The fiber laser produces a beam of infrared light that is focused down to a 0.005” (0.13mm) spot. The metal gets hot enough to melt, and an assist gas blows it through, creating the cut
Traditionally, fiber laser cutting machines can cost any where from $100,000 and upwards of $1,000,000 depending on capabilities and power. FabLight systems start at $65,000
Each model and configuration cuts different materials at different thicknesses. Our fully powered high-pressure FL4500-HP is capable of cutting mild steel up to 0.250" (6 mm)
It varies depending on configuration and material. Around 3” (76.2mm) per second, with different power lasers and materials going up to 10” (254mm) per second or down to 0.1” (2.5mm) per second - still fast for cutting thick metal
Aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, gold, inconel, mild steel, nitinol, silicon steels, silver, stainless steel, titanium, 4130 chromoly, and more
There are twist-clamps on the side edges of the bed to hold your sheet-based parts. For tube-based parts, the tube is held by the jaws of the drive and idler chuck. The cut part is held with auto-tabs that are created automatically in FabCreator
No, fiber lasers produce light that isn’t absorbed by these materials. For those materials you want a CO2 laser
Yes, it can do both outline vector fonts and pictures, and can raster bitmap images as well
IPG fiber laser
The laser is only on 10% of the time, but the power is 10 times higher, so it puts out 4,500W instead of 450W, though it can also be run in “continuous” mode at 450W
Only two - Fablight's require a 110V (20A) wall outlet and clean dry air. That's it. No external exhaust for fumes, and it even comes on wheels in a crate with a built-in ramp
It cuts well with clean, dry air. We recommend at least 130 psi for most materials, but higher pressure is needed for thicker materials. It uses around 5 CFM of air (gas consumption chart available in our product guide). You can use nitrogen for cleaner cuts on stainless steel
We currently leave air gas equipment to the experts. However, we do provide an assist gas system recommendation sheet that you can in our full product guide
It runs on a single 110V, 20A outlet (or 220V for overseas use). The machine itself uses power like a hair dryer, around 2200W, but that’s only while cutting. The vacuum exhaust uses another 1100W. The total cost is under $1 an hour to run
Assuming electricity is an expensive $0.25 per kWh, and with the vacuum exhaust it needs 3300W, that’s 3.3kWh * $0.25kWh = $0.83 to run for an hour (with constant cutting). It uses around 3 CFM of gas, which is approximately $100 annually for 1 CFM. So for air that’s $300/year, or around $1.50/day (at 200 days/year), or $0.18/hour for an 8 hour shift, for a total of $1.01/hour. And those are very conservative estimates
Up to 0.188"
Standard output tube is up to 52" long (cut froma 55" piece of tube stock)
Parts are held with automatic tabbing (done in FabCreator), and a set of jaws on the drive chuck and the idler chuck
We offer a tube extension for loading tube stock up to 80", or 6'8". Note that the maximum part size remains 52"
It's a third of a full 20-foot (240") tube, making it convenient to create three pieces of stock. This allows you to still purchase full tube lengths without wasting any material
Absolutely, check out our sheet only systems
While being affordable, FabLight systems are made with high-quality parts that are rated for speeds and forces many times higher than what is being produced in our machine. That paired with regular maintenance, and a premium IPG fiber laser source and your FabLight should last for years to come
You may occasionally need to replace a laser window that protects the optics, or the copper nozzle tip on the cutting head. Aside from that, the only regular consumables besides your compressed gas – either bottled or from an air compressor
Customers spent, on average, $300 for replacement parts (laser windows and nozzles) and repairs in 2021
We stock common replacement parts in our Oakland, CA facility and we can ship them to you as quickly as you need
Just like with any industrial equipment, regular maintenance is required to keep your machine in tip-top shape. Maintenance schedules vary depending on usage and dust extraction systems from daily to weekly. This will mainly include regular vacuuming inside the enclosure, dusting down sensitive components, and lubricating rails
Unparalleled. We pride ourselves in exceptional customer service and our FabLight owners agree. Our applications and service team replies usually within an hour to 1 day. Most support cases can also be done remotely. That means less costs passed on to you and quicker turn around times. We also use Freshdesk where you can submit tickets, read tips & tricks, and find all other documentation and manuals.
FabCreator is currently available for Windows only
Simple. You export your drawing, from your CAD (tubes with our plug-in) or vector-based (Adobe Illustrator) program of choice. Then you import it into FabCreator. Assign the processes and materials of your choosing. You can also decide to add tabs or step and repeat for multiple parts. Then, load it up on to your FabLight and you're ready to cut
We currently support any program that outputs DXFs or DWGs. We plan to support more file formats in the near future
We currently have a plugin for Solidworks that can unwrap a DXF from a tube weldment. Our FabCreator software wraps it, regardless of where it comes from
Absolutely, and updates are also free of charge
If you own a FabLight, you have unlimited seats! Whether you're providing one-on-one training or have a class of students, you can have as many licenses as you need.
We are currently selling directly to reduce costs to you
FabLight systems come turn-key to you. You'll receive your FabLight system, unlimited FabCreator licenses, and a 1 year warranty
We provide online training. We find most users are so excited to get up and running that they skip this and get right into cutting!
We pass delivery costs directly on to you. The machine is so simple to install that majority of our customers do not require on-site installation. However, if you would like an on-site installation and training, we can provide this to you for a fee
Absolutely. Make sure to check out our sheet only systems
FabLight systems are built to order. Currently, we are experience lead times of around 12-16 weeks
We do not directly offer financing but can connect you with financing options
All FabLight systems are designed and built in the heart of Oakland, CA