Most Frequently Asked Questions About Our Lasers – From Machine Selection to Service and Production Integration.

A standard laser can do many things reasonably well; a custom laser does perfectly what you need. With a custom laser, you save on things you don’t need – lower purchase and operating costs. You invest in a custom laser exactly as much as needed to achieve the required quality and productivity. A custom ALT laser can be part of a production line and communicate with the supervisory system. The software of a custom laser can be adapted to the operator’s skills – it can create cutting plans, set technological parameters, or simply operate with the push of a button.

The investment in a custom laser pays off quickly. Return depends on production volume, complexity of cuts, and material cost. With custom lasers, payback can often be achieved within a few months to a year, because you eliminate the need for multiple tools, speed up production, and reduce waste.

It depends on what and from what you want to produce. You need a laser if it allows you to manufacture better, faster, or cheaper than with another technology. Check the Applications section to see if your question is answered, or contact us for advice.

The main criterion is the type of laser – solid-state, semiconductor, fiber, gas, etc., because not every laser is suitable for your material. It is also important to select the correct laser power – a weak laser is slow or may not cut your material at all, while an overly powerful laser is unnecessarily expensive and consumes more energy.

Power selection depends on the material being cut and desired productivity. Don’t rely on estimates; always verify cutting speeds for the material on a reference sample. Laser lifespan is another crucial parameter – it should be tens of thousands of hours. A low purchase price with short lifespan can quickly become expensive.

Cheap tube lasers gradually lose power, requiring reduced cutting speeds. Within hundreds of hours, the power drops below usable levels and the tube must be replaced. After replacement, the entire machine must be re-aligned, causing unnecessary downtime. Spare tubes are not always available immediately, so it is advisable to have several in stock.

Working area dimensions should correspond to the size of the raw material and the final product. For textiles, the width should match the widest fabric and the length the largest product. If you don’t often cut very large items, it is better to cut a plexiglass sheet and choose a smaller working area, which makes handling material and finished products easier. Our machines are usually pass-through, so you can split cuts and move material if necessary.

Cutting accuracy and quality depend on machine construction and drive units. The most reasonable way to choose is to compare identical reference samples from different suppliers.

The price depends primarily on the type, power, and quality of the laser itself, as well as the speed, accuracy, and dimensions of the motion system.

Laser
Laser price increases with power, so choose power with a reasonable margin. Investing in high-quality lasers from reputable manufacturers is worthwhile – cheap lasers become costly over time.

Beware of laser lifespan!
Very cheap machines with tube life of only a few hundred hours are appearing on the market. Frequent tube replacements are costly, making the hourly operating cost of such a machine much higher than for a machine with a quality laser.

Speed and accuracy
High speed and precision simultaneously are expensive. Materials that can be cut quickly (e.g., textiles) usually require lower precision. Very precise products are usually made from materials cut more slowly. Choosing the right combination of speed and accuracy can save a lot.

Working area size
Machine price increases with size. Too large an area is unnecessarily expensive and difficult to handle (loading material, removing cuts). Too small an area increases waste. Ideally, match machine dimensions to standard material formats. Correct parameter selection can save up to 50% of purchase and operating costs.

You pay only for what you actually use and produce faster, more accurately, and more cheaply than with a standard machine.
The machine does not take up more space than necessary, and you don’t waste material due to unnecessary formatting.
Operation does not demand high operator skill, and the system contains everything needed – just turn it on and produce. The laser does not idle or delay production, as its productivity is synchronized with the rest of the process.
Simple construction ensures reliability, and when the production program changes, the machine can be modified using all expensive components.

Lifespan depends on the type and construction of the laser. Longer-life lasers may seem more expensive at first glance but are definitely worthwhile. A reasonable laser lifespan is tens of thousands of operating hours. Cheap lasers lose power quickly, and tube replacement costs both time and money.