| Diode Laser | 5–20 W optical output | Wood Plywood Leather Cardboard Slate Anodized aluminum Painted metal | Wooden signs, ornaments, leather patches, coasters, slate gifts, paper products, and painted promotional items. | Can cut thin wood, plywood, leather, paper, and cardboard. Cutting thickness depends heavily on power, material density, multiple passes, and air assistance. | Good for high-contrast surface engraving and fine line work on wood, leather, slate, and coated surfaces. | Approximately 400 × 400 mm to 1000 × 1000 mm | Suitable for low-cost customization and startup businesses. Generally not suitable for clear acrylic, most transparent materials, thick stock, or efficient metal cutting. |
| CO₂ Laser | 40–150 W for common small and medium machines | Acrylic Wood Plywood Leather Rubber Paper Cardboard Glass Stone Coated metal | Acrylic signs, display letters, packaging prototypes, wooden décor, wedding invitations, rubber stamps, glassware, and leather goods. | The most versatile option for cutting non-metallic materials. A 40–60 W system is commonly used for thin sheets; higher power supports thicker wood and acrylic. | Excellent for detailed engraving on wood, acrylic, leather, glass, stone, rubber, and coated materials. | Approximately 300 × 500 mm to 1300 × 900 mm | A strong all-purpose choice for signage, gifts, décor, and fabrication businesses. Requires ventilation, cooling, and careful material selection; it does not directly mark bare metal well. |
| Fiber Laser Marker | 20–100 W for common marking applications | Stainless steel Aluminum Brass Copper Titanium Tool steel Anodized aluminum Engineering plastics | Serial numbers, QR codes, tools, nameplates, metal jewelry, industrial components, bottles, electronic parts, and equipment identification. | Primarily designed for marking, not general sheet cutting. Higher-power systems can process thin metal, but they are not a replacement for a dedicated metal-cutting machine. | Very high contrast and durable marking on bare and coated metals. Fine text, barcodes, logos, and data-matrix codes are typical. | Approximately 70 × 70 mm to 300 × 300 mm | Best for metal personalization, traceability, and industrial marking. Limited performance on wood, clear acrylic, glass, and many organic materials without specialized configurations. |
| MOPA Fiber Laser | 20–60 W for color and precision marking | Stainless steel Anodized aluminum Titanium Plastics Painted metals Sensitive metal surfaces | Colored stainless-steel products, black aluminum marking, electronic components, medical instruments, jewelry, and high-detail industrial identification. | Intended for precision marking rather than cutting. It can remove coatings and create controlled surface effects but is not normally selected for thick material cutting. | Excellent control of pulse duration, heat input, contrast, and color effects on suitable metals. | Approximately 70 × 70 mm to 300 × 300 mm | Best for premium metal personalization and demanding industrial marks. Higher purchase cost and more complex parameter adjustment than a standard fiber marker. |
| UV Laser | 3–15 W for precision marking | Glass Crystal Acrylic Plastics Silicon Coated metals Electronics | Cosmetic packaging, glass bottles, transparent acrylic products, electronic components, medical packaging, and small luxury goods. | Usually used for surface marking and shallow micro-processing, not for high-throughput cutting of thick sheets. | Very fine, low-heat marking with reduced risk of melting, burning, or heat damage on many sensitive materials. | Approximately 100 × 100 mm to 200 × 200 mm | Best for delicate, high-value, or heat-sensitive products. Generally costs more and has a smaller working area and lower cutting capability than a CO₂ system. |
| Galvo CO₂ Laser | 30–60 W for rapid surface processing | Wood Leather Acrylic Glass Paper Coated materials | Personalized packaging, leather products, glassware, flat promotional items, paper goods, and high-volume surface graphics. | Primarily for surface engraving and marking. It is not normally chosen for thick-sheet cutting. | Very fast scanning and consistent engraving over a defined field, especially for logos, names, and repeated artwork. | Approximately 100 × 100 mm to 300 × 300 mm | Suitable for high-volume personalization of smaller products. The marking field is smaller than that of a gantry machine and large items may require repositioning. |
| Metal-Cutting Fiber Laser | 1–6 kW for sheet and plate production | Carbon steel Stainless steel Aluminum Brass Copper | Industrial brackets, panels, machine parts, enclosures, signage components, furniture parts, and fabricated metal products. | Designed for production cutting of metal sheet and plate. Maximum thickness varies significantly with laser power, assist gas, material type, and machine configuration. | Provides clean, repeatable cuts and can also perform basic marking with suitable software or accessories. | Approximately 1500 × 3000 mm to 2000 × 6000 mm | Best for industrial fabrication and contract manufacturing. Requires substantial floor space, ventilation, compressed gas, trained operators, and a significantly larger investment. |
| Hybrid CO₂/Fiber System | CO₂ section: 60–150 W; fiber section: commonly 20–60 W | Wood Acrylic Leather Glass Stainless steel Aluminum Coated metals | Mixed-material signage, promotional products, personalized gifts, nameplates, awards, and small-batch product development. | Can cut or engrave selected non-metals with CO₂ and mark some metals with fiber. Performance in each mode is usually lower than that of a dedicated machine optimized for one material category. | Broad material coverage, with good results when the correct laser source and settings are used. | Approximately 600 × 400 mm to 1300 × 900 mm | Useful for businesses handling varied materials in moderate volumes. Higher complexity, maintenance requirements, and cost than a single-source machine. |