metal plate fiber laser cutting machine VS Plasma Cutting Machine

metal plate fiber laser cutting machine VS Plasma Cutting Machine

Which is better, metal plate fiber laser cutting machine or plasma cutting machine? In fact, the two have their own advantages and disadvantages, but the differences are also very large, such as working principle, cutting quality, and cost of use.

The difference between metal plate fiber laser cutting machine and plasma cutting machine

1. The working principle is different

The metal plate fiber laser cutting machine focuses the laser light emitted by the laser into a high power density laser beam through the optical path system. The laser beam irradiates the surface of the workpiece to bring the workpiece to its melting or boiling point. At the same time, high-pressure gas coaxial with the beam blows away the molten or vaporized metal. As the beam moves relative to the workpiece, the material eventually forms a slit for the purpose of cutting.

A plasma cutter is a gas that is heated to very high temperatures and is highly ionized. It transmits the arc power to the workpiece. The high temperature melts the workpiece and blows it off, forming a working state of plasma arc cutting. Then, the metal is melted using a plasma arc as a heat source. The cutting is an arc, so there is often a certain arc when the cutting fails. Therefore, when the section we need is a right angle, the plasma cutter is no longer suitable.

2. Different cutting quality

In terms of cutting accuracy, the plasma can reach within 1mm, and the laser can reach within 0.2mm. Therefore, the precision of the metal plate fiber laser cutting machine is higher.

The metal plate fiber laser cutting machine can realize non-contact cutting with the surface of the workpiece, the cutting gap is small, the precision is high, the heat affected zone is small, and the cutting end surface is smooth and free of burrs. However, the cutting gap of the plasma cutting machine is slightly larger, the cutting end face is rough and not smooth, and the cutting precision is low.

3. Different cutting materials

metal plate fiber laser cutting machines are suitable for cutting a wide range of materials: metals, non-metals, ceramics, glass, etc. Plasma cutting is suitable for cutting various metal materials, mainly thick plate cutting.

4. The cost is different

The purchase price of plasma cutting machine is much cheaper than that of metal plate fiber laser cutting machine, because metal plate fiber laser cutting machine is composed of many precision parts, and the cost of mechanical parts is higher.

However, in terms of the cost of consumables, the cost of consumables for plasma cutting machines is very high. For example, the entire torch (nozzle, swirl ring, electrodes, etc.) needs to be replaced within a few hours, and plasma cutters consume a lot of power. However, the cost of consumables for metal plate fiber laser cutting machines is very low, there are few wearing parts, and almost no maintenance is required.

Advantages and disadvantages of metal plate fiber laser cutting machine and plasma cutting machine

1. Advantages of metal plate fiber laser cutting machine:
2. Fast laser cutting speed: sheet metal cutting speed can reach 10m/min, much higher than plasma cutting machine.
3. High cutting quality: small deformation and smooth cutting table. The laser cut groove is very small, and the laser cut surface can be directly used for welding without grinding.
4. High cutting precision: The precision of metal plate fiber laser cutting machinecan reach 0.05mm, and the repeatability of positioning can reach 0.02mm.
5. Laser cutting materials have a wide range of applications: both metal and non-metal materials can be used. There are metal metal plate fiber laser cutting machines and CO2 metal plate fiber laser cutting machines for non-metals.
6. The laser can also be used for engraving, welding, drilling and other operations with powerful functions.
7. Disadvantages of metal plate fiber laser cutting machine:

The cost of metal plate fiber laser cutting machines is high, and the initial investment and maintenance costs are high. At present, the thin plate laser cutting has a high cost performance, but when the plate cutting efficiency is low, unless the quality requirements are high, improper laser cutting is used.

3. Advantages of plasma cutting machine:
4. The advantages of the plasma cutting machine are that the plasma arc energy is more concentrated, the temperature is higher, the cutting speed is faster, the deformation is small, and it can also cut stainless steel, aluminum and other materials.
5. The plasma cutting machine has advantages in cutting thick plates, because in the thick plate cutting process, a very high cutting speed can be achieved, which is much higher than that of lasers and flames.

4 Disadvantages of plasma cutting machine:

1. Plasma cutting will generate harmful gases and arcs: The principle of plasma cutting determines the arc intensity, noise and dust in the cutting process, which will pollute the environment to a certain extent. Underwater plasma cutting is generally used for medium and thick plates, so the cutting thickness is limited.
2. The verticality of the cutting surface is poor: one side of the cutting surface will have a large bevel and the verticality is poor.
3. During the cutting process, more cutting slag is produced on the surface of the cutting process. Since the process quality is not affected, the slag after cutting must be ground, which also increases labor costs.
4. Plasma cutting has a larger heat-affected zone and wider slit. Not suitable for cutting thin plates, as the plate will deform due to heat.
5. Consumables such as knives are consumed quickly. Now the cutting nozzle mainly relies on imports, and the cost is relatively high.