The Science Behind How Fiber Lasers Work [With Mitsubishi]

If fiber lasers seem like they’re from the future, it’s because they are. They are the latest in metal cutting machinery, and are some of the most efficient of their kind. This game-changing technology has ushered in a whole new era of metal cutting, and the science behind it is fascinating.

Mitsubishi Laser makes premium fiber lasers - including the fastest laser, per kilowatt, in the industry.

Have you ever wondered how fiber lasers work? Not only do they cut metal at hyper fast rates, but they may increase operational efficiency more than you may think.

 Similar to how fiber optic cables work for data, fiber lasers trap light along banks of diodes that are amplified through cables. The light along the cables are straightened and then focused by a series of lens onto the material being cut.

Fiber lasers have an active medium of an optical fiber that has been doped in rare elements; typically, erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, thulium, praseodymium, holmium or dysprosium. The fiber that is being used is placed at the center of the laser. While both CO2 and crystal lasers exist, fiber lasers are known to be the newest and most efficient laser type. According to one source, fiber lasers are supposedly 200% more efficient than traditional CO2 lasers. Depending on the doped fiber, the material may play a big difference in the laser’s efficiency. Photons that come from the laser’s core are refracted many times in a series of mirrors, called the Bragg Grating.

As the laser passes through the fiber, the doped inner core refracts light in the undoped outer core. The result is an amplified beam that passes through the fiber and onto the cutting material.

Fiber lasers have some of the fastest speeds on the market. Depending on the thickness of the material, fiber lasers can decrease production times, throughputs, and even servicing costs, when compared with other cutting styles.

How do Mitsubishi Fiber Lasers Work?

Different focal diameters correspond with different material thicknesses.

The fiber of a Mitsubishi fiber laser is doped in Yitterbium, a silvery-white metal that allows for superior amplification of the lasers.  The fiber lasers can go up to 8kW, with a beam outer diameter of 140-400 microns. The difference between a regular fiber laser and a Mitsubishi Fiber Laser is that, unlike traditional fiber lasers, the Mitsubishi Fiber Laser contains a zoom head that can shift its diameter. This is useful for different types of thicknesses, to adjust how effectively the material will be cut.

Lasers can be a big capital expenditure for a company. When it comes to selecting what will help your operations, Mitsubishi can be a game changer. Not only are they efficient and fast, but they are built in the highest of quality. When it comes to machines that are built to last, MC Machinery’s Mitsubishi lasers are some of the best. These industrial metal cutting machines are built with options to automate every single part of the process. Mitsubishi provides installation, service and warranties on all of their machines.

How to Learn More

Have any questions? Call us at Carlson Fabrication Solutions at (781) 937-9599 or at reach out to us via email at info@carlsonfab.com.

How Carlson is Handling the COVID-19 Crisis

Despite many government shutdowns, Carlson Fabrication Solutions Inc. will remain open for business during this tough time. As our business sector is deemed by the Massachusetts State government as “essential” (see below), we will continue operations regardless of what companies are able to do business at this time. We will continue our regular service, machinery sales and parts sales until further notice. Our team is taking all necessary preventative steps to ensure that we do not spread the disease, and hope to keep our staff safe, healthy and positive in their outlook during these unprecedented times.

For full list of “Essential” business, please click below. As a note: We are a part of the manufacturing supply chain for critical infrastructure (see page 8, “Critical Manufacturing”).

If you have any questions or concerns about our business, please reach out to us at (781) 937-9599 or email info@carlsonfab.com.

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We hope that everyone stays healthy and safe, and that together as a country, we all come out of this with our heads up.

Best wishes for all,

The Carlson Fab Team

Also See:

• OUR PRODUCTS

• MITSUBISHI LASER

• TIMESAVERS SANDING MACHINERY

Mitsubishi's MC Machinery for Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is one of the fastest and most accurate ways to cut metal. With the help of MC Machinery, Mitsubishi Laser manufactures and delivers some of the highest quality in the industry. The two main types of lasers they produce are fiber-optic laser cutting and CO2 laser cutting machines. Laser cutting has become so popular in recent years that not only do more companies have lasers nowadays, but small to mid-scale businesses can now afford them and use them for a variety of purposes. However, if the appropriate lasers are not purchased for your business, laser cutting can be more stress to you than ease. In efforts to eradicate potential frustration, Mitsubishi's lasers were produced to make the process as swift and easy as possible. It is for this reason and many others as to why Mitsubishi's lasers are the best for all those involved in metal fabrication.

Mitsubishi Laser

A company that has been in the laser market since 1977, Mitsubishi's MC Machinery understands the nitty-gritty of laser cutting. Producing a variety of different and dynamic lasers that each suit a different purpose, Mitsubishi's MC Machinery tailors its production of lasers towards solving all problems associated with laser cutting. From thick metal cutting to thin metal cutting and to customized metal parts, Mitsubishi has machine types that can cover all metal parts and operational needs. Apart from the fact that they are simple to use, Mitsubishi's lasers are designed in a way that protects their operators from any form of adverse effect associated with using lasers for metal cutting. Not only do they just sell, Mitsubishi laser produces everything related to the machine itself - direct support, service, and parts to the machines they sell. They even produce state-of-the-art laser automation for large processing power and one of the fastest times for throughput in the industry.

The Best Lasers for metal

Mitsubishi's lasers are now produced with 100% more fiber which provides customers with a unique experience of laser cutting. With more fiber, the equipment enhances the pace of metal cutting by providing a beam for higher cutting speeds. Mitsubishi's fiber lasers are also ideal for the cutting of thinner materials. This means that, with Mitsubishi's lasers, you do not need to worry about the size of metal you are to cut. Just as CO2 is suitable for cutting thick metals , Mitsubishi's lasers are also efficient for cutting thin metal materials.

(also see “What is the Difference between CO2 and Fiber Laser Cutting?”)

Fiber lasers

Mitsubishi Laser now has the fastest fiber laser (per kilowatt) in the industry which is Mitsubishi's Advanced 800 EX-F series, their premier product. What makes it one of Mitsubishi's best laser products is the accuracy it offers in terms of processing and safety. Meanwhile, it is easy to set up and use.

The fastest laser in the industry (per kilowatt): Mitsubishi's Advanced 800 eX-F series

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• eX-F - The fastest fiber laser in the industry, per kilowatt. That alone should sum up its greatness.

• The XL-F series feature high-speed and heavy-duty motion system. It reduces up to 50% of processing time. It is a PC-based laser which has touch-screen 64-bit NC control with user interface and full network ability.

• RX-F - The new RX-F series is a combination of eX-F and RX lasers. It comes with a 4m by 2m footprint which makes it not only easy to use but also durable.

• SR-F - If we were to describe the SR-F series with a word, it would be 'horse'. The highly-efficient series uses fiber optics to supply its head with direct light as much as required. It also saves space, as it features a 3m by 1.5m footprint.

Learn more about the Fiber laser models here.

Co2 Lasers

While Mitsubishi’s Fiber Lasers are the main focus of metal cutting, their CO2 lasers go above and beyond on other fronts. For the toughest and thickest of metals, CO2 is the way to go. In order to pierce thick metals while maintaining productivity, Mitsubishi delivers both to give you a masterful throughput even for CO2 laser cutting. With cost savings and better efficiency, these top-tier lasers are ones that, given your production needs, you cannot go wrong using. Learn more about CO2 models here. For better customization, learn about five-axis CO2 laser cutting here.

All of these aforementioned products by Mitsubishi's MC Machinery are durable and time-tested as some of the best equipment for metal cutting. So, if you are considering buying a laser and you actually want the best, then our recommendation is to go for the best: Mitsubishi Laser.

Interested in learning more?

• VIEW MITSUBISHI PRODUCTS

• FIBER LASER CUTTING

• CO2 LASER CUTTING
  
  

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Carlson Fabrication Solutions is the official Northeastern US dealer of Mitsubishi’s MC Machinery and Timesavers products. View all our products here.

Fiber Vs. CO2 Laser Cutting for Metal

BENEFITS OF USING A FIBER LASER VS A CO2 LASER FOR METAL CUTTING

Fiber Lasers are faster, more accurate, and can save you lots of money.

The advent of fiber laser cutting machine has been the biggest game-changer in sheet metal fabrication since the 1980s when CO2 cutting was first introduced to the metal fabrication industry. When compared to CO2 lasers, fiber laser technology has really pushed the boundaries of laser cutting into a whole new era.

How did fiber lasers change the game

Within five years of introducing fiber laser, it reached a cutting range of 4kW, a feat that took CO2 lasers about two decades to achieve. Within another five years, fiber lasers were able to reach a threshold of over 10kW, something CO2 can never do. Even some fiber lasers can do beyond 20kW, but those are useful for industries aside from sheet metal cutting. Since sheet metal processing typically deals with metal under a quarter of an inch, too many kilowatts can just be overkill for cost and energy consumption. The ideal machines for sheet metal processing typically fall within 4-8kW, and the speed/accuracy are the most important factors to consider.

The fiber laser beam uses a laser generator to produce a laser beam with high power density. The laser beam hits the surface of the material through the optical path system until the material gets to its boiling or melting point. Just like the CO2 laser, there is a high-pressure gas that blows the material melt away.

FIBER VS CO2 LASER CUTTING

Aside from the impact it has had on the industry, fiber laser machining has plenty of advantages over the CO2 laser:

1. Fiber lasers require little or no maintenance and part replacement as compared to CO2 lasers that require periodic and yearly maintenance and part replacement. This affects the overhead cost of the company.

2. Fiber lasers provide a reduction in power loss and higher energy efficiency because it adopts a laser optic cable as against mirrors and channels being used by CO2 laser cutting machines. This also means that a Fiber laser will reduce the cost of production.

3. Fiber lasers produce more focused beams on the metals. This is due to the fact that the fiber laser frequency is ten times more than that of CO2 because the former has a shorter wavelength.

4. Fiber laser machines offer superior cutting accuracy and sharp cutting edge. The cutting table makes sure the cutting process is stable.

CO2 Lasers are best for cutting deep into metal, and are best suited for thick metals.

5. The need for sheet metals in the manufacturing industry is increasingly becoming more significant. The fiber laser machine is best suited for sheet metals, as it can take care of this demand, while CO2 laser machines are best used for cutting thick plates.

6. A 2kW Fiber laser has a focused beam that possesses five times the power density at a focal point compared to a 4kW CO2 laser. The fiber laser beam will also have about three times more absorption characteristic due to its shorter wavelength.

7. The high absorption and power density characteristics of fiber lasers, created by the focused beam, makes it cutting speed to be five times faster when operating on materials that are less than one-fourth of an inch thick.

8. Fiber laser machines can run on a dual interchangeable platform, such that the workpiece and the finished sheet can be loaded or unloaded automatically. This will reduce time-wasting and the stress of doing a repetitive job.

Want to learn more about fiber and co2 lasers?

FIBER LASER MACHINES | CO2 LASER MACHINES

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 For more information, also see:

• FIBER LASER CUTTING

• CO2 LASER CUTTING

• MITSUBISHI LASERS & PRESS BRAKES