Lasers are indispensable machines in every fabricators life nowadays. Whatever you manufacture, first cutting option is laser, if the technology allows. When we were talking not long ago, around 2008-2009 we were bound to use CO2 laser technologies mostly considering the size of the giant laser source and component manufacturers. It was a very much protective market in that sense and there wasn’t much chance for the new players thrive and survive.
2010 was a year which we have seen that the game is changing. I was one the lucky people in the laser market who jumped in the fiber laser technology ship. Being able to create the laser light such ease and transfer to the processing head flexibly was a tremendous solutions of the CO2 related problems.
Biggest problem in front of this progress was the blackmailing of giant CO2 manufacturers claiming that fiber laser technology is dangerous. Within a span of 2 years time we have seen that all these companies were mostly focusing in fiber laser technologies.
After the short history, what is the advantage of fiber lasers over CO2? I know you don’t have much time so here they are;
Still CO2 laser has some usage because of its wavelength but very much limited and as a customer you can find any salesman trying to sell a CO2 laser to you except second hand.
Fiber laser opened new venues in laser welding industry which we focus predominantly. With the advantage of “flexibility” we can take the laser light to any point literally. This was a huge problem with CO2 lasers and all those mirrors involved. Either handheld laser welding machines or welding cells with robotic arms are easily operating thanks to fiber lasers.
Sinan is a mechanical engineer (BSc), travelled all over the world to create the best sheet metal machinery solutions for his customers, partners. He is experienced in laser welding, cutting, bending, and forming technologies. He is a father of two which is his best achievement 🙂