One of the most advanced and widely used laser marking systems in the world today is the fiber laser engraving machine. It offers a high degree of versatility, requires little maintenance, and does not require any consumables during the marking process.
As a result, the fiber laser engraver has a wide range of applications, particularly for precise and efficient marking in the metal and plastic processing sectors. Many people who are thinking about purchasing a fiber laser engraver have asked us what materials a 50W fiber laser engraver can cut. So we decided to write this article to answer the question.
A fiber laser engraver was designed for engraving but of course, with multiple passes and the right amount of time, it would be possible to cut thin metals as well. A 50W Fiber Laser engraver can cut thin gold, silver, brass, stainless steel, carbon steel, and aluminum. Cutting thickness for gold, silver, and brass materials ranges from 0.1 to 1mm, depending on cutting designs and size.
Various cutting sizes take different amounts of time. Many jewelers and people involved in jewelry manufacture use fiber laser engravers not only for engraving but to cut their designs as well. I spoke to some Jewelers who are using fiber lasers and they provided the following information:
With a 50W Fiber Laser they mostly laser cut gold, silver, or brass with a maximum thickness of 0.8mm. Cutting time depends on the thickness and complexity of the design. I have compiled this information based on the feedback from the jewelers I spoke to:
- 0.5mm gold or silver with a basic design: Cutting time is estimated at around 4 – 6 minutes.
- 0.8mm gold or silver with basic design: Cutting time is estimated at around 10 – 12 minutes.
Also Read: Can you laser engrave gold?
Below is a YouTube Video of a 50W Triumph laser cutting 0.5mm gold with a 110x110mm lens.
The best option for cutting metals would be a high-power fiber laser cutter but as you can imagine they are very expensive. See the below chart for the correct laser power for your material thickness.
| Laser Power | Gold | Silver | Brass | Stainless steel |
| 1500W | 2mm | 1.5mm | 2mm | 4mm |
| 2000W | 3mm | 2mm | 3mm | 5mm |
| 3000W | 4mm | 3mm | 4mm | 8mm |
Should you be thinking about purchasing a fiber laser engraver then to assist I have compiled some useful information below for your consideration.
Features of Fiber Laser Engravers
- Optimal beam quality
- Operating capabilities for air-cooling with a high ambient air temperature
- The functioning is very efficient and uses very little electricity.
- An almost maintenance-free design
- The laser source with the longest life span (up to 100,000 hours)
- Long pulse lengths and high peak power
- Enabling marking and deep engraving applications at high speeds
- Simple to include in your operations
Fiber Laser Applications
Because of the resulting surface pattern formed by the ablation process, fiber laser marking is also known as laser engraving. It is used for a range of purposes, including:
- Medical Gadgets and Equipment – Surgical devices and other medical products that must be sterilized often (often at high temperatures) utilize identification marks that can endure the cleaning process without compromising the patient’s health.
- Barcoding and serializing – Fiber lasers are commonly used to engrave barcodes and serial numbers directly onto equipment and parts. Fiber lasers create high-quality markings that a barcode scanner can read. Serializing can be done with a variety of code structures, including UPC codes, one-dimensional codes, and data matrix codes.
- For copyright protection and the recovery of stolen goods, jewelry engraving – the production of distinctive marks to identify or brand articles of jewelry – has become popular.
- Placing trademarks on merchandise – If you run a high-end product business, etching your company logo can assist ensure that your brand is constantly visible to customers. Because customers can remove labels voluntarily or involuntarily, laser etched logos are preferable to printed labels.
- Customizing products – Fiber laser engravers are also commonly used to customize products. As a laser engraver who specializes in personalized things, you can potentially run a very lucrative business. You may assist businesses and startups with engraving their logos on their items at the industrial level. You might also offer to produce personalized things such as wall hangings, jewelry, and watches.
- Computerized Parts – Printed circuit boards are examples of computerized parts.
Also Read: Can a laser engraver engrave silver?
Types of Fiber Laser Markings:
Fiber laser marks come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The varieties of markings we can make with laser marking equipment are limited by the machine’s power.
We can, however, make a variety of engravings and markings.
Among the most well-known are:
Annealing: It is used to brand metal.
Instead of black, the oxidation process generated by laser is used to achieve a colorful mark.
The color produced varies based on the amount of power used and the type of metal used.
Color coding: It works in a similar way as annealing.
You can use this technique to deal with a variety of color shades.
Material is being withheld: This technique involves removing only a small amount of material from a surface in order to leave a permanent engraving with the desired mark.
The substrate’s upper portion has been etched.
Which Fiber Laser for Metal Deep Engraving
When it comes to deep engraving text, traceability codes, and complicated artwork on metals and some polymers, the technology you choose and your ability to implement it correctly determines your success or failure.
Whether you’re working with hardened or stainless steel, anodized aluminum, copper, or precious metals, high-powered fiber laser marking technology is a superb solution for high-contrast engraving over .004″ deep. A minimum of 50W is required for most deep engraving tasks. Deep engraving is also achievable at lower power levels, although the engraving times may be too long.
A 50-watt fiber laser engraving machine is clearly more powerful than a 20 watt fiber laser engraving machine. So, if you run both powers side by side, doing the exact same thing at the exact same speed, the 50W machine will produce more detailed results.
You’ll need a lot more passes on the 20W fiber laser engraving equipment to attain the same depth as you would on the 50W machine. Even then, your results are unlikely to be as good as if you had started with the 50W machine.
Furthermore, the more heat conductive and light reflective the materials are, the more difficult they are to engrave using fiber laser equipment. If you need to work with metals that have these properties, a 50W fiber laser engraving equipment is the best option.
A 20W fiber laser will suffice if all you want to do is mark and light etch metals. If you want to make deeper engravings, a 50W fiber laser is the way to go.
If you want more details on the depth of a 20W Fiber laser then the information can be found in this article.
Applications of Deep Metal Engraving
The jewelry business, tool industry, coin manufacturing industry, aesthetic industry, and shoe industry all use deep laser engraving. There are numerous uses for 2D and 3D deep Laser engraving on 2D and 3D metal.
On gold, silver, and platinum jewelry, 2D/3D logo engraving. Marking on jewelry with a laser deep engraving equipment. Text and artwork are engraved on gold jewelry.
Final Thoughts
Fiber laser engravers are different from metal laser cutting devices in that they are designed to laser engrave. Although some thin metal cutting is possible with 50 – 100W fiber. Some metals are often utilized in practice due to their attractive characteristics and ease of handling. As a result, it’s advisable to get a reliable company’s laser equipment so you can effortlessly manage any material that comes your way.
If you are interested in purchasing a fiber laser engraver and not sure which machine is best then you can read my buying guide.
