THINGS TO NOTE WHEN BUYING LASER CUTTING MACHINE

THINGS TO NOTE WHEN BUYING LASER CUTTING MACHINE

Fiber laser cutting machine

CO2 laser cutting machines should buy or fiber laser cutting machine? Should not buy the old laser cutting machine? That is the question that anyone interested in buying the laser cutting machine to cut metal will want to know the answer. The most common way is to ask the sellers laser cutting machines and their advice as make you more confused.

CO2 laser cutting machine sellers say cuts of CO2 laser cutting machine is more beautiful and thick material cutting with faster speed Fiber laser source. Fiber laser cutting machine is very expensive, the price is much higher than with CO2 laser cutting machines of the same size and capacity. They even say Fiber laser source to generate laser gas recharge after a period of use and cost are very expensive ??? (Do not know accidentally or intentionally that they gave false information. It does not use the fiber laser source to generate a laser gas source, so no need to reload anything).

Fiber lasers seller shall make operating costs (cost of electricity, gas and the cost of replacing consumable parts) of the fiber laser source is much lower than with CO2 laser source. Fiber laser cutting machine is the latest technology today, computer maintenance without complex and costly as the CO2 laser cutting machines. Particularly fiber laser cutting machine can cut reflective materials such as copper, aluminum ... that CO2 laser cutting machine can not cut it.

Old laser cutting machine sellers say anything to spend large sums of money to buy new machines do. Just spent only about 1/4 the amount that can buy a laser cutting machine Amada old Japanese brand already. Although older machines produced about 20 years ago but is still very good, also used a few more decades. So the investment of Japanese old laser cutting machine is the smartest choice.

So actually between 3 options above, what is the best choice? In this article with your actual experience, I will try to give an objective assessment of the possible (although this is not easy) to help you get the most appropriate choice.

The first thing I can say it's the best choice depends on your needs and your budget. CO2 or fiber laser technology has its own advantages and disadvantages, none completely surpassed that can replace the other. That's why the two co-exist (at least until the end of 2015). In fact the sales person just told you half the story, they just say the advantages that no mention cons of the technology they are selling.

I say it depends because if your need to cut materials with highly reflective properties, such as copper, brass, aluminum ... or need to cut thin metal, the fiber laser is the best choice (except if you accept the requires accurate and not excessive cuts you can use cnc plasma cutting machine).

Some samples fiber laser cutting machine

And if you want to cut out of 5 mm thick metal with high speed and require high fineness, the CO2 laser cuts seem more appropriate.

If your budget is not enough to buy a new laser machine that you do not want to use it to buy cnc plasma cutting machine laser machine solution seems to be old "temporary" fit.

First I will analyze the costs and benefits when buying older CNC laser cutting machine, then I will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of technology and fiber laser CO2 laser so you better overview. Since then a number of choices that best suits you.

To purchase a new laser cutting machine metal cutting useful size 1500 x 3000 mm and a capacity of about 2000 W laser source (metal cutting thickness 10 mm), you have to spend money from 6-10 billion depending on the manufacturer. But just spend less than 1/3 of that amount (only from 1.5 to 3 billion) to buy the old laser cutting machine with the same parameters as before. So this is seen as a solution to many enterprises choose. Even a few years ago it was considered smart saving solutions. But it is really wise choice? if given the chance to choose the firms that have decided to buy the old laser cutting machine again? Before answering this question we will learn a little about the old metal laser cutting machine offline.

Old metal laser cutting machine is widely purchased for sale or find the most far is CO2 laser cutting machine Amada Japanese firm. There is also Trumf German firm, but less common. The machines are manufactured from the years 1984 - 2000 (ie life in 15-20 years. It has a higher production year as well as high prices) is the Japanese factory in liquidation. Then, a number of companies in Vietnam imported reconditioned. What machines were running the machine sells live, also has a few machines not running, selling parts or scrap (older machines should also enter the same risk. The costs are put on live machines). The machine can then be sold around the company through a number of hands before reaching the final buyer (the company has purchased about used 1-2 years and then sell off the units sold for their machines. this unit is refurbished and sold to other customers).

CO2 Laser Cutting Machine AMADA brand old

To be fair the old laser cutting machine also contributed an active role to help businesses reduce costs while investing in the initial machine when small businesses are still unable to purchase new machines. If the lucky buyer can purchase a machine to be born at home before use but careful maintenance. This machine can work well (little damage) in the range of 5-10 years. And what if the machine was purchased to take full advantage of multi-user or through the Department of debt as of the procession.

However, this is only true in a few years before that there was no better choice. For now, even if you buy old machines still "good" again, then what's going to pay the price during use but I would say in the back also makes it unwise choice.

Now we will learn about the sources of CO2 laser cutting machines. The reason is called CO2 laser because people for the gas mixture consisting mainly of CO2 along with helium, nitrogen (hereinafter referred to as gas mix) running through the plasma in the discharge tube from which the laser light generated. CO2 laser cutting machine has two types of gas and gas to create a gas laser cutting (cutting gas is gas is ejected from the head to be blown metal laser fusing to make cuts). For small capacity of several hundred watt CO2 loaded into launch tubes always use a few hundred hours is to replace other launchers. For large capacity of about 1 kW or more, the launch tubes on where to connect to external sources of gas mixtures.

When first opening the vacuum pumping system will suck all the gas in the pipe mix also ejected. Then loaded gas from outside into the gas tank. Then begins the process of creating a laser. So the CO2 laser machine from opening until power is cut approximately 15 minutes (The older machines are even longer). So once you open the power, after cutting done that, people still suspended for the electricity, not turn off the power, then turn off the power because if you open the boot process must wait laser. When not cutting power consumption = 50% at cutting => Very expensive electricity.

CO2 laser tube life span zoom range is 1,000 - 10,000 hours (depending on the manufacturer). Maintenance requirements, complex calibration mirror. There is one thing that the CO2 laser machine seller will not mention, and the buyer only interested in the original purchase price and forget this one thing (something very important) that is the cost of operation and maintenance machines .

Remember when the arms buyer, the former laser machine has longevity 15-20 years even more, laser discharge tube life is ending. So the cost to replace the laser discharge tube and the convergent mirror anymore. These costs are not cheap. The converging mirror must be periodically replaced after several hours of use.

There is an extremely important thing that the old CO2 laser cutting machines are susceptible to loss of converged laser. There's a fine day that suddenly does not cut it anymore machine or just cut thicker materials only 1/10 than before. That's because the system is skewed mirror or by the reduced capacity of the laser source. Need to rebalance. To date in 2015 does not have units in Vietnam fix this disease. But to hire a team of experts from Thailand to.

Known experts previously working for Amada, then, they quit and do own. Their work is specialized in repairing of Amada CO2 laser machines in Southeast Asia. Every time Thailand to invite experts to correct this disease cost about 5000 - 6000 USD (Including airfare and accommodation fees of the experts). Especially this problem very vulnerable again, quickly can one few months, a few years later can 1. And each time have to cost (they only warranty 1, 2 months).

I have a friend buy power CO2 laser cutting machine Amada 2000W for $ 1.8 billion, 6 month factory warranty. But was 6 months passed but the machine has not been accepted because the machine never runs stable is 1 month (conditions for acceptance). Every machine is a two-week crash, jagged edges, cut, or cut off is not. Then, the machine lost convergent laser beam, the manufacturer shall invite experts to Thailand to correct the (costs about 5,000 dollars he knew). Fortunately for him, the machine has yet to be accepted by the unit-cost selling answering machine. After calibration is very good cutter, he also felt relieved because finally the machine running as expected. But joy is not so long, because the machine just over 1 month to be a problem, experts invited to Thailand to (Units sold machines to pay $ 5,000 more). This time, he began to see real worry (although not to pay repair machine). But he feared after the warranty does not know in the next year will invite experts to Thailand many times over again. Not to mention the cost of gas is expensive mix and cost monthly replacement lens is also not small.

The average estimated cost of maintenance CO2 laser cutting machines is about 6000 USD / year for the new machine. As for the old machine costs much higher.

The downside of laser cutting machine CO2 laser fiber than is currently machine prices are high. In material thickness from 5mm or less or when cutting metal with high reflective properties, the dominant fiber laser is almost absolute. As with cutting speed 3 times faster than CO2 laser in the same capacity, the cost per meter is also a lot cheaper cut, cut with good fineness. But when cutting materials with 5mm thickness on the road smooth cut and cutting speed slower than the CO2 laser.

It was not meant fiber laser cutting machine is not cutting thicker materials, just in material thickness, the cutting speed slower than the CO2 laser with power and smoothness with no cuts. However, extra strength to meet the requirements for most metal cutting applications need.

In terms of economic efficiency as investments, fiber laser cutting machine to give a higher initial capital but later at no extra cost much more. CO2 laser also invested less initially, but later have to spend more and more costs. After about two years the total amount of purchase and operating costs of the CO2 laser cutting machine will be equal to the total amount of purchase and operation of the fiber laser cutting machine.

Come make your answers you are part of the question first came up at all. In the following article I will analyze in more detail the advantages and disadvantages of CO2 laser cutting machines and fiber Lasser.