Fiber Laser

[Chris Edens]

In the market for a Fiber Laser. Does anyone here have one? Any brand recommendations? I am looking to cut and engrave metal.

[greg lindsey]

I have a 30 watt Epilog Fusion Fiber and it works so well on steel I need another one. As far as cutting you'll prob need in the 400 watt range with gas assist.

[Dan Hintz]

In the market for a Fiber Laser. Does anyone here have one? Any brand recommendations? I am looking to cut and engrave metal.

Define "cut". To engrave, expect a LOT of passes with 30W(ish) systems, and things get easier (and significantly more expensive) as you move up. NOTE: This assumes we're discussing systems with a quality optic train... a poor optic train will be the equivalent of a much lower-power system.

[Chris Edens]

The systems I am looking at are both Galvos. I spoke to a company called Z-Tech and they told me the laser can cut metal up to 1mm to 3mm thick.The rep told me it was a hybrid laser tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfUFGTEpuxE


I am also looking at the Tykma Zetalase

http://www.permanentmarking.com/zetalase-fiber-laser-marking-system/

[Dave Sheldrake]

TYKMA, now part of Electrox (Speak to Matt Knott)

That Z-Tech ....just no....no....no :)

[Chris Edens]

Dave

I spoke to Matt today. I liked everything he was saying. Sounds like this is a good machine. It looks like good build quality from the videos.

[matthew knott]

News to me?? But Electrox do now own Tykma, both make good machines, I much prefer the Tykma software, if you want to cut expect it to be slow with many passes, the video you linked will probably be just the end, after its taken 20 minutes to cut out, misleading to say the least. Tykma and Electrox both use SPI lasers, pretty much a good as it gets in fiber lasers but for many applications it's overkill, but adjustable pulse with can be handy at times.

[Joe Hillmann]

I have two yags (similar to fibers) a Hans laser that I wouldn't recommend and and Electrox that does just about everything I ask of it. The software for both of them aren't very user friendly I think they are more designed to be used in an industrial setting where they are marking the same part all the time rather than custom set up with different wording and graphics on each item.

On most metals except for stainless I can get comparable results to the yags by using laser tape (from Johnson plastics) a co2 laser and then sandblasting. It is slower but if you already have the co2 laser it is much cheaper than buying a fiber. I'm just throwing that out there as an idea that you may be able to use as a stop gap solution before buying a fiber.

[Rangarajan Saravana kumar]

If you have to engrave on metal , galvo i prefer IPG pulsed laser 20w to 50w can be sufficient depending on your use... but there are lot others

As i have limited experience with IPG laser, so far so good.. no problem hassle free. But as far as other machines,

Matt is a very good guide regarding metal laser.



Regards