If you’ve ever watched a laser cutter turn a flat sheet into a clean, finished part, it’s easy to assume all lasers work the same way. They don’t.
At GWEIKE, we work with both CO₂ and fiber laser cutting systems across a wide range of applications—from non-metal prototyping to high-throughput metal fabrication. That’s why this topic comes up constantly: people hear “laser cutting” and expect one universal answer, but the right choice depends on material, thickness, and the kind of finish you’re aiming for.
Before we get into the fiber vs CO₂ breakdown, here are a few official GWEIKE links you can keep open for quick context:
- GWEIKE’s official website: https://www.gwklaser.com
- CO₂ laser cutting systems: https://www.gwklaser.com/co2/
- Fiber laser cutting systems: https://www.gwklaser.com/fiberlaser/
- Contact GWEIKE (specs, materials, and use cases): https://www.gwklaser.com/contact/
CO₂ lasers are usually the go-to for non-metals like acrylic, wood, leather, paper, and some plastics.
Fiber lasers are usually the go-to for metals, especially stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, and copper—and for high-throughput production.
Now let’s unpack the “why” without turning this into a physics lecture.
The real difference: wavelength (and why you should care)
The biggest technical divider is wavelength—basically the “color” of the infrared light.
- CO₂ lasers operate around 10.6 μm (far infrared). Many organic materials absorb this wavelength efficiently, which is why CO₂ is so common for acrylic, wood, leather, textiles, and more.
- Fiber lasers operate around ~1.06 μm (near infrared). Metals respond very well to this wavelength (especially once the cut starts heating), making fiber the dominant choice for metal cutting.
That one difference influences cutting speed, edge quality, maintenance style, and the kinds of jobs each machine handles best.
Side-by-side comparison
| Category | CO₂ Laser Cutting | Fiber Laser Cutting |
| Best at | Non-metals (acrylic, wood, leather, textiles, paper) | Metals (stainless, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, copper) |
| Typical users | Makers, signage shops, schools, prototyping labs | Fabrication shops, manufacturing, metal part production |
| Reflective metals | Often not ideal | Generally well-suited (with proper settings & safety design) |
| Common “wow” result | Clean acrylic edges; fast non-metal workflow | Fast metal throughput; repeatable production cutting |
| Where you feel it most | Material versatility in non-metals | Productivity, repeatability, metal-cut economics |
This table is the “headline,” but the details matter—especially if you’re picking based on your actual materials and workflow.
Material match: what each laser is actually good at
CO₂ lasers: where they usually win
CO₂ is typically the first choice for:
- Acrylic (PMMA): often excellent edge appearance for signage and display work
- Wood & MDF: crafts, signage, jigs, templates (with proper ventilation and fire monitoring)
- Leather & textiles: patterns, apparel components, light manufacturing
- Paper/cardboard: packaging prototypes, stencils, templates
Important note: never cut PVC/vinyl. It can release hazardous chlorine gas and damage equipment.
Fiber lasers: where they usually win
Fiber is the mainstream choice for:
- Stainless & carbon steel: everyday fab parts, frames, enclosures, brackets
- Aluminum: strong productivity and cost-per-part performance at scale
- Brass/copper: reflective metals that are common in industrial applications
- General sheet metal production: consistent results across long runs
If your workload is “mostly metal,” fiber tends to be the more straightforward match.
Speed, thickness, and edge quality: what changes in real life
1) Speed and throughput
If you’re cutting metal all day, speed isn’t just nice—it defines your pricing and lead time.
- Fiber is usually built for high metal throughput and production consistency.
- CO₂ is often fast and satisfying on non-metals, but it isn’t typically the modern default for metal production at scale.
2) Fine details and feature resolution
Both can do detailed cuts, but the limiting factor is often:
- motion control,
- focus stability,
- and how you design small features.
If you’ve ever had tiny holes “close up” or small tabs turn mushy, that’s usually a combination of design + settings + heat behavior—not just “wrong laser type.”
3) Heat effects and finishing
- On wood, you’ll often see darkened edges—sometimes desirable, sometimes not.
- On acrylic, CO₂ can produce edges that look “finished” right off the machine.
- On metal, fiber cutting quality is usually about dialing in assist gas, nozzle condition, focus, and speed so you avoid dross, striations, or edge burn.
Maintenance: why owners talk about this more than specs
Laser ownership is less about the maximum thickness on the spec sheet and more about how reliably you can run jobs day after day.
CO₂: typical ownership considerations
CO₂ systems commonly involve:
- optics and alignment attention (depending on design),
- tube-related lifecycle considerations,
- workflows optimized around non-metals (and sometimes mixed materials).
Fiber: typical ownership considerations
Fiber systems are commonly chosen for:
- production-oriented uptime expectations,
- strong efficiency on metals,
- a support stack (assist gas, extraction, cooling requirements depending on configuration) aligned to metal cutting.
Neither is “maintenance-free,” but the maintenance looks different—and that difference matters when a machine is part of your daily throughput.
Safety quick notes (because this is where people get burned—literally)
Laser cutting is powerful. Treat it like a machine tool, not a gadget.
- Ventilation/extraction: mandatory for most materials.
- Fire risk: real on wood, MDF, paper, and textiles—monitor jobs.
- Unknown plastics: don’t cut them unless you know exactly what they are.
- Never PVC/vinyl: hazardous fumes and corrosion risk.
A short safety checklist in your shop will save you more time and money than any “advanced setting.”
How to choose: a simple framework that beats spec-sheet shopping
Before you pick a laser type, answer these five questions:
- What are your top 5 materials?
- What’s your typical thickness range?
- What’s your monthly volume (how many parts / how many sheets)?
- Do you need cosmetic edges (signage), or fabrication-ready edges (weld/assemble)?
- What finishing steps are acceptable (deburr, sand, polish, paint)?
Choose CO₂ if…
- You work mostly with non-metals (acrylic/wood/leather/textiles/paper).
- You want great results for signage, crafts, prototyping, and maker workflows.
Choose fiber if…
- You work mostly with metals.
- You care about throughput, repeatability, and production consistency.
Many shops eventually use both, because the “best” tool depends on the job.
Common misconceptions (Q&A)
“Can a CO₂ laser cut metal?”
Sometimes—under certain configurations and thickness ranges—but if metal is your core workload, CO₂ is usually not the long-term main solution for modern production needs. For most metal-first workflows, fiber is the more direct fit.
“Is fiber only for big factories?”
Not necessarily. Fiber is common in industrial environments because it’s strong on metal throughput, but the real question is your workload: if you consistently need metal parts, fiber can make sense regardless of company size.
“CO₂ is ‘weaker’ than fiber, right?”
Not really. They’re optimized differently. CO₂ can be extremely effective on non-metals and can deliver results that fiber typically isn’t chosen for (like that classic acrylic edge look). “Stronger” depends on what you’re cutting.
“If I buy higher wattage, I’m done.”
Higher power helps in certain thickness ranges, but it doesn’t automatically solve quality problems. Nozzle condition, focus, assist gas, material quality, and design choices can matter just as much as wattage.
“One laser can do everything.”
In practice, forcing one machine type to cover every material often leads to compromises. The cleanest setups match the machine family to the dominant material category.
Want to go deeper?
If you’re still deciding between fiber and CO₂, don’t get stuck on marketing specs alone. Start by writing down four things: your top materials, typical thickness range, monthly volume, and what “good edge quality” means for your project (cosmetic finish vs fabrication-ready).
From there, compare the two laser families by how they behave in your real workflow—cut speed, assist gas needs, finishing time, and repeatability—not just “maximum thickness.” If you already have a clear material list and thickness range, the fastest path is to ask targeted, practical questions such as:
- What edge quality should you expect on your material?
- Which assist gas makes sense for your goals?
- What throughput assumptions are realistic for your part mix?
That approach will get you to the right laser type much faster than spec-sheet shopping.
