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With so many Laser Cutting Machine for sale, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you needs. An industrial laser cutter is simply a machine that uses a laser to perform various cutting applications on metal parts. Although, there are many different variations of these machines designed for different applications. The three main types of laser cutters include: CO2, neodymium (Nd), and neodymium yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd-YAG).
 
CO2 lasers are designed for boring, cutting and engraving functions. This is among the most common laser cutting equipment used in production and fabrication facilities today due to its versatility. They are most commonly used to cut mild steel, titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, paper, wood, plastic, wax, and fabric.
 
They function mainly by a current being passed through a mix of carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen gasses, but can also be generated using energy created by a radio frequency. The radio frequency method is becoming increasingly popular due to the fact that it causes less electrode erosion than the other method.
 
Nd Laser Cutting Machine are designed for boring functions where high energy is required. This type of machine tool also has a much lower repetition speed as compared to other types of laser machinery.
 
Nd-YAG Laser Beam Cutting Machine is designed for even higher powered boring, engraving, and metal trimming applications. This type of cutter is very similar to the neodymium version. They are typically used to process ceramic and various metals.
 
Another type of laser cutter for sale is the laser microjet which utilizes a combination of water jet and laser to cut material. The water jet is used to guide the laser as it cuts, but also removes debris and cools the workpiece during the cutting process. This type of material cutting tool has several advantages over other laser cutting machinery including increased cutting speeds, cleaner cuts, and improved fracture strength of cut materials.
 
Besides the different types of machines, there are also a variety of laser cutting processes used in the industry. These processes include: reactive and vaporizing cutting, thermal stress cracking, fusion cutting, and silicon wafer stealth dicing.
 
Reactive cutting basically uses a laser beam to cut similarly to that of an oxygen torch. This process can be used to cut thin and thick materials with pretty low amounts of energy.
 
Vaporizing cutting uses a focused beam of energy which heats the surface of the workpiece to melting point. For this reason, materials that cannot melt such as wood and carbon commonly use this cutting method.
 
Thermal stress cracking is used on brittle materials to form a surface crack which can be guided by the laser. This method is commonly used in glass cutting.
 
Fusion cutting blows away molten material that has been heated up to melting point by a concentrated laser. The material is removed by a high pressure gas stream. This method is most commonly used on metals.
 
Silicon wafer stealth dicing uses Nd-YAG lasers to separate chips of material from silicon wafers. This process only works on silicon.
 
Determining the right Laser Cutting Machine and method depends greatly on the material and the requirements of the project.