thickness range of plasma cutting.

Improved Cutting Quality and Efficiency

In addition to increasing the upper limit of the cutting material thickness, laser cutting has narrower slits and higher flatness compared to plasma cutting, improving cutting quality. On the other hand, high-power lasers have also continuously improved cutting efficiency. For example, when cutting 50mm carbon steel, the efficiency of a 30KW laser cutting machine can be increased by 88% compared to a 20KW cutting machine. High-power laser equipment has begun to replace plasma and will accelerate the replacement of the plasma cutting market.

High-power fiber laser cutting machines show significant advantages over plasma cutting machines in many aspects. With continuous technological advancements, their application in the cutting field will become increasingly widespread.

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