Laser cutting technology has become more developed and mature with time. Then through, these developments gradually replaced the traditional methods. Now, the power usage of a later cutter is hard to estimate for many customers. How much power do laser cutters consume? Which is a question many customers think about.
The power consumption of laser cutters varies from machine to machine. The power of the laser and its usage are vital factors here. So, these two factors ultimately contribute to power consumption. So, there is no specific answer to this question.
In this case, lasers' power requirements are sometimes less rigid than air conditioners. However, it varies due to some factors. So, before purchasing a laser cutter for home use, business, or even a hobby, it is necessary to educate yourself on them. This article will discuss some of the factors that contribute to power consumption.
As previously stated, the power consumption of laser cutters varies due to some factors. Moreover, the laser cutter's total power consumption depends on these factors.
Now, we must learn about these factors. Please keep reading to understand how they are related to power consumption.
The longer a laser cutter is in operation, the more power it will consume. The time it takes for the laser to engrave or cut is the actual working time.
As a result, the laser's preparation, loading, and unloading consume 20% to 50% of the working time, as mentioned earlier. Furthermore, the Allwinmac laser cutters have dual work platforms with automatic loading and unloading. As a result, it saves a significant amount of time.
The power consumption is also dependent on the laser power. The greater the laser power, the more electricity or power it will consume. Moreover, the maximum laser power varies for each machine. For instance, a 100-watt laser cutter has more difference than a 500-watt laser cutter.
As previously stated, the increased laser power will increase power consumption. Furthermore, the Raycus laser sources used in Allwinmac laser cutters have the highest output power at the lowest cost. As a result, there is a significant reduction in power consumption and lower operating and maintenance costs.
The cooling unit required by some laser cutters can directly impact power consumption. For example, if laser equipment has 80 watts of laser power, the average working time is two days, with the first half using the total capacity and the other half using half.
As a result, we will get an estimated power consumption of 50-kilowatt per hour. It has the power consumption of two idle PCs, which is astonishingly low. As a result, Allwinmac's laser cutter employs an "S&A Water Chiller," which can help reduce power consumption.
There are two applications of laser machines. These are either predominantly cutting or engraving. So, depending on the used application, the power consumption will vary.
Higher laser power gets used for cutting. The laser will be able to cut through thick material in a single pass. Similarly, it will cut through thinner materials more quickly and reduce working time. As a result, the reduced working time will lower power consumption.
On the other hand, laser tubes of different wattages can produce different firing thresholds for engraving. Also, a proper laser beam gets formed with the least power. For instance, an 80W tube can fire at 9% power, while a 120W tube can fire at 12%. But, this gets compensated by increasing the speed, only to a certain point.
Generally, two types of CO2 tubes get used for laser engravers: DC glass tubes and RF metal or ceramic tubes. Here, the glass tubes provide a slow beam, while the metal or ceramic tubes pulse the beam at a higher frequency.
In the case of laser cutters, fiber tubes get used. So, it provides a high energy density laser beam and focuses it on the material's surface. In addition, the laser cutters of Allwinmac use good quality fiber tubes and CO2 tubs for their laser cutters and engravers.
The budget is also crucial because higher wattage laser tubes are expensive. However, despite costing more, higher wattage laser tubes are only 10% of the price of RF tubes of the same wattage. Furthermore, higher wattage CO2 tubes are more extensive and typically built into machines with a larger working area.
A laser cutter with an 80W tube can be three to five times the price of one with a 40W tube. In summary, a larger working area necessitates using more materials, which requires more energy due to the laser's higher power. As a result, it is critical to have a proper budget before investing in a laser cutter.
The power consumption of each laser cutting machine is uncertain. The applicable range and the power consumption of different machines will vary. But, we can calculate the electricity cost by a simple formula.
For instance, let us assume that the maximum power is 1600 watts, while the electricity cost is 0.08$ and the working time is 1 hour. So, the formula would be (wattage x power cost / 1000) x time (hours) = one laser of laser operating cost.
Therefore, as per the calculation of the above assumptions:
(1600 x 0.08$) / 1000 x 1 = 0.128$
Here, the power consumption per kWh is 1600, at maximum power. At the same time, the operating cost of the laser will only be 0.128$. However, this is not an actual situation, so the calculation goes as per the real situation.
Laser cutters are an excellent technology that employs a laser to vaporize materials, resulting in a cut edge. Usually, in industrial manufacturing, we see the usage of laser cutters. But, now, it is available to hobbyists, schools, small businesses, and architects.
Furthermore, how much power do laser cutters consume is a question still thought of by many customers. We hope that this very question got answered in this article.