A practical guide to choosing a fiber laser

Choosing a fiber laser is not just a question of performance. The right laser, often also referred to as a fiber laser or CNC laser, must meet your current needs, but ideally also your future needs. It is also prudent to think about the possibility of offering fiber laser capacities or expanding your production portfolio.

I would like to recommend a fiber laser

Ask yourself: "What materials and how thick do I want to cut?" and continue: "What quality do I want them in and how much will it cost me?"

Now let's break it down a little more practically...

What material do you need to cut with a laser

Fiber laser is a suitable technology for all metals most commonly used in industry. In particular, these:

  1. Common steel, Hardox, S235, S355 and others
  2. Stainless steel
  3. Aluminum
  4. Galvanized sheet metal
  5. Brass
  6. Copper

All of these materials can be processed on one machine. Attention, from the tables but especially from practice we know that each material has a different maximum force for a given laser source power. You can find out more below.

Material force is the first important criterion

The most common mistake when choosing a CNC laser is that the customer decides according to the maximum cutting thickness in the catalog or table. However, the catalog maximum thickness is not the same as the usual production thickness. For each metal that you want to cut with a fiber laser, set the maximum force. Then indicate the force of 80% of your production.

Size of the cutting laser working area

The most common working area for a CNC laser cutting machine is 3000 × 1500 mm. For many companies, this is ideal because it corresponds to common sheet metal formats and does not take up too much space. But don't worry, everyone can choose. Just consider:

  • What sheet metal formats do you buy
  • How long do you cut parts
  • How much space do you have in the hall
  • Whether you will use a change table
  • How will you handle the material

Typical variants of work surfaces are 1300x1300 mm, 2500x1300 mm, 3000x1500 mm, 4000x2000 mm, 6000x2000 mm, 12000x2500 mm and larger.

Our practical advice is: Don't just focus on the size of the table. Focus on the entire floor plan of the cutting machine, including the change table, switchboard, cooler, exhaust, compressor or handling area.

Fiber laser power is a key element

The power of a fiber laser is mainly determined by three things:

1. Maximum cutting thickness
2. Cutting speed
3. Reserve for stable production

Lower power can be economical if you mainly cut thin sheets. Higher power pays off where you cut frequently, in larger volumes or thicker materials.

Practical observation: Manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia prefer to choose a higher power of the laser cutter with a certain reserve. In our opinion, this is the right approach. The price differences are not that high, but it will extend the life of the machine and expand the possibilities in the future.

The most commonly supplied powers of GWEIKE fiber lasers are 3 kW, 6 kW and 12 kW. These three power levels cover the vast majority of the demand for laser cutting.

Which version to choose?

If you have already clarified the power of the fiber laser and the size of the working area, the design comes into consideration. When choosing a fiber laser, you usually decide between several concepts.

Open single-table CNC laser

A simpler and more affordable solution in the form of, for example, the 3015CN version. It is suitable for companies that are starting out with laser cutting or do not have extreme demands on automation.

Advantages:

  • Lower purchase price
  • Easier access to the machine

Disadvantages:

  • Lower comfort at work
  • The operator must pay more attention to safety and smoke from burning

Covered fiber laser

The covered fiber laser 3015P is suitable where safety, cleaner operation and a more professional production environment are addressed.

Advantages:

  • Higher safety
  • Better smoke and dust control

Disadvantages:

  • Larger space requirements (not dramatically)
  • More complex handling for some types of parts

Laser with an exchangeable table and workspace cover

The exchangeable table significantly increases productivity. While the machine is cutting, the operator can prepare another sheet. The GA fiber laser is the best-selling model of the GWEIKE brand on the Czech and Slovak markets.

Advantages:

  • Short downtimes
  • Higher productivity

Disadvantages:

  • Higher purchase price (again, not dramatically)
  • Larger footprint

A simple rule of thumb is that if the CNC laser will only work a few hours a day, a single-table version may make sense. If the fiber laser is to work all day, a cover for the workspace and a change table are very important.

Combined cutting laser

The GAR version provides the main working surface for sheets and a rotary axis for up to 6000 mm long profiles or tubes. When you do not need to have a separate laser for sheets and a separate laser for profiles or tubes. Two different concepts in one machine unit. This equals high added value.

Pipe laser

Industry is increasingly processing profiles and tubes. Laser technology responds to this and a tube laser is available on the market that can process everything from thin profiles to robust pipes. You can choose from several working surface lengths from 6000 mm to 12000 mm. There are many extra features available.

What cutting medium?

Auxiliary gas is not a detail. It has a fundamental influence on the quality of the cut, speed, scale, edge color and operating costs. The most common options are:

Oxygen

It is mainly used for ordinary steel. It helps cutting due to a chemical reaction with the material.

Nitrogen

It is mainly used where you want a clean, bright and non-oxidized edge. Typically stainless steel, aluminum and exposed parts. Cutting with nitrogen is also very fast but at the same time the most expensive of the options listed.

Compressed air

Compressed air can significantly reduce costs for some types of cutting. However, it must be really well-conditioned — dry, clean, oil-free and with sufficient pressure of at least 16 bars.

Sometimes it is cheaper to cut with a more expensive gas if grinding and cleaning are eliminated. Other times, compressed air is very advantageous if the parts are going to be processed anyway. Alternatively, the result is perfect on galvanized sheet metal and aluminum.

Machine equipment determines operator satisfaction

When choosing a fiber laser, not only the machine parameters are important, but also its overall equipment. The customer should check whether the machine is equipped with an intuitive control system in Czech or Slovak, in which the operator can quickly find their way around. Whether it also enables effective production preparation, including nesting of cutouts for maximum sheet metal utilization.

The quality of the laser head is also very important - for example, automatic focusing, stable material height sensing, detection of burn-through or temperature sensors and contamination of the optics, or the possibility of burning bevels. An integral part of the technology must also be effective extraction with filtration, because laser cutting of metals is a dusty process and without proper extraction, it is impossible to ensure a clean workplace in the long term.

Therefore, a high-quality fiber laser is not just the machine itself, but a complete technological unit that includes a control system, software, laser head, cooling, extraction and service support.

Supplier service is absolutely essential

When choosing a fiber laser, the supplier's background is also essential. Even before purchasing, the customer should receive professional recommendations for a specific configuration according to their production - that is, according to the information above. The GWEIKE team provides pre-sales consultations, helps with the design of suitable power, working area and designs a fiber laser tailored to the customer's real needs.

We provide

  • Turnkey delivery of CNC fiber laser
  • Installation and cutting tests
  • Operator training
  • Service support in person, online and by phone
  • Spare and consumable parts

An important advantage is our service facilities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, fast service response time, available technical support and a warehouse of spare and consumable parts. Thanks to this, the customer is sure that after the delivery of the fiber laser, he will not be left alone with the technology and that common consumable parts and important service components are available without unnecessary delays.