Choosing the most appropriate laser cutting or engraving machine for a particular small business is always an important step. An especially suitable laser machine will inevitably deliver plenty of value in return for the investment made.
The laser tubes that the majority of such devices incorporate, however, deserve and repay attention themselves. Although many will provide thousands of hours of service, each will eventually reach a point where it will need to be replaced. Understanding the factors that contribute most significantly to laser tube prices will make it easy to choose an especially appropriate replacement.
The Most Important Considerations When Choosing a New Laser Machine Tube
Many machines on the market today will be able to accept any of a number of available tubes. Some of the most notable ways such parts vary from one to another include:
Housing. Some tubes are based on sealed glass enclosures that are designed to allow the introduction of electrical current. Others feature metallic housings and supporting elements that are used to channel radio frequency energy within. In addition to making use of fundamentally different means of excitation, tubes of these two basic kinds vary in another extremely important way. Glass tubes must normally be replaced when the gas charge they contain depletes to a certain level, while metal ones can normally be refilled at least a few times. While metallic tubes are more expensive to buy, they often afford longer overall service lifetimes in exchange.
Power. Even two generally similar tubes will often be rated for significantly different levels of power. As might be expected, tubes that are designed to handle more power tend to cost more than others. A 100 watt CO2 laser tube might be only two-thirds the price of a tube that carries a power rating fifty percent higher. Because that 150w laser tube will necessarily be larger and include more substantial supporting components, its cost of manufacturing will be affected.
Warranty. Finally, tubes also differ in terms of how long their manufacturers intend them to remain useful. Tubes that are designed and built to higher standards will typically cost more than others but might well carry longer warranties. Paying attention to this detail can keep overall costs of operation down and make the ownership of a laser machine more predictable.
The Perfect Part to Enable Years of Further Usage
In practice, the thousands of hours of operation that many high-quality tubes can withstand will often translate into years of actual service for businesses. As a result, choosing an especially appropriate tube will always pay off.