OMTech fiber laser engravers and marking machines make permanent, high-contrast marks on stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and other metals, and on some plastics. Choose an affordable OMTech Galvo Fiber Laser for fast, precise marking and serialization, as well as deep metal engraving and cutting, or an OMTech MOPA Fiber Laser for color marking and deeper engraving applications like multi-color designs on stainless steelless steel, true black marking on anodized aluminum, engraving ultra-thin metals (aluminum sheets, brass shims, foil, etc.), and marking on heat-sensitive plastics like ABS.
Our fiber laser engravers range in power from 20W to 100W, with compact integrated units for a desk and split units with a larger working area. Most models offer LightBurn, rotary-axis, and fume-extractor bundles, plus financing and local technical support.
Explore our compact fiber lasers.
FAQ
A galvo laser is a rapid-fire laser engraving and marking machine that uses fast-moving internal mirrors to steer the laser beam instead of having to physically move the entire laser head.
It is very important to understand that galvo fiber laser engravers are not the same kind of fiber laser engravers. Galvo simply means the machine is equipped with a galvonometer system (as opposed to a gantry system), which steers the laser beam across the work area at blazing speeds, allowing you to engrave or cut at much faster rates than you would if you were using an X/Y gantry belt, which has to move the entire heavy laser head.
So, galvo laser engravers can be MOPA or non-MOPA, as long as they have a galvo system.
The key factor when deciding how many watts of laser engraver you need for metal is the size and scale of your applications. Here is a summary:
- If you are a hobbyist or a beginner in metal engraving, choose a 20W Q-switched fiber laser engraver from about $ 1,600 to $ 2,000.These are affordable and easy to learn for beginners.
- If you are looking for a versatile, general-purpose fiber laser for a small metal engraving business, a 50W to 60W MOPA fiber laser is the ideal sweet spot. These provide the best balance of performance and affordability for businesses.
- If you want a laser engraver for large metal applications or heavy-duty deep metal engraving, choose an 80-100 fiber laser engraver.
For any application beyond this scale, you may want to consider fiber laser machines, which are much larger and more powerful for industrial use.
In metal laser engraving, the main difference between using a MOPA and a standard fiber laser lies in pulse width control: how much control you have over the laser's pulse duration and, consequently, how much energy you can deliver to the material you are engraving.
With a MOPA fiber laser, you can adjust the pulse duration (usually from 2 ns to about 500 ns) without changing the frequency, which allows you to produce a wide spectrum of vibrant colors on stainless steel and mark thin/fragile metals like trading cards or foil.
- In general, you need a MOPA fiber laser for metal engraving when you want to produce detail and color that a conventional non-MOPA machine cannot deliver as effectively.
- You need a non-MOPA fiber laser when your primary objective is to produce reliable, permanent metal markings and you do not require the specialized surface effects that justify the additional cost of MOPA technology.
Explore the differences between MOPA and non-MOPA laser engravers in more detail.
The cost of a fiber laser for metal varies widely, ranging from $1,500 for entry-level hobby desktop engravers to well over $150,000 for large industrial cutting systems. The price depends primarily on whether the machine is designed for surface marking/engraving or high-power penetration/sheet metal cutting. Here is a price guide for OMTech Fiber Lasers for Metal, from cheapest to most expensive:
- OMTech Galvo fiber laser engravers for metal (20W to 50): $1,699-$2,599.
- OMTech MOPA Fiber Laser Engravers for metal (20W-100W): $2,599-$4,799
- OMTech Split Fiber Laser Engraving Machines (20W-100W): $2,699-$4,799
The price differences between OMTech's three types of fiber laser engravers for metal come down to laser source technology, marking capabilities, power output, and machine design. The key distinction is that
- Standard galvo fiber lasers prioritize affordable, efficient metal marking
- MOPA fiber lasers offer greater control over the laser pulse for specialized marking effects
- Split fiber lasers feature a separate laser source and marking head for a more flexible workspace configuration.
However, there is also overlap between these categories: a split fiber laser can use either a standard fiber or a MOPA laser source. Therefore, its price should be evaluated based on both its physical configuration and its laser technology, rather than assuming that every split machine is inherently more advanced than an integrated one.
Our fiber lasers are mainly designed to engrave metal materials:
stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, gold, silver, gold, alloy steels, tungsten, etc.
They can also engrave non-metal materials like hard plastics, brick, marble and so on.
High Power Density: Fiber lasers can deliver extremely high power densities, allowing them to penetrate deep into metal surfaces and create precise engravings even on hard materials like stainless steel and titanium.
Excellent Beam Quality: Fiber lasers produce a highly focused and stable beam with minimal divergence, ensuring precise and consistent engravings.
Efficiency and Durability: Fiber lasers are highly efficient, converting electrical energy into laser energy with minimal waste. They also have long lifespans and require minimal maintenance, making them cost-effective in the long run.
Speed: Fiber lasers can engrave quickly, making them ideal for high-volume production applications.
Minimal Heat Affected Zone (HAZ): Fiber lasers create a small heat-affected zone, minimizing damage to the surrounding material and preserving the metal's integrity.
Split fiber laser engravers have a separate laser source and control unit connected by a fiber optic cable, while integrated/compact versions combine these components into a single housing. Please read this article to know more.
MOPA and Galvo are both types of fiber laser engravers for metal, but they differ in how they generate the laser beam.
MOPA (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) lasers offer adjustable pulse width and frequency, enabling color marking on some metals and finer control for detailed or delicate work.
Galvo lasers are typically faster for high-volume marking and often more cost-effective, focusing on speed and efficiency for standard metal engraving.
Read this article for more information.
