Choosing the Right Laser for Your Business

A laser that fits your work becomes one of the busiest machines in the shop. One that doesn’t fit gets worked around for years. These are the decisions we walk customers through, in the order that matters.

1. Start with the material

What you plan to cut or mark decides the laser source.

CO₂ handles non-metals: wood, acrylic, Rowmark two-ply plastics, leatherette, rubber, glass, stone and fabric. It also marks anodized aluminum directly, and bare metal with a marking compound such as CerMark. CO₂ is the workhorse for engraving shops, sign makers, schools and makerspaces.

Fiber marks bare metal directly: stainless, steel, aluminum, brass and titanium, with no compound. If you mark parts for traceability, serial numbers or compliance, fiber is the answer.

Both? Epilog’s Fusion Pro is available with dual-source CO₂ plus fiber in one machine. It costs more than a single source but saves a second machine.

More detail: CO₂ vs fiber laser.

2. Match the bed to your largest job

A small bed is fine for one-off items. If you run full sheets of Rowmark for panel labels, or cut large acrylic displays, you’ll outgrow it quickly.

Ask yourself:

• What is the largest single piece you need to process?
• Will you run batches and full sheets, or one-off jobs?
• How tall are the items you’ll put in the machine?
• How much floor space, and how wide are the doors?

Current Epilog work areas, as a guide:

• Fusion Ascent 12: 24″ × 12″. The entry model.
• Fusion Ascent 24 / Fusion Pro 24: 24″ × 24″.
• Fusion Ascent 36 / Fusion Pro 36: 36″ × 24″.
• Fusion Pro 48: 48″ × 36″.

For production cutting of full sheets, Kern’s OptiFlex beds run from 52″ × 50″ up to 86″ × 144″.

Most small engraving shops are well served by a Fusion Ascent 24 or 36. Shops running long production days usually step up to a Fusion Pro 24 or 36 for the speed. See Fusion Pro vs Fusion Ascent for the differences.

3. Wattage: enough for the cutting you do

More CO₂ wattage cuts thicker material faster. It also costs more. Engraving needs far less power than cutting, so let your thickest regular cut decide the wattage:

• Mostly engraving, with thin cutting: the lower wattages on a model are usually enough.
• Regular cutting of thicker acrylic or wood: step up the wattage so jobs don’t need slow speeds or multiple passes.
• Heavy daily cutting: look at the higher-wattage Fusion Pro options or a Kern.

For fiber marking, lower wattages handle most identification work. Higher power marks faster and deeper. MOPA fiber adds control over pulse length, which helps with colour marking on stainless and with plastics.

Bring a sample to a demo and we’ll show you what each wattage does with it.

4. Software and workflow

The machine and the software come as a pair.

• Epilog prints from CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator and other Windows design software through its driver, with Epilog’s Job Manager for saving jobs and settings. That suits shops doing lots of custom one-off work.
• Kern systems run their own production software for cutting and nesting.
• Tykma marking systems include marking software built for serial numbers, barcodes and variable data.

Ask for a demo that matches your real workflow, not just a polished sample.

5. Plan for the rest of the setup

• Fume extraction: every laser needs it. Duct outdoors or use a filter unit such as FiltraBox.
• Power: Electrical requirements vary by model and wattage; confirm the supply and receptacle before ordering. Large Kern systems run on 230V, single or three phase, and some can be ordered for 415V or 480V three phase. Compressed air or assist gas is only needed for metal cutting.
• Training and support: Training is included with every new laser. Your quote spells out the details. Our service team is in Canada.

Next step

Try the Product Finder for a guided recommendation, or contact us with your application. We’d rather spend ten minutes on the right recommendation than sell you a machine you’ll outgrow.