Ultimately it comes down to specifically what you want to cut.
Water jet vs fiber laser.
But laser can cause some heat distortion especially on thicker plate.
It s hard to say.
Waterjet is by far the slowest of the three options when cutting thick material.
Indeed metal laser cutting is totally doable and you can laser cut stainless steel aluminium or mild steel for example.
Plasma also creates some heat distortion which can be reduced by cutting under water.
Fiber lasers best when high energy and high repetition is required.
A 3 kw fiber laser system will typically cost between 13 and 20 an hour to operate.
Which of these methods is better.
Plasma laser cutting and water plasma cutting while cutting the wire and plasma cutting advantages in the cnc also edm during laser blog difference in the news.
Primarily used for cutting and boring when high speed is required.
In thickness of 1 4 and less the laser would be the more cost effective option when cutting metals.
As soon as the brass or aluminum gets thicker than that the processes even out as the speed of the fiber laser slows considerably.
Again plasma comes in last place having a typical part size tolerance around 0 020 and a typical kerf width of around 0 150.
Besides material overlap processing speeds are quite similar for the two methods shown in charts as are operating costs.
Cnc fiber laser tables are slightly faster than co2 cutters on all thicknesses.
All plastics glass woods and metals excluding highly reflective metals.
What materials can be used with laser cutting and water jet cutting.
Laser cutting can cut a wide range of materials.
Waterjet vs laser vs plasma cutting plasma cutting and water while cut the wire and plasma cutting advantages waterjet in the cnc also edm during blog difference in cutting the news.
The benefit of the laser cutter is its ability to cut thinner material at a far higher rate of speed than the water jet.
Both laser cutting and water jet can cut metals.
In thickness especially 250 in.
The accuracy and quality of the cut.
You may need to do some research into the specific materials you plan to use and investigate how they ll react when cut with a laser cutter compared to how they ll.
Laser cutting is a great option for metals 500 in.
The main factor in the speed of laser machines is the kw output and optics technology.
