Jul. 14, 2025
Surface microstructural change of materials cannot occur unless they undergo cutting processes. One of the major techniques for cutting materials for machining is laser cutting. It helps to create patterns according to designs and required outcomes. This process involves melting, burning, and vaporizing materials in the presence of a powerful laser beam. While this process is very effective, it is essential to understand the various laser cutting advantages and disadvantages.
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The cutting process is successful with the help of a laser cutter which uses a thin laser beam by focusing on the material. However, before you can start cutting, there must have been a specified target you have in mind based on your designs or patterns. Manufacturers find it hard to cut through some hard materials. However, with the introduction of a laser cutter, it is now easy.
Here, we will guide you through what you need to know about laser cutting. It also covers how it works and the advantages and disadvantages of laser cutting.
Many manufacturing industries use computer numerical control machines nowadays to speed up their production processes. These machines use several processes, and one of them is laser cutting. All computer numerical control machines involve giving commands to machines after transforming the digitalized drawing into a computer language.
This language gives the device the instruction needed for executing the designs. The relationship between the language and the machine is like when you send a picture to a printer. Also, this is the same way laser cutting machines work, and they can execute the designs in a short time.
The laser cutting product design allows it to use 2D vector files for guiding lasers. It is made up of a laser resonator. This resonator has glass fibers or sometimes may contain a gas mixture of crystal bodies. The constituent resonator depends on the designer’s method to cut the materials. The application of the energy to the mix will begin the process of cutting. Then, the laser is focused after sending the mixture through different mirror lenses.
Before diving into laser cutting advantages and disadvantages, it is essential to understand how it works. The way how laser cutting machines work is similar to CNC machines work, but it uses a high-power laser. The laser will guide the material or beam by directing itself through CNC and optics. The device will use the CNC, or G-code provided, to cut into the material and control the motion.
Melting, vaporizing, and burning the material will occur after focusing the laser beam. Also, you can acquire a finished edge surface of high quality when you blow the material with a jet of gas. The creation of a laser beam occurs in a closed container by stimulating lasing materials through lamps or electrical discharge.
The amplification of the lasing materials then takes place after reflecting internally through a partial mirror. The phenomenon continues until enough energy is built up in the form of a stream of coherent monochromatic light to allow for its escape. The intensity of the light increases after using fiber optics or mirrors to focus on the work area.
The diameter of a laser beam is below 0.32 mm at its thinnest edge. In contrast, there is a possibility of the kerf width to be as little as 0.10 mm. This, however, depends on the thickness of the material. If the cutting of the material with the laser cutting machine will not begin from the material’s edge, then use the piercing process.
The piercing process allows the laser to make a hole in the material using high power. For instance, burning through a 13 mm stainless steel sheet will take 5 to 15 seconds.
The advantages of laser cutting technology are enormous. Some of these advantages are discussed below:
The precision at which the laser cuts into materials is high, and it is by delivering a focused beam of light. The laser is powerful and small, but the accuracy with which it melts and evaporates materials is unparalleled. Most times, the tolerance range of the laser is from 0.003 mm to 0.006 mm.
The tolerance level of a plasma cutter is around 0.02 mm, which is higher than that of laser cutting. Likewise, other cutting tools have tolerance levels between 1 to 3 mm and above. Suppose there is a need for a machine with high precision and accuracy during manufacturing processes. In that case, the go-to tool is usually laser cutters. Thus, the aerospace industry that requires a tight tolerance level uses laser cutting.
The economic edge laser cutting has over other CNC machines of the same caliber is one of the advantages of laser technology. There is no need to build a custom tool with the laser cutting technology. You do not also need to modify the device for any project since no extra cutting tools are needed.
Also, there is no wearing out of the surface since there is no physical contact. The cost of maintenance is less than other machining technologies since the laser cutter’s mechanical parts are not much. The cost of operating the machine is also lesser compared to traditional tools for manufacturing.
Many jobs that may be too complex for other cutting technologies are simple for laser cutters. The laser technology can work on the thinnest edge of a material. While the cut area may experience a slight distortion or warping, you can quickly produce complex geometries using a laser cutter. The tolerance level of laser cutting is broad, and it can accommodate a large number of materials.
When you use a laser cutter with materials, just a tiny amount of the materials will go to waste. This makes laser cutting stand out from other machines with a considerable portion of the material. With a laser cutter, manufacturers can make maximum use of materials. The cost of production also decreases due to the higher utilization of the resources and less waste material.
Another advantage of laser cutting is avoiding damages, even to the narrowest materials. Many people tend to believe the misinformation about the device that warping or damaging the materials is unavoidable. The popular belief has the premise of using high heat in the laser cutting process. You should note that heat affects only a small area of the material and does not affect the tolerance. The speed at which the laser cuts through sheets is breakneck, so cutting takes lesser time. Therefore, manufacturers can easily avoid warping and distortion.
In reality, you need much power to effect cutting with power. However, the laser cutter not having any other movable parts reduces the energy consumed. In contrast, machines with movable parts tend to consume more energy. Also, the time it takes for the laser cutter to cut through a material is very fast. This helps save time and power. When there is a decrease in the energy consumed, the cost of operation also reduces.
The ability of the machine to work on an extensive array of materials is interesting. Besides cutting materials, laser cutting helps with other processes like marking, drilling, and engraving. It is worthy of note that you do not need to switch or replace tools to do all these different works.
Laser cutting does not limit itself to cutting metals alone. Other laser cutting materials include wood, aluminum, plastic, copper, and brass. Laser cutting is a versatile process since it can easily cut through almost all different kinds of materials. A bonus tip: RapidDirect always takes advantages of the best material to manufacture high precision sheet metal fabricated products.
Despite the many benefits of laser cutting, it also has a few downsides you should know. We will discuss some of them below.
When you cut some materials such as plastics, evaporation tends to occur. This is a significant downside to laser cutting. Although this disadvantage is manageable, professional machine operators can easily maneuver the disadvantage. The professionals change some of the arrangements of the device to prevent this problem. However, the cost of actualizing these changes is very high these days.
A professional operator is required to use all the machine’s features and identify a problem quickly. If the device is not set up correctly, it will affect the materials and cause more significant damage to the laser cutting. Hiring an operating specialist is essential, and this comes with a lot of money since there is a limit to qualified professionals available. To save time on commuting, you can have online meetings through video interviewing software; it would be easier and more flexible.
Although laser cutting is compatible with almost every material, including sheets, it is preferable to use another system to cut thick metals. You can determine the thickest sheets from the available machine, which also requires the presence of a specialist operator. The most comprehensive range most manufacturing companies use is 15 to 20 mm on average.
If you want to procure a laser cutting machine, you may have to spend a large sum of money. For example, when you compare plasma cutting with laser cutting, the latter costs almost two times plasma cutting. The money needed for getting the machine is very high, although you will later make more than that in the long run.
We mentioned earlier that laser cutting is compatible with various materials. The compatibility of laser cutting with almost all materials has a downside to it. Each material that will melt during the thermal cutting leads to gases and harmful fumes. The production of these toxic gases is usually typical when the material you are working with is plastics.
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of laser cutting is not enough, working with the right manufacturing partner is also crucial. RapidDirect provides the best sheet metal fabrication serivces for your projects. RapidDirect boasts highly skilled technicians who have proficient knowledge of laser cutting and other fabricating technologies. We ensure that our sheet metal fabrication services give quality parts at competitive prices.
We are also an ISO : certified company. Therefore, you can be sure that all our materials and techniques are industry-leading. With DfM analysis, we offer professional suggestions to improve your designs. Upload your design model today to get an instant quote.
The introduction of laser cutting provides immeasurable benefits for the manufacturing industries. The machine helps cut many materials within a period, thereby saving time and reducing the cost of operation. It also has widespread usage in industries such as aerospace and automotive industries. Understanding the laser cutting advantages and disadvantages will help you make the best choice for your project. Moreover, you can always contact RapidDirect for help with your laser cutting services.
The laser cutting process, which uses an invisible beam instead of a traditional mechanical blade, offers several advantages: high precision, fast cutting speeds, no limitation on cutting patterns, automatic nesting that saves material, smooth cut edges, and low processing costs. These features make it a viable alternative to or replacement for traditional metal cutting equipment. Fiber laser cutting machines for cutting sheet metal come in two types: full enclosed metal laser cutter and open type laser cutting machine. The primary difference between these two types is that the enclosed machine has a metal cover, while the open machine does not. The working tables of open and closed laser cutting machines can generally be selected from single cutting tables and exchange tables.
Enclosed laser cutting systems use a closed design that effectively isolates the cutting area from the external environment.
Reducing Laser Hazards
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Enclosed fiber laser cutting machine can maximize the separation of the laser from the operator. Once all parameters are set and the sample cutting meets the standards, the side doors of the cutting machine can be closed for fully enclosed cutting, preventing laser damage to the human body.
The enclosed design completely isolates the processing structure, materials, and transmission devices from the operator, minimizing the risk of accidents. Additionally, CNC enclosed laser cutting machines are equipped with protective glass to prevent laser radiation, allowing for observation of the cutting process while reducing eye damage from the laser.
Reducing Spark and Smoke Diffusion
Laser cutting is a thermal process that generates a significant amount of sparks and smoke. The enclosed chamber of these machines helps contain the smoke and dust. They are typically equipped with built-in filtration systems to optimize smoke management during laser cutting, making the process more environmentally friendly.
High Efficiency and Stability
Dapeng Laser’s surrounded fiber laser cutting machine employs advanced laser technology and precise mechanical structures to achieve efficient and stable cutting results, enhancing production efficiency.
Easy Operation
Dapeng Laser equipment is equipped with an intelligent operating system with a user-friendly interface, making it simple and convenient to use. The high level of automation reduces manual intervention and improves cutting quality.
Energy Saving and Environmentally Friendly
Dapeng Laser’s full cover laser cutting machine uses advanced energy-saving technology, reducing energy consumption and environmental pollution, meeting the requirements of modern green production.
Noise Reduction
The enclosed metal case of the machine helps to reduce noise levels, creating a quieter work environment.
Optimize Structure
The full-enclosed fiber laser cutting machine can also be configured with dual loading tables. The front half performs cutting within the enclosed structure, while the rear half handles loading. This seamless integration of cutting and loading improves efficiency. The distinct separation between the cutting and loading areas enhances safety.
High power enclosed fiber laser cutting machine can be professionally applied to process and cut carbon steel plate, stainless steel plate, galvanized plate, electrolytic plate, silicon steel, manganese steel, aluminum alloy, yellow, copper plate, silicon steel and other metal materials (processing thickness and material related to the laser source).
Widely used in: kitchen appliances, sheet metal chassis cabinets, mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, lighting hardware, advertising signs, auto parts, display equipment, various metal products, sheet metal cutting and processing industries.
Fully enclosed exchange table laser cutting machine is to have two working tables, work in exchange for processing, a table cutting, the other table can be at the same time for loading and unloading work, to be cut after the processing of the table and the other table exchange, the laser cutting machine can continue to process, without waiting for feeding and loading, greatly saving standby time, improve work efficiency. DAPENG Laser’s high-efficiency switch table fiber laser cutting machine, the exchange table change time is less than 15 seconds, the power up to 20,000W is suitable for cutting medium and thick metal plate.
1. Efficient production
The quick change of workpieces on the table can effectively improve the production efficiency, especially suitable for mass production scenarios.
2. Workpiece protection
When cutting large thin plates, a single platform can cause the workpiece to vibrate due to slits or grooves, thus affecting cutting accuracy and workpiece quality. The exchange platform can effectively support the workpiece to avoid vibration and protect the workpiece.
3. Simple and easy to use
The exchange platform is easy to operate, only need to set up the cutting program and workpiece number, can automatically complete the cutting, workpiece replacement and other operations, without manual intervention, improve the use of efficiency.
The difference between the single platform laser cutting and the exchange platform is the way of changing workpiece. The exchange platform has significant advantages in terms of productivity and ease of use, which is especially suitable for mass production scenarios.
Compared with the exchange table, the advantages of single table fiber laser cutting machine mainly lie in space saving and cost reduction. A single worktable does not need to occupy more than one processing table bed, only one workpiece is processed and then put into the next workpiece, so it occupies relatively less space.
The advantages of the single platform are suitable for space constraints, or the need for small batch processing. For example, furniture manufacturing, small and medium metal processing company.
Operation: Single platform laser cutting machine has only one working table, which needs to be changed manually after completing the cutting of a batch of materials. Dual table laser cutting machine, has two working tables, one for cutting and the other for loading new materials to realize continuous production. Exchange platform laser cutting machine can perform two different cutting tasks at the same time, which is more flexible. While single table laser cutting machine needs to manually change the working table, cutting flexibility is relatively poor.
Work efficiency: Double platform laser cutting machine can work at the same time, greatly improving the cutting efficiency. While the single platform laser cutting machine in the replacement of materials need to stop, cutting efficiency is relatively low.
Equipment structure: Double platform fiber laser cutting machine is equipped with an exchange worktable, when one worktable is cut, the other worktable can be cut and feed at the same time. After the cutting table is processed, it can be interchanged with the other table to continue processing without waiting for cutting and feeding.
There are both advantages and disadvantages in comparing the exchange table and the single table. In the actual production process, the choice of which laser cutting machine, according to the different production needs to choose.
The dual-table fiber laser cutting machine enables seamless switching during the cutting process. While one table is being cut, the other can simultaneously load or unload materials, significantly reducing downtime. For factories requiring bulk production, this efficient, continuous workflow is highly appealing. When dealing with bulk processing, opting for a pallet exchange system is essential as it boosts productivity and reduces costs.
If you have limited space in the production plant, need to save space or need to process small batches, you should choose a single table. Because it takes up less space and is also ideal for small batch processing. The high price-performance ratio of the single table laser cutting machine is its unique advantage over the competition. However, the material needs to be changed manually after each cut, which may seem slightly inefficient in mass production.
Conclusion:
The CNC fully enclosed laser cutting machine, known for its safety and environmental friendliness, is widely favored. However, if your budget is on the lower side, an open-type fiber laser cutting machine can still meet your processing needs; select the appropriate machine based on your actual budget. Dapeng laser offers you high-quality industrial laser cutting machine to cater to your diverse sheet and tube cutting requirements. We have a dedicated team to provide professional installation services and address any operational issues you might encounter, ensuring a smooth and efficient cutting experience tailored to your specific needs.
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