leadforensics Nukon Fibre Laser Cutting Blog: The benefits of Nukon fibre laser cutting machines vs Co2 - Unison Ltd
+44 (0) 1723 582868 sales@unisonltd.com

Nukon Fibre Laser Cutting Blog: The benefits of Nukon fibre laser cutting machines vs Co2

Blog by Steve Haddrell.

Cutting metal and other materials precisely is crucial for manufacturing and fabrication.

Nukon Fibre Laser Cutting machines provide an efficient and high-quality cutting solution that surpasses traditional Co2 laser cutters.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what makes fibre lasers superior and why you should consider using them.

What is Fibre Laser Cutting?

Nukon’s fibre laser cutting utilises a high-power US-made nLight fibre laser to cut through various types of metal, like steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and brass.

In a Nukon fibre system the laser beam is delivered through an optical fibre and focused on the workpiece, via our unique NLCH cutting head, melting and vaporising the material while oxygen, nitrogen or compressed air supports combustion or ejects debris.

Unlike Co2 lasers that rely on mirrors and other optics to deliver the laser beam, fibre lasers allow the beam to be delivered right where it needs to go through a flexible cable.

This makes fibre laser machines more compact, more reliable, due to the fact that there are less moving parts, and most importantly, they reduce energy loss.

Benefits of Fibre Laser Cutting Machines

Here are some of the main advantages of fibre lasers over conventional Co2 laser cutting:

  • Higher cutting speeds – Fibre lasers can operate at up to five times the speed of Co2 lasers thanks to more powerful laser beam wattages. This increases manufacturing throughput.
  • Tighter cutting tolerances – The highly focused beam enables tighter cuts with smaller kerf widths down to 0.1 mm for thin metals. This allows for more intricate and complex parts.
  • Better edge quality – Fibre laser cuts have less slag, warping, and discoloration resulting in smoother, cleaner edges needing less secondary finishing. This is especially applicable to the nLight fibre source of the Nukon, with its state-of-the-art adaptive optics system.
  • Can cut reflective materials – Co2 lasers struggle with shiny and highly reflective metals. Fibre lasers can cut even brass, copper, and aluminium with ease. Nukon’s nLight hardware isolation back reflection protection system is particularly adept at dealing with these challenging materials.
  • Lower operating costs – Fibre lasers consume on average 75% less energy overall than Co2 lasers for the amount of cutting work done, they also process faster for a given laser power. This reduces operating costs.
  • Compact size – The flexible fibre optic delivery system enables fibre laser machines to have a much smaller footprint than Co2 laser cutters. The laser itself is smaller and so are the ancillaries, like chillers. Fibre lasers therefore take up less valuable shop floor space.
  • Low maintenance – With fewer moving parts and consumable expenses like replacing mirrors, fibre lasers are more durable and reliable with reduced maintenance needs.

If you’re looking for a laser cutting system that can improve cutting efficiency, part quality, and productivity for your manufacturing operations, a Nukon fibre laser cutting machine is a must. As the technology improves, fibre laser cutting systems enable new levels of fabrication possibilities, and Nukon are committed to delivering that to their customers.

Contact Steve Haddrell now – sales@nukonlasers.co.uk 

‘BIG BIRTHDAY BASH’ marks unison’s 50 years of intelligent tube technology
Previous Article Next Article
Back to News