Fiber lasers excel at engraving metal and hard materials. The 1,064nm beam wavelength is absorbed by metals, making them ideal for jewelry, industrial parts, stainless steel, and anodized aluminum. Not suitable for wood or acrylic. Galvo-head variants achieve extremely high speeds.
Fiber lasers use optical fibers doped with rare-earth elements (ytterbium) to amplify a 1,064nm beam. This wavelength is absorbed by metals but passes through organics, making fiber lasers the only practical choice for permanent marking on stainless steel, gold, silver, and anodized aluminum.
Galvo vs gantry fiber lasers
Desktop fiber lasers almost universally use a galvo scanning head — mirrors that deflect the beam at up to 6,000mm/s — instead of a moving gantry. This is why fiber lasers can mark thousands of parts per hour. The trade-off is a limited work area (typically 100–200mm square).
Can fiber lasers engrave wood or acrylic?
Generally no. The 1,064nm wavelength passes through or reflects off non-metallic surfaces without engraving them. Hybrid machines like the xTool F1 add a secondary diode laser for organic materials. For mixed-material work, a hybrid or two separate machines is the practical answer.
MOPA vs Q-switched fiber
MOPA (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) fiber lasers offer adjustable pulse width and frequency, enabling colour marking on stainless steel and better control over marking depth. They cost more but offer significantly more capability than fixed Q-switched units. For professional marking, MOPA is the preferred choice.