CO2 lasers are used to cut thicker metals and are much more powerful than Fiber lasers. They are used heavily in food packaging facilities and even pharmaceutical manufacturing. This is an older technology and uses much more energy than Fiber lasers. One advantage of a CO2 laser is the quality of the edge in the cut. A CO2 laser will produce finer edge quality no matter the thickness.
A CO2 laser machine consists of a laser cutting head, reflector path, laser cutter frame, laser generator, laser power supply, control panel, CNC system and water chiller. The machine uses a laser beam of high intensity light that is a single wavelength. CO2 laser machines typically have wavelengths in the 10,600 nm range. This laser beam travels from the resonator, bounces off of the mirrors (beam benders), goes through the bore of a nozzle (compressed gas flows through the nozzle as well), and then hits the plate. The type of gas the flows through the machine can affect performance. There are different variants of CO2 Lasers which include slow axial flow, transverse flow, slab and fast axial flow. A fast-axial flow resonator has a gas mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium that is circulated at a high velocity. A slab resonator has a static gas field that does not require pressurization. A transverse flow circulates the gas at a low velocity.
When looking for a laser machine, you should keep in mind the following:
Revelation Machinery can always help you find what you need! If you have any questions about CO2 Lasers or need to find a specific brand/type, please feel free to contact us! If you need to sell your used CO2 Lasers, do so here.