Glass Tube Laser vs Metal Tube Laser Tubes
Which Laser tube type is best for you?
Co2 Laser Cutting machines and Laser Engravers machines can normally be put into two camps; those powered by glass tubes (DC) and those powered by metal tubes (RF), with each offering certain advantages and disadvantages.
Glass tube machines are normally a lower cost to purchase and are often seen as the economical solution for laser cutting applications. The main downside is that glass tubes do not last as long as its metal tube counterpart and will normally need replacing much sooner. They are also not as precise at laser engraving, with the engraving quality normally being inferior to that from metal tubes.
The life span of a high-quality laser glass tube can reach as high 8,000 hours for a high-end tube such as used in our GCC X-Series range. However, some cheaper glass tube options may last as little as only a few months. In comparison, some metal tubes can reach up to 45,000 hours, so although glass tube machines can appear to be a cheaper alternative, you could over the lifetime of the laser machine eradicate some of the savings via the need for glass laser tube replacement.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
| Glass Tube | - Lower purchase cost - Good cutting quality - Low-cost tube replacement | - Tube life span is shorter which increases the running cost - Water-cooled which requires an external water-cooling chiller unit - Power depletion can sometimes be instant - Engraving quality is not the same as a metal tube |
| Metal Tube | - The tube will last longer - RF excited tube can be pushed with higher frequency giving superior engraving quality - Quicker more accurate engraving speeds | - Higher initial cost - Tube replacement is more expensive |
GCC also offers hybrid laser cutters which use both laser and glass tubes, allowing you to get the best of both which includes cutting a variety of materials but also high-end engraving.
GCC X Series glass tube machines v other brands
- GCC X Series machines come with an unrivalled on-site, 2 years on the machine and 1 year on our glass laser tube
- Fitted with Servo Motors to improve performance and give better results than many stepper motors
- GCC X Series uses many components also used in our metal tube machines giving excellent reliability
- Fully automated z-axis allowing our patented autofocusing of the laser beam for better performance
- Front and rear pass-through doors allowing long objects to be loaded and executed
- Programmable origin helping to simplify working
- Easy to use keypad and software giving minimal learning curve
- GCC X Series have numerous options available such as SmartGuard alarm system to optimise safety, AAS module for cut after print, Rotary device for engraving on bottles and glasses etc., cutting table, SmartAir fine air nozzle for textile cutting etc.
Mechanics of the laser Engraver, things you should know before buying!
Stepper Motor
Most low end cheaper laser machines use a stepper motor in the laser machine. Installation of stepper motors can reduce the cost of the laser machine but the functionality efficiency is significantly declined. The laser machine with stepper motors can not provide high accuracy and ease of operation, compared to the laser engraver which is equipped with high-precision servo motors which you get in a GCC LaserPro Laser.Servo Motor
The cost of servo motors significantly exceeds the cost of stepper motors. The servo motors are equipped with encoders that constantly transmit real-time information about the position of laser carriage and eliminate the loss of coordinates. Due to feedback, the servo motors can achieve higher accuracy and high-speed engraving without blurring the edge of the image. In addition, high-precision servo motors can also achieve clean and mirror cut of the organic glass without stair-stepping.We have positioned the GCC X-Series models to enable you to benefit without deficit as we say, All the best options of glass tube laser machines without the negative side than can sadly sometimes be the reality. With a warranty that supports the facts.