How Accurate is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting is the easiest, fastest, and most efficient way to cut any type of material.

And it’s more accurate than other cutting methods.

But those are just a few of the advantages laser cutters have over traditional cutting tools.

Take a look at this laser cutter guide and find out why you need to make the switch as soon as possible.

What Is Laser Cutting?

There are several different types of laser cutting, but generally, it uses something like a highly concentrated stream of photons to cut various material, like metal, wood, glass, and plastic.

They can make basic cuts, carve intricate shapes, or even engrave designs on the surface of a material, depending on how you have it programmed. You can use a Computer Aided Design, or CAD, software to ensure you get the right cuts.

Sometimes, if your laser cutter is automated with CAD software and paired with an automatic feeder table, you can run the cutter without having to monitor it the whole time.

How Does Laser Cutting Help?

It is a lot easier to use than other cutting forms, and it is a lot safer too.

A laser cutter lets you cut products faster than more traditional forms of cutting. It is a reliable way to cut because you know your cuts will be accurate and identical every time. Machine operators also don’t have to work around dangerous blades, which makes it a much safer way to cut.

There are a lot of other benefits that come with installing a laser cutter, but we’ll touch more on that in a minute.

Is Laser Cutting Accurate?

The short answer is yes, incredibly accurate.

In fact, its accuracy is one of its best advantages over other cutting forms. You can use a laser cutter to make extremely accurate cuts, and the finished product will be smooth and clean.

The designs you cut can be smaller than ones you make with other machines, meaning you can get more products out of a single piece of material. This also means you create less waste.

You can even adjust the laser intensity ratios and the speed of the cut. So no matter what material you’re cutting, you can get the same accurate results from all of them.

Laser cutters are arguably more accurate and precise than any other cutting form.

The Three Different Types of Laser Cutters

There are several different types of laser cutters, and they all work best on different material. If you’re looking for a good laser cutter, you can’t just get the first one you find.

Some laser cutters only cut metal, while others will burn wood or melt plastic. Make sure the laser cutter you get will work on the material you use.

There are some laser cutters that can work on almost any kind of material, so if you switch between things like metal, glass, and wood often, you will want one that can handle all those things.

1. The Gas Laser Cutter

The gas laser cutting method uses a laser comprised of CO2. This means it has a higher wavelength than other laser types.

A laser cutter with a gas laser can only cut non-metal materials.

2. The Crystal Laser Cutter

This type of machine has a laser made of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (nd:YAG) and neodymium-doped yttrium ortho-vanadata (nd:YVO). In simple English, that means this laser is from the solid state group of lasers.

Because of its laser type, a crystal laser cutter can work with more materials than a gas cutter. It can cut both metals and non-metals, including things like glass, plastic, and wood.

The biggest problem with a crystal laser cutter is the cost. This machine is very expensive, so you’ll have to invest a lot of money to buy this machine and to buy new parts if it should ever break.

3. The Fiber Laser Cutter

This is probably the best type of laser cutter.

This laser can also cut pretty much any material, like metal, wood, glass, plastic, etc. However, this laser typically lasts longer than other laser cutters. For example, a fiber laser cutter has a working life of about 25,000 hours while a crystal laser cutter has a working life of only 8,000 to 15,000 hours.

You’ll be able to use this type of cutter for a longer period of time and really get your money’s worth out of it. This also means you can put off worrying about repairs or finding a replacement.

A fiber cutter’s beam intensity is over 100 times stronger than a gas laser, and it is a lot less expensive than a crystal laser cutter.

Advantages of a Laser Cutter

Aside from accuracy and precision, there are a lot of other advantages that come with a laser cutter. The right cutter can take a lot of work off your hands and make your life a lot easier.

You Only Need One Machine

A single laser cutter can make simple cuts, carve intricate designs, or create engravings. Even if you make a lot of different types of cuts, you only need one machine.

You Save Energy

To start with, you’re only using one machine, so you don’t have a multitude of cutters sucking up your power.

But even more important, a laser cutter only uses about 10kW of power. Other cutting methods can use over 50kW of power.

Laser Cutters Reduce Damage

Laser cutting has no actual contact with your material. The laser doesn’t physically touch the thing it’s cutting.

Instead, the laser cuts the material with heat.

Because of this, the material is less likely to be damaged by the machine. In fact, the entire machine is less likely to be damaged, meaning you get to save money on maintenance or repairs.

It’s Very Safe

Laser cutters don’t have any spinning blades or other dangerous parts that people can easily hurt themselves on.

The laser beam is sealed away behind a tight lightbox, meaning it’s almost impossible for the laser to cause any injuries.

Make the Switch to Laser Cutting

Laser cutters give you everything you need in one machine. You can cut any kind of material into any kind of shape without even having to monitor the laser. It makes your job a lot faster, more efficient, and easier.

Looking for some good laser cutting? Take a look at some of our services and what we can do for you.