“Two-dimensional fiber laser cutting premieres” is the title of a seminal industry article (published in Industrial Laser Solutions) that documents a pivotal moment in manufacturing history: the first commercial introduction of fiber laser technology for flat (2D) sheet metal cutting.
Written by industry experts David A. Belforte and Antonio Vendramini, the article details the debut of this technology, which marked the beginning of the shift from CO₂ lasers to fiber lasers in the sheet metal industry.
Here are the key details surrounding this “premiere”:
1. The Historic Event
The “premiere” refers to the EuroBLECH 2008 exhibition in Hanover, Germany.
- At this trade show, the Italian company Salvagnini unveiled the L1Xe, widely credited as the world’s first fiber laser cutting machine specifically designed for 2D sheet metal processing.
- Prior to this, fiber lasers were primarily used for welding or low-power marking applications, not high-speed sheet metal cutting.
2. Why It Was Revolutionary
The article highlights why this premiere was a “shock” to the industry, which had been dominated by CO₂ lasers for decades:
- Energy Efficiency: The new fiber system consumed roughly 30% of the energy of a comparable CO₂ machine.
- Speed: It demonstrated cutting speeds on thin sheet metal that were significantly faster than existing CO₂ technology.
- Simplicity: It eliminated the need for laser gases, mirrors, and complex beam path maintenance.
3. The Aftermath
This premiere kicked off the “Fiber Revolution.” following Salvagnini’s debut, other major manufacturers (like Trumpf, Bystronic, and Amada) rapidly developed their own fiber systems. Today, fiber lasers account for the vast majority of new flat sheet cutting machine sales globally.