In recent years, laser cutters have become quite popular. Thanks to this, we see people pitting CNC vs. laser cutter to try and find the better machine.
We believe that there’s a place for both machines in the industry since each of them has unique capabilities. In this article, we’ll take a closer at the difference between these machines, including:
We’ll also look at the main difference between these two machines, and how they’re fundamentally different. Let’s get into it.
The cutting style is the fundamental difference when comparing a CNC machine vs. a laser cutter.
Laser cutters rely on a beam of light that produces extremely high temperatures to make cuts. CNC machines have a rotating spindle that spins a cutting tool or bit at high speeds to make cuts.
With that exception, the designs and shapes of these two machines are remarkably similar. They both move a cutting tool (of sorts) over the workpiece to perform pre-programmed tasks.
However, due to the nature of the cutting tool involved, their abilities are fairly differentiated. The following sections will study various aspects of CNC routing vs. laser cutting in detail.
Due to the different cutting tools employed by a CNC vs. a laser, there are significant differences between their cutting widths and depths.
The widths, especially, are affected by the differences in cutting style. Since the CNC machines use a physical blade they create wider cuts by necessity. Accordingly, to cut a certain line you also sacrifice some of the material along the edges of that line.
Lasers, on the other hand, have an extremely narrow focus. This allows them to make precise cuts, with less wastage. So, when comparing the CNC vs. the laser cutter, it’s worth noting that lasers make narrower, more precise cuts than CNC machines.
Both machines have limitations when it comes to cutting depths.
A CNC can make a clean cut to a depth of around one-half of the cutting tool’s diameter. So, a CNC machine’s cutting depth is effectively limited by the size of the spindle (which holds the cutting tool or bit).
A laser cutter can sometimes make cuts to a depth of one inch, depending on the material and the laser. However, a more common cutting depth would be between ¼ and ½-inch.
If you pit CNC routing vs. laser cutting, then the materials matter. CNC machines generally have a far more versatile approach, while laser cutters sometimes offer cleaner cuts.
You can cut the following materials with a laser cutter:
However, there are many things you can’t cut with a laser, such as:
CNC routers can cut many different materials, including:
When comparing a CNC machine vs. a laser cutter, the price is a significant factor. Laser cutters are more accurate, and have some additional features, but it reflects in the price.
CNC routers have a more entry-level price, making them more accessible to different businesses and individuals.
Entry-level to mid-level CNC machines have an average cost of between $5,000 and $25,000. Laser cutters in the same range have an average cost of between $8,000 and $50,000.
There are significant differences between the speed and accuracy of CNC routing vs. laser cutting.
Due to their pinpoint focus and narrow cutting abilities, laser cutters generally have much greater accuracy than CNC machines do. In part, this is because there’s very little mechanical friction involved in laser cutting.
The laser cutter moves above the workpiece and, since a laser is a beam of light, no solid material comes into contact with the workpiece. As a result, very little wobbling, jostling, and friction occurs.
CNC routers have medium-high levels of accuracy. Unlike laser cutters, their entire process relies on mechanical contact. A physical blade comes into contact with the workpiece, leading to plenty of friction and jostling.
Comparing the speed of a laser cutter vs. a CNC, laser cutters are usually two to three times faster than CNCs.
Versatility is the final aspect to consider when comparing CNC routing vs. laser cutting.
Laser cutters have a fairly limited scope, mainly restricted to cutting and etching. As shown in the section about materials, they also have limited abilities due to the high heat involved.
CNC machines can route, etch, engrave, carve, cut, and perform several other functions. They can also cut more materials, thanks to the lower heat. Since you can adjust the rotational speed, you can keep friction to a minimum.
In short, CNCs are far more versatile than laser cutters.
In short, the main difference between a CNC machine vs. a laser cutter is that CNC routers are more versatile, while laser cutters are more precise.
The laser focus of the latter machine allows it to make finer, more detailed cuts with less wastage. However, CNC machines can cut more types of materials.
We hope that our comparison of CNC vs laser cutter has helped you to understand how these devices differ.
If you’re interested in learning more about 3-axis CNC machines, we’d love to help you out. Feel free to contact us, and one of our professional staff will help you.
From the machine itself to training and accessories, our team can help you put together a package that meets your specific needs.
Cutting is the most basic and widely used process in metal fabrication. Laser cutting is the go-to technology to perform such jobs in the industry because of its many advantages over other methods.
At the same time, it does have a few downsides as well. So let’s explore those great qualities and disadvantages more closely.
What Are the Advantages of Laser Cutting?
The reason why engineers prefer a laser cutting service lies with the long list of upsides it offers. The advantages of laser cutting are flexibility, precision, repeatability, speed, cost-effectiveness, great quality, contactless cutting, versatility and automation possibilities.
Flexibility
Laser cutting does not require an exchange of tools for each separate cut. The same setup is suitable for cutting a lot of different shapes within the same material thickness. Also, intricate cuts do not pose any problems.
Precision
Accuracy is one of the primary advantages of laser cutting when compared to other thermal cutting methods.
An accuracy of +/-0.1 mm gives an opportunity to achieve high precision without any after-treatment. In most cases, such a high standard means that no added tolerances are required.
Repeatability
+/- 0.05 mm ensures parts that are pretty much replicas of each other.
Speed
Laser cutting is a lot quicker than traditional mechanical cutting methods. Especially in the case of more complex cuts.
When comparing it to other thermal cutting methods like plasma or flame cutting, laser beats them in speed up to a certain thickness which is around 10 mm. The exact advantage point boils down to the power of the laser cutter, though.
Automation
The job needs little manpower as contemporary laser cutting machinery is highly automated. An experienced machine operator still plays a big role in the final quality but the speed of cutting and little need for manual labour result in lower costs compared to other cutting methods.
Many machines even come with feeding systems as well as follow-up conveyors. Of course, such setups make for a higher-priced laser cutting machine.
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Quality
Using the right setup, laser cutters only leave a small burr. Often, it is not necessary to even remove it. Of course, it depends on the material, its thickness and other factors.
Another perk is having a small heat affected zone. As the microstructure along the HAZ changes, a smaller HAZ area results in more predictable and reliable parts.
In case of laser cutting, only the beam comes into contact with the material. Therefore, there is no mechanical friction that could wear tools.
Versatility
This is probably one of the most important aspects of laser cutting’s greatness. The versatility manifests itself in two ways.
Laser cutting is suitable for a lot of different materials. Among them are different metals, acrylic, MDF, wood, paper, etc. One machine can be configured to perform different jobs. Of course, the ability to cut some of these materials depends on the power of your machine.
Many laser cutters are not for cutting only. Laser marking is another way to utilise these machines. And marking has a lot of applications when producing everyday products.
A standard laser cutting head cannot be used for welding and a laser welding head cannot meet the cutting speeds and quality needed for cutting. Some machines allow swapping the heads if a different operation is needed to perform, combi-heads are also being developed in the background but these haven’t taken off yet due to various limitations they have.
Lastly, the technology is suitable for a variety of profiles. Tube laser cutting can perform the process on anything from box sections to open channels.
What Are the Disadvantages of Laser Cutting?
Although used to produce parts in almost every industry, laser cutting does have it downsides. Namely, the need of expertise, limitations to metal thickness, costs and hazardous fumes are all things to consider before turning to laser cutting.
Need of Expertise
As we already said, a specialist operator is a must in order to make the most of a laser cutter’s potential. The right setup makes sure the cutting quality is up to the standard people are expecting from this technology.
Limitations to Metal Thickness
Comparing laser cutting to other thermal cutting methods, it is not suitable to cut very thick plates. The largest suitable thickness depends on the available machinery and the know-how at hand. On average, metal fabrication companies tend to laser cut metal up to 15 or 20 mm.
Upfront Costs
Laser cutting machine prices can reach upwards of £1,000,000 . Lasers can be twice as costly compared to waterjet or plasma cutters. Although the running costs and efficiency make up for it in long term, the initial investment is still quite large.
Dangerous Fumes
One of the advantages of laser cutting is its suitability for cutting different materials. At the same time, the thermal cutting method makes material melt, resulting in emitted gases and dangerous fumes.
This rings especially true when cutting plastic. Thus a good, but often costly, ventilation system is a requirement for a safe working environment.