Fiber or Not?

[Sam Larter]

So, I finally got to the point where I could purchase my laser and now I have a new dilemma. I went to the ISS Show in Long Beach and ordered a Trotec Speedy 400 with a 120w CO₂ and I was wondering if it was worth it to get the fiber added now or wait til later? I'm starting out doing this part time and already have 5 customers lined up for business, but I keep getting asked about engraving metal. So, what should I do:

1. Get the Flexx fiber added now. (The things that they want engraved are larger items, up to 32" x 22").
2. Wait til later. (I would save money by having it installed during manufacture.)
3. Get a stand-alone fiber laser.

I have about $25k to play with so what do you folks recommend?

[Gary Hair]

Option 3. Get a stand-alone fiber laser.

With $25K to spend you could buy 3 - 30 watt Chinese machines and still have some money left over. Or, you could buy a 50 watt MOPA and still have money left over. All-in-one machines have never had any appeal to me for several reasons. 1. You can only run 1 operation at a time. What do you do when you need to run a fiber job and a co2 job? One will wait. 2. If the all-in-one has any problems you lose both machines. It's not likely that the Trotec will fail, but it is a machine so failure is possible. 3. A gantry fiber does not have the same capabilities as a galvo - large bed size is eclipsed by the much better capabilities of a stand-alone galvo.

Oh, and congrats on the 400/120! You are going to love that machine!!

[Sam Larter]

Gary,

What MOPA would you recommend? I like the idea of the color marking on Stainless.

Sam

[Gary Hair]

Gary,

What MOPA would you recommend? I like the idea of the color marking on Stainless.

Sam

I don't have one so I can't tell you from firsthand experience, I'm sure someone else will post something. As for color on stainless, not much market for it from what I have seen and even with 50 watts it's too slow to really make any money.

[Kev Williams]

Echo Gary on the Mopa. It's fun to watch the video of a bunch of flags being lasered onto stainless, but it's no fun finding buyers for $30+ biz cards

Knowing my needs after owning a fiber for 1.5 years, with the money you have to spend I'd get a 20w (maybe a 30w) AND a 50w basic fiber. I'd have the 20/30w fitted with a 100-ish mm (4") lens, the 50w with a 200mm, and pick up a 150mm spare.

I have a 30w - 150 lens setup, and I'm giving serious consideration to getting a 50w machine and the 2 lenses mentioned. Those additions would nicely fill all the 'compromise gaps' I've run into...

A Mopa isn't even on my radar...

[John Lifer]

I think I'd add another lens to the 50 watt. Get a 250mm as it would give you almost a 10" x 10" area to work with and the 50 watt could do decent engraving that size. I use my 150mm almost exclusively though on my 20 watt, I'd bet you could get them to throw in a 150mm if you buy two at one time. I've got the Ray Fine 'cheap' MOPA and the only thing I think it does better than some of the other machines is on plastics. Color metal? nope not unless it is titanium.

[Sam Larter]

Thanks for the info folks. I'm going to keep the speedy CO₂ and look for a stand alone fiber.

[Tim Bateson]

Good choice. You would have been VERY disappointed with a Gantry style Fiber. They are NOT the same as a Galvo style (most stand alones). I find a use for mine, but not near as often as my stand alone fiber.

[Jeff Watkins]

I think the cat's meow will be the day a multi spectral fiber is available in a Galvo that will do both 1064 and 10.6um CO2 ranges. You'd be able to pull out your freshly engraved metal and put in a piece of wood or glass and keep going.

@Sam Keep us posted what you go with. I've been happy with my Ray Fine 30w Mopa. I ordered mine with the JPT

YDFLP-30-M6+-L1 fiber source, due to the higher pulse energy. Do lots of research and go direct to the fiber source manufacturers web sites to compare individual specs.