Laser Cutting Strength Selection: A Complete Guide to Help You Make The Right Choice

The laser cutting strength is a crucial consideration when you select a laser cutting machine for your laser work because the maximum laser power of a laser cutting machine will provide a high-quality and clear, elegant laser cutting result. You might be confused by different laser cutting machines with various wattages, such as 100w laser cutter, 60w laser cutter, or 40w laser cutter.

Selecting a laser cutting machine with appropriate wattage must know some laser cutting bases. This article aims to provide a complete guide for you to select the right laser cutting machine for your laser cutting business.

The power level directly controls the energy from the laser head to cut various materials. A laser cutting machine with high power means it can deal will create high-quality laser cutting results on thicker or harder material. And the energy created by the laser head will increase as the laser cut power increases.

To help you make a better understanding:

We made an examination, that used an 80w laser cutter and a 120w laser cutter to work on two acrylic plates that have the same thickness. The result is that the 120w laser cutter finishes the cutting work in 29 seconds, and the 80w laser cutter only finished 65% process.

High-energy creates high-speed that make laser cutting machine work more efficient.

When you have a high-power laser cutting machine, such as 1000w laser cutter, you might set any power level below 1000w. However, is it real that the power level higher, the quality of laser cutting results higher? Not really. Only focus on the power level will ignore other factors, such as speed, material that will also influence the final result.

An excellent laser cutting product needs not a high, but an appropriate power level. Professional operators find the balance between power, speed, and material. It seems like a very simple process, while find dealing with the relationship between power, speed, and the material will be very difficult without experience.

Laser power: As the laser head creates a beam with a thin conical shape, it is easy to focus the energy on one point to create a deeper cut. While if the energy is higher than the tolerance of laser cutting materials, there will create charred edges. Therefore, select the right power level to reach the required reach depth without creating charred edges is necessary for every laser cutting machine operator.

Laser cutting speed: The importance of the laser cutting speed is usually ignored. The slower the speed is, the more energy it acts on the part. While if the part is exposed to high energy, charred edges will occur. Besides, high laser cutting speed reduces time cost. Remember that fast laser cutting speed might reduce the exposure to energy that results in the laser beam doesn’t reach the required depth to cut materials.

Laser cutting material: Every laser cutting material has its own appropriate laser cutting power level. According to the power level, laser cutting machine manufacturers provide an accurate standard for laser power for cut wood, laser power for cut steel, laser power to cut acrylic, and laser power to cut metal.

There are some considerations for you to select the right laser cutting strength.

Material:

Wanted to find the balance between power, speed, and material must need know the basic of laser cutting materials.

Laser power to cut acrylic:

As we all know, acrylic is a common laser cutting material that features versatile applications. In a common case, an 80-100w co2 laser cutter can satisfy the requirements for acrylic laser cutting material. Compared with a fiber laser cutter, the co2 laser has a better performance in non-metal laser cutting process. It can provide a smooth, elegant cut edge, and the power level between 80-100w is enough to cut any acrylic steel in common use.

 Laser power to cut wood:

There are various types of laser cutting wood, and the common laser cutting wood type is MDF, and Plywood. An appropriate laser cutting machine for wood laser cutting must feature co2 laser beam and a lighter power level than cutting acrylic because the high energy will damage the wool cut edge and create an unsatisfying laser cutting result.

Laser cutting metal:

Professional laser cutting manufacturers using different power levels to cut different laser cutting metals, such as carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, or other steel alloys. More than 100w laser cutter is suitable for metal laser cutting because the high energy created by high power level will create a precise and high-speed laser cut process with satisfying laser cutting results. If you prepare to buy a laser cutting machine for thick metal laser cutting, then you need a higher power level fiber laser cutting machines, such as a 1000w laser cutter, or 4000w laser cutter. The high power level has enough energy to reach the required depth without a long time.

Thickness:

The selection of the power level is also related to the thickness of materials. On the same laser cutting material, the thicker one needs a higher power level to reach the required depth. Therefore, if you want to make a balance between power, speed, and materials, the thickness is also an important consideration you should notice.

Max. Cutting Thickness Reference List

Metal material:

	500W	700W	1000W	1200W	2000W	3000W	4000W
Carbon Steel	6mm	8mm	10mm	14mm	16mm	20mm	22mm
Stainless Steel	3mm	4mm	5mm	6mm	8mm	10mm	12mm
Aluminum	1mm	3mm	4mm	5mm	6mm	8mm	10mm
Brass	1mm	2mm	4mm	4mm	6mm	8mm	8mm
Copper	1mm	2mm	3mm	3mm	4mm	5mm	6mm
Galvanized Steel	1mm	2mm	4mm	5mm	6mm	8mm	10mm

 

Non-metal material:

	40W	60W	80W	100W	130W	150W
Acrylic	3mm	8mm	12mm	15mm	20mm	25mm
Plywood	2mm	5mm	8mm	12mm	15mm	20mm
MDF	1.5mm	3mm	6mm	9mm	12mm	15mm