Some things aren’t quite as evident until you take a closer look at a fiber laser in operation. Because its beam diameter is often one-third the size of a CO2 beam, a fiber laser has a greater power density than a CO2 laser beam. Not only does this allow the fiber to cut faster, but it also allows it to pierce faster. This smaller beam size also gives the fiber the ability to cut intricate shapes and leave sharp edges. Imagine cutting a company logo out of a tube when the spacing between the logo’s letters is 0.035 inch; a fiber can make that cut, while a CO2 laser can’t.
Another thing to remember is that traditional methods of checking for twists and bows in the tube may take as long as five to seven seconds before cutting begins. You have to compromise accuracy for productivity with traditional touch sensing. This can be frustrating, especially in this age of fiber laser cutting. However, working with tube is much more difficult than working with sheet metal.