Compared with nanosecond fiber laser cutting machines, the key advantage of picosecond laser cutting machines lies in their ultra-short pulse width, which enables true "cold processing." This results in higher cutting precision, better edge quality, and a wider range of material compatibility, especially for precision, hard, brittle, and heat-sensitive materials.
Below is a comparison of three laser types.
Below is a comparison of three laser types.
|
Comparison Dimensions: |
Conventional Nanosecond Fiber Laser |
Nanosecond QCW Fiber Laser |
Picosecond Laser |
|
Pulse Width: |
(10⁻⁹ s) |
(10⁻⁹ s) |
(10⁻¹² s, 1000 times shorter than nanoseconds) |
|
Core Mechanism |
Photothermal effect; material is melted/vaporized with noticeable heat diffusion and a clear HAZ. |
Controlled photothermal effect; QCW pulses reduce heat accumulation through interval cooling. |
"Cold processing"; ultra-short pulses break molecular bonds before heat diffusion, with minimal HAZ. |
|
Processing Quality |
General; burrs, recast layer, and HAZ are visible, often requiring post-processing. |
Improved; smaller HAZ, better control of chipping and micro-cracks. |
Excellent; clean, smooth edges with no burrs, no recast layer, and near-zero HAZ. |
|
Processing Efficiency |
High; fast material removal, ideal for mass production. |
Medium–high; strong removal capability, slightly lower average speed due to pulse intervals. |
Low–medium; smaller removal per pulse, slower overall speed, especially for thick materials. |
|
Material Compatibility |
Moderate; suitable for common metals, limited performance on reflective or brittle materials. |
Wide; handles reflective metals and brittle materials with better precision. |
Very wide; suitable for almost all materials, especially transparent, brittle, and heat-sensitive substrates. |
|
Beam Quality (M²) |
Excellent (typically <1.5) |
Excellent (typically <1.5) |
Excellent (typically <1.3) |
|
Typical Applications |
Metal/plastic marking, engraving, thin metal cutting, standard welding |
Sapphire, ceramics, wafer cutting; precision metal welding/cutting; reflective materials |
Medical devices, ultra-precision drilling, hydrogen fuel cell processing |
|
Equipment Cost |
Low |
Medium (typically 30%–50% higher than nanosecond) |
High (typically 3–5× QCW or more) |
|
Maintenance Cost |
Low (fiber structure, low maintenance) |
Low (fiber structure, low maintenance) |
Higher (stricter environment requirements, key components have service life limits) |
YCLaser's core team brings over 10 years of experience in laser processing and equipment R&D, offering customized solutions for specialized applications.
Contact us to learn more.
