3-axis galvanometric CO2 laser

The Plotter-type laser is particularly suited for cutting large surfaces and processing thick materials. In contrast, the galvanometric (galvo) laser is designed to meet the needs for productivity, speed, and industrial automation.
Thanks to its fixed head and mirror-controlled optical system, it can achieve high operating speeds while maintaining great marking precision.

Very High Execution Speed
The main difference between the two technologies lies in their movement method.

Plotter-type Laser

• Mechanical movement of the head along the X and Y axes.
•  Speed limited by the inertia of moving components.

Galvanometric Laser

• Fixed laser head.
• Beam deviation via ultra-fast mirrors.
• Near-instant execution of marking trajectories.

Result: reduced cycle times and productivity adapted to industrial environments.

High Precision and Excellent Repeatability
Operation without mechanical movement over long distances ensures consistent quality over time.

Advantages

• Reduction of mechanical play.
• Limitation of wear and drift phenomena.
• High reproducibility of markings.

This technology is particularly suited for applications requiring fine details or high throughput rates.

Examples of applications:

• High-density barcodes.
• Marking of electronic components.
• Small texts or engravings.

Significantly Reduced Maintenance

Plotter-type Laser

• Periodic maintenance of rails, belts, and mechanical components.
• Regular cleaning of exposed optical components.

Galvanometric Laser

• Optical system integrated into a protected head.
• Maintenance limited to periodic cleaning of the output lens.

Result: fewer interventions and improved equipment availability.

Easy Integration into Production Lines
Thanks to its compact format and fixed head, the galvanometric laser easily integrates into an automated environment.

It particularly enables:

• Integration onto conveyors.
• Continuous part marking.
• Synchronized operation with production rates.

Automation and Traceability-Oriented Features
Software associated with galvanometric solutions facilitates the automation of marking operations:

• Automatic generation of dates, times, or production information.
• Automatic incrementing of serial numbers.
• Possible connection to ERPs, databases, or industrial control systems.

Which type of laser to choose?

Choose a Plotter laser if:

• You work on large surfaces.
• You perform thick material cutting.
• You are looking for great format flexibility.

Choose a Galvanometric laser if:

• Execution speed is the priority.
• You are looking for high-rate production.
•  You have automated traceability needs.
• In-line production integration is planned.

In summary: the galvanometric laser is particularly well-suited for industrial marking when the objectives are productivity, repeatability, and automation.

The galvanometric (galvo) laser is particularly recognized for its execution speed and productivity in industrial environments.
However, its optical architecture implies certain geometric constraints that may make the Plotter-type laser (X-Y flatbed) more suitable depending on the application.

Here are the main limitations of the galvanometric system compared to a Plotter:

A naturally more limited work surface
In a galvanometer system, the head remains fixed above the work area and the beam is directed by mirrors from a central point.
When the processing area increases, the beam deflection angle becomes larger, which can influence the quality and consistency of the marking or cutting.

Galvanometer laser

• Generally more compact work field
• Dimensions often limited to localized marking or cutting applications
• Extension possible on certain advanced systems (e.g., 3-axis architecture)

Laser plotter type

• Physical movement of the head on the X and Y axes
• Work surface limited only by the machine’s mechanical dimensions
• Ability to process large formats or significant lengths

An angling effect on the edge (bevel)
During cutting operations, particularly on thick materials, the orientation of the beam can impact the geometry of the edge.

Galvanometric laser

The beam is deflected by a mirror system to cover the work area. The further the cut is from the center of the field, the greater the angle of incidence becomes.

Consequences:

• Possible appearance of a bevel effect on the edge
• Cut less perfectly perpendicular on thick materials
• Effect more visible on parts requiring high geometric precision

Plotter-type Laser

The mechanical movement of the head allows the beam to remain perpendicular to the material across the entire working surface.

Advantages:

• Straighter and more uniform edges
• More consistent cutting angle
• Better homogeneity on large dimensions and thick materials

More limited capacity for greater thicknesses
The design of the galvanometer system generally requires a greater working distance between the head and the material.

Galvanometer laser

• Frequent use of longer focal length lenses
• Slightly larger laser spot
• Energy density less concentrated at the focal point

Consequence:

• Performance less suited to deep cutting or thick materials

Plotter-type laser

• Positioning of the head as close as possible to the material
• Possible use of shorter focal lengths
• High energy concentration in the cutting zone

Advantages:

• Better penetration capacity
• More efficient cutting on thick materials

In summary, when should you choose one or the other?

Thanks to its precision and its ability to concentrate energy on a very fine area, the CO₂ laser allows for the clean and rapid cutting of a wide range of materials.

Compatible Materials:

• Abs
• Acrylic: Pmma, Plexiglas, Polymethyl methacrylate
• Rubber
• Wood
• Raw wood (thin thicknesses)
• MDF / Medium (avoid thicknesses >6mm which result in a very burnt finish and emit a lot of smoke) -Do not use through-dyed MDF
• Plywood
• Polyamide / PA / Nylon
• Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)
• Polyoxymethylene / POM / Delrin
• Polyester / PES / Thermolite / Polarguard
• Polyethylene terephthalate / PET / Mylar
• Polyimide / PI / Kapton
• Polystyrene / PS
• Polypropylene / PP
• Rhodoid / Overhead projector transparency film
• PVC-free foams
• Polyester / PES
• Polyethylene / PE
• Polyurethane / PUR
• Neoprene – Catches fire easily
• Fabrics (felt, hemp, cotton, acrylic, nylon)
• Leather
• Paper
• Cardboard, wood-fiber board
• Foam board (cardboard+PU foam) – Foam core board (cardboard+Expanded Polystyrene) cuts much less effectively
• Natural, synthetic rubbers (only if they do not contain chlorine) – Warning: generates a lot of soot and heavily clogs machines.

All of these can be engraved or marked depending on the energy (power or time) supplied by the laser.

The “galvanometric” CO2 laser (or galvo) works very differently from a plotter-type (X-Y table) laser. As the beam is projected from a fixed head located overhead and deflected by ultra-fast mirrors, cutting adheres to specific physical rules.

Ideal materials for Galvo CO2 cutting:

This technology excels in cutting thin and flexible materials. Its lightning-fast movement speed is a major asset for instantaneously destroying or dissociating the material without burning it.

• Paper and cardboard: Ideal for creating packaging, intricate greeting cards, or prototypes (extreme speed without carbonization of edges).
• Textiles and fabrics: Perfect for cutting complex patterns in ready-to-wear, fashion, or textile marking (the CO2 laser cauterizes the edges of synthetic fabrics, which prevents fraying).
• Leather and synthetic leather: Widely used in leather goods to cut precision pieces or create designer perforations.
• Very thin wood veneer (balsa, fine woods): For marquetry or model making.
• Thin plastic films and labels: Especially thin polyester (PET) or polycarbonate (PC) (applications such as “kiss-cutting” or half-cut).

Why are we limited to thin materials?

If you need to cut materials, two physical constraints related to the galvanometric architecture come into play:

• Loss of power density with distance: As the laser head is far from the work table, the beam must travel a significant distance. The larger the focal length (to cover a large field), the slightly wider the impact point (the spot) becomes, which reduces the energy concentration needed to cut through thick materials (such as 5 or 10 mm PMMA or wood).
• Angulation effect (edge effect): Unlike a plotter where the head is always vertical (90°) above the material, the galvo mirror deflects the beam with an increasingly pronounced angle as it moves away from the center. When cutting slightly thick material, this angle directly affects the edge (the chamfer) of the piece, which will not be perfectly straight but beveled.

In summary

The galvanometric CO2 laser is a high-productivity tool for cutting thin materials (generally less than 1 to 2 mm).
If your goal is to cut thick Plexiglas (PMMA) or wood sheets several millimeters thick with perfectly straight edges, you should opt for a traditional plotter-type (X-Y table) CO2 laser.

What is the advantage of a 3-axis CO₂ laser?

The major advantage of a 3-axis CO₂ laser is that it addresses a historical compromise in industrial marking: having to choose between execution speed and a large working area.
This technology combines the benefits of classic architectures while limiting their constraints.

Speed and large working area

In traditional laser systems, two approaches dominate:

Plotter-type Laser (gantry system)

•  Large working area
•  Suitable for large formats
• Mechanical movement of the head on the X and Y axes
• More limited throughput due to moving masses

2-axis Galvanometric Laser

• Ultra-fast beam deviation by two optical mirrors
• Very high productivity
• More limited marking area to maintain good optical quality across the entire field

The 3-axis CO₂ laser overcomes this constraint:

• Retention of galvanometric system speed
• Significant increase in marking area
• Maintenance of beam quality over a wider working area

How does the third axis work?

The third axis is not an additional mechanical movement.

It is a dynamic optical axis integrated directly into the laser head.

While the X and Y axes orient the beam at very high speed, a motorized focusing lens automatically adjusts the focal point.

Its role:

• Continuously adapt the focal distance according to the beam’s position
• Maintain a fine and concentrated laser spot across the entire working area
• Preserve homogeneous marking quality from the center to the edges of the field

Result:

• More homogeneous markings on large dimensions
• Consistent quality across the entire effective area
• Better utilization of the working field

Concrete advantages in production

• Marking of large parts without mechanical movement
• Processing of complete trays containing multiple parts in a single cycle
• Reduction of production times
• Maintenance of a high throughput even over large areas
• Improvement of marking repeatability

A technology adapted to 3D marking and complex surfaces

Dynamic focus management also allows for processing more complex geometries.

Possible applications:

•  Textured surfaces
• Curved parts
• Cylinders
• Inclined planes
• Height variations without significant loss of marking quality