What's the difference between UV laser and Fiber laser engraving machine?

These two machines can engrave a lot of materials, plastics, leather, metals, and others. However, what’s the main difference and why one is much more expensive than the other? in this blog we are going to explain what’s the difference between these two technologies and what are their primary use. 

Both machines may look the same

The main structure of this machine by outlook may look similar, but the technology that these machines use inside is different. The fiber laser uses a different power supplier than the UV laser, other of the difference is that the UV laser needs to be refrigerated by a water chiller, while the Fiber laser is refrigerated only by air.

These machines are designed for different material engraving solutions

The fiber laser engraving machine has as a primary use engrave and offer solutions to the metal marking industries, this machine it can mark, engrave (see the difference between engraving and mark) and carve over all the metal materials. Moreover, the UV laser is designed to be a practical solution for marking plastics and glass — the UV laser machine it can engrave a vast number of materials, from metals to paper. Check the list of materials that this machines can engrave and mark.

UV laser common applications

Mark: some metals

Mark and engrave: all plastics

Mark: all glass 

Mark and engrave: some stones

Mark: paper

Mark and engrave: leather

Mark: fruits

Mark: wood

Mark: ceramic

Mark: garments

And other materials, for more information consult us. 

Fiber laser common applications

Mark and engrave: all metals

Mark and engrave: some plastics

Mark: some stones

Mark: some leathers

Mark: some paper

Mark: some garments

For more information about other materials consult us.

As we can see the laser UV, it can engrave more materials than the fiber laser. The UV laser it can mark over different materials, but it has less power of engraving and carving over metal materials, it is there when the fiber laser machine it can have a significant advantage over the UV laser at the time of mark, engrave and carve metal materials.

What are the advantage of the UV laser machines?

The main advantage of the UV laser technology is the multifunctionality and capacity of engraving over different materials, including non-metal materials. This technology is also able to use the automatization system like rotary engraving, linear guide engraving, conveyor engraving system and Camera Capture System.

What is the disadvantage of the UV laser machines?

One of the disadvantages of the UV laser technology is the weak engraving over the metals, if you are looking for a machine that can engrave and carve metals, then the fiber laser engraving machine it’s going to be a better option.

What’s the advantage of the Fiber laser engraving

In simple words, the main advantage of the fiber laser engraving machine is its capacity of engraving, mark and carve at high speed and the metal materials. The fiber laser also can mark different non-metal materials but the result of the engraving on this materials it is not going to be as well done like with a UV laser machine. However, this is extra points for the fiber laser machines, the capacity to work perfectly over metals and to work over some non-metal materials. 

What’s the disadvantage of the Fiber laser engraving machines?

The disadvantage of this machine it comes when we want to engrave non-metal materials. We can't engrave or mark several materials that the UV it can engrave, like wood, glass, all the plastics, paper, or in general transparent objects. For example, this machine can engrave ABS and PLA both very common plastics in different products. The engraving over this plastic materials it has 5 to 10% of melting when we use the fiber laser machine, this means that when you touch with your finger it’s possible that you can feel the surface of the engraving just by touch. It is something that will never happen with the UV laser machine engraving.