While many of us now have laser cutters — either a K40-style machine or one of the newer high-output diodes — you probably don’t have one that cuts metal. True, some hobby lasers now offer IR laser heads with modest power to engrave metal. The xTool S1, for example, accepts a 2 W IR laser as an option, but we doubt it would cut through anything thicker than foil. However, there are a growing number of fiber and carbon dioxide lasers that can cut metal at semi-reasonable prices, and [All3DP] has a primer on the technology that is worth a read.
According to the post, CO2 lasers are less expensive but require gas assist, can’t work with shiny metals well, and are finicky because of the mirrors and glass tube inside. Fiber lasers cost more, but don’t need gas, work on more materials, and have fewer parts that need maintenance or may be prone to damage. There are other kinds of lasers, but the post focuses on these, the most common ones.
Machines that can cut metal aren’t cheap. They start at about $10,000. However, prices are dropping and we remember when $10,000 would buy you what would today be a terrible oscilloscope, so maybe there’s hope for an impulse-buy metal-cutting laser one day.
It isn’t that diode lasers can’t cut metal at all, but the results are not terribly useful. What would you rather have? A metal cutter or a metal 3D printer?
Im going more manual myself. Santa’s bringing me a 2000W 3 in 1 raycus cutter/cleaner/welding system. You can find those around $6k now.
With my luck, the week after I get it, some AliE company will start pushing a system with a beam switch and independent guns for each function. Ill grumble as I reconfigure between operations but Ill probably suck it up and upgrade if they do it with a 4th output to drive a cnc table.
water is better
Waterjet guided laser is best
https://youtu.be/GywQVNA6qoY?si=wtmxtAnNHwj_MS-l
until you dont wanna get the thing wet, right?
I’m eyeing the wire EDM project by Rack Robotics for a while now. Could be a neat and cheap alternative to laser cutting. Now I just need to wait until they deliver to EU or grab the schematics and add another project to the big pile
“you are looking at an industrial laser, which emits an extraordinary light not to be found in nature. It can prowjekt a spot on the moon, or at closer range, cut through solid metal – I will show you”………
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnHMjg3u3mQ
Dear HAD – “A Guide To Laser Cutting Metal, If You’ve Got The Cash” Where is the “Guide” at? Thanks again for the click bait.
You don’t have the cash anyway, so why are you complaining?
J/k
Factual statement :)