In this article
2026 FLUX Lasers Comparison | Find the Best Laser Cutter for Your Business
Laser Types Comparison
What Are CO2 Lasers?
CO2 laser cutters rely on a high-pressure, gas-filled tube with mirrors at each end. These mirrors reflect the light generated by the energized CO2 back and forth, amplifying the beam. Once the light reaches the desired intensity, it is directed onto the chosen material for cutting or engraving.
CO2 laser cutters are highly versatile and can cut a wide range of materials, including non-metals and thicker materials such as wood and acrylics. They offer faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and smoother surface finishes, making them ideal for various cutting applications.
Factors to consider when choosing CO2 lasers include the need for consistent maintenance and occasional part replacements, such as the laser tube and lenses. Additionally, CO2 lasers cannot cut metals but can engrave on stainless steel with a spray-on coating and anodized metal. Therefore, if you’re looking for metal engraving lasers, it’s better to choose diode lasers or infrared lasers.
Advantages of CO2 Lasers
- Material Flexibility: CO2 laser cutters can cut through a wider range of materials, including non-metals.
- Thicker Materials: Efficient for cutting thicker materials over 5mm, providing faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and smoother surface finishes.
- High-Speed Cutting: CO2 laser cutting machines handle large amounts of cutting work quickly. The laser beam moves at high speeds, allowing it to cut complex patterns or shapes in seconds. This makes CO2 lasers very useful in high-volume production, such as automotive manufacturing and sheet metal processing, significantly boosting production efficiency.
What Is a Diode Laser?
A diode laser cutter uses semiconductor diodes to produce a focused laser beam. These lasers are known for their compact size and efficiency. The light produced by the diodes is focused through a lens system, directing the beam onto the material for cutting or engraving.
Diode lasers are particularly effective for engraving on various materials and cutting thin materials. They are ideal for precision work and detailed designs. Factors to consider when choosing diode lasers include their inability to cut or engrave transparent materials such as glass and clear acrylic. If your projects rely heavily on these materials, a CO2 laser is a better fit.
Advantages of Diode Lasers
- Compact Size: Diode lasers are smaller and more portable than other types of lasers, making them ideal for limited-space environments.
- Precision: Excellent for fine, detailed work, suitable for engraving on materials like wood, plastic, and coated metals.
What Is an Infrared Laser?
Infrared lasers typically have a wavelength of 1064nm. They are named infrared (IR) lasers because their emitted light falls within the infrared spectrum, which ranges from 700nm to 1mm (1,000,000nm). Since the laser beam is in the infrared region, it is invisible to the human eye and has no discernible color.
Infrared lasers are known for their precision and ability to handle materials that absorb infrared wavelengths effectively, such as metals.
- Precision and Accuracy: The focused beam of an infrared laser ensures that even the most complex designs are engraved with deep detail, producing crisp and clean marks.
- Versatility in Materials: Infrared lasers can accurately engrave on a wide range of materials, including metal, plastic, stainless steel, copper, glass, and ceramics. This versatility brings more possibilities for creativity and customization.
Top Desktop Laser Picks for Small Businesses
For personalized gifts business
beamo 30W CO2 Laser Cutter & Engraver
Key Features of beamo
- Compact Size: At 24 by 17.5 inches, beamo fits perfectly on any desk, providing more room for creativity.
- Integrated HD Camera: Allows for precise material placement and preview, ensuring accurate engraving.
- Built-in Safety Features: Includes auto pause if the lid is opened and an internal water cooling system for stable cutting.
- High-Resolution Laser: The 30W CO2 laser offers exceptional engraving at 0.05 mm layer spacing and 1,000 DPI resolution.
- Versatile Material Compatibility: Capable of cutting and engraving a wide range of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, and more.
- Class 1 Laser Product
For Miniature and Board Game Business
Beambox II
If you are a miniature designer or create products requiring many parts, FLUX Beambox II is ideal for you. FLUX Beambox II offers a huge work area of 23.62 x 14.76 inches and cuts up to 20mm thick acrylics (varies by material). With a built-in camera to preview materials and a large work area, it can efficiently cut puzzle pieces, miniatures, board game components, and more, saving time while maintaining high quality.
Key Features of Beambox II
- Large Work Area: Offers a maximum work area of 38.98 x 26.38 x 9.84 inches and cuts materials up to 10 mm.
- Built-in Camera: Allows for precise material alignment and preview before cutting.
- High Resolution: Engraves with a high resolution of 1000 DPI, ensuring detailed and precise results.
- Intuitive Touch Panel: Equipped with an easy-to-use touch panel for smooth operation.
- Class 1 Laser Product
For Mass Production Businesses
HEXA 60W Desktop Laser Cutter & Engraver
Key Features of FLUX HEXA
- Massive Work Area: HEXA offers a 28.74 x 16.14 inches work area
- High-Speed Engraving: Equipped with a Cortex M4 core chip, it can engrave at speeds up to 900mm/s.
- Powerful Laser: Features a 60W high-spec CO2 laser tube, achieving up to 1000 DPI resolution.
- Auto Focus: Allows for easy focus adjustment with a simple tap. Wide Material Compatibility: Efficiently cuts through dozens of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, and more.
- Class 1 Laser Product
For Small Businesses with Diverse Products
Ador Color Printing Laser Cutter & Engraver
Key Features of Ador
- Built-in HD Camera: Instantly preview your designs.
- Modular Design: Effortlessly transition between diode laser & IR laser & printing module.
- Smart Dashboard: Seamlessly navigate files and track progress live.
- Laser Safety Window: Protect your eyes with OD5-grade shielding.
- Large Workspace: A vast 430 x 300mm work area awaits.
- Class 1 Laser Product
Business Ideas Created by Ador
