How Much Power Do I Need?

Fiber Laser Cutting Is More Than Just Power

When you’re shopping for a fiber laser, power is just the beginning. It’s easy to get excited about high-wattage machines—who wouldn’t want the ability to rip through 2" steel steel with precision? But here’s the hard truth: power without speed is wasted potential.

At Hero Machine Co., we build smarter. Our fiber lasers are available in 1.5kW, 2kW, 3kW, 4kW, 6kW, 12kW, and 20kW models—but we don’t just crank up the power and call it a day. As power increases, so does gantry acceleration speed, and that makes all the difference in cutting performance and ROI.

The Speed to Match the Power

Here’s how our sheet laser lineup is engineered:

• 1.5kW, 2kW, and 3kW: These machines are fitted with 1.5G gantries—perfectly tuned to handle the cutting speeds these power levels are capable of. You get full value from every watt.

• 4kW and 6kW: At this level, power ramps up significantly. We pair these models with 2G gantries so the machine doesn’t get bottlenecked by motion control. That means faster cycles, cleaner cuts, and more parts out the door.

• 12kW and 20kW: These are serious production machines. With that much power, you need serious speed. That’s why these models step up to 3.5G gantries—critical for thin sheet cutting where acceleration and deceleration affect edge quality and throughput.

Many other brands keep their gantries the same no matter the power level—usually around 1.5G. That might save on cost, but it limits your machine’s true capabilities. You wind up with a laser that could cut faster, should cut faster, but physically can't. That mismatch leads to longer cycle times, lower part output, and a slower ROI. Not with us.

Reflective Metals Need Muscle

Let’s talk about materials like aluminum, brass, and copper. These aren’t just pretty—they’re reflective. Since fiber lasers work by focusing light, reflective surfaces bounce that light back and scatter it. The thicker the material, the harder it is for the laser to punch through.

That’s where higher power makes a real difference. More wattage delivers more energy, compensating for the reflection losses and allowing clean, fast cuts even on difficult materials. So if you’re planning to cut reflective metals, especially at thicker gauges, you’ll want to lean into those higher power levels.

Why It All Matters

Here’s the bottom line: Hero Machine Co. fiber lasers scale not just in power, but in performance. The higher the wattage, the faster the gantry. That makes each machine a balanced, high-efficiency cutting system—not just a brute-force laser bolted to a basic frame.

Whether you're cutting 20ga stainless steel or blasting through 1” aluminum plate, you can trust that your Hero Machine is engineered for maximum throughput and faster ROI. Our machines don’t just keep up—they set the pace.