Hi Laser folks.

I am looking for advice on how to correctly size a fiber laser for Stainless Steel hypodermic tube cutting, drilling and notching. I plan to build a simple version of something like a Rofin Star cut laser tube cutter for very small stainless tubes. I have all the rotary and linear equipment I just need a laser source and head.

I am looking to pierce and cut .001" to .010" stainless. Does not have to be fast or perfectly clean.

I know that assist air or gas is one part of the equation and the laser power is the other but I have not found any tables on sizing the laser or flow of gas. Can anyone help me ball park the Watt and ideally gas that would be good and just right?

I have looked at fiber lasers and there are abundant 50W marking lasers on ebay that are cheap. There are also inexpensive fiber laser cutting heads that start at about $1200US with cooling circuits and gas delivery. I am wondering if I can mate a lower power laser with a decent focus head and get there cheaply.

I have found Laser Mech has a fine kerf head that looks great too.

There does not seem to be a ubiquitous fiber laser source Above 50W but under 500W. Any Ideas?

Thank you!

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