How accurate is CO2 laser cutting?

The answer is very high! One of the main advantages of laser cutting is the ability to cut workpieces with very small tolerances, down to a fraction of a millimetre. In fact, lasers are not subject to the mechanical limitations of conventional cutting tools.

The properties of the material impose inherent limitations on cutting mechanisms such as blades and hollow mills. For example, blades must conform to certain minimum dimensions in order to function properly. These dimensions mean that blades cannot make certain types of cuts, such as very narrow cuts.

Lasers, on the other hand, do not have these drawbacks because they consist of a polarised beam of light focused on a very small spot. CO2 laser scanning heads can focus beams with diameters ranging from 140 to 450 microns on a surface. To put this in perspective, a human hair is about 70 microns!

Since laser technology does not touch the surface, the working dimensions are very small, making it easy to realise extremely complex cutting geometries.

In addition, laser cutting is suitable for all types of materials, from rigid materials (e.g. multi-layered wood) to fragile materials (e.g. plastic film). They can all be processed easily and accurately, minimising the risk of breakage and material waste.

In addition to the previously mentioned benefits, lasers offer extremely high parameter controllability and high-speed execution. All of these factors combine to make the CO2 laser an extremely powerful tool for the job. Flexibility, speed and precision open up endless possibilities, especially for industries that rely on creativity, such as packaging and fashion. For more information, please contact us!