Shielding and Assist Gas for Laser Welding and Cutting
Which gas to use for laser welding and laser cutting, how to plan a supply that keeps up, what gas costs per good part, and how to handle cylinders safely.
Read article →Laser Cutting & Welding Tips & Insights
Guides on fiber laser welding, CO₂ and fiber laser cutting, maintenance and choosing the right machine.
Articles on this blog are general information, not professional advice. Ascent Equipment LLC accepts no liability for errors or omissions, or for how the information is used.
Sheet Loading for Laser Cutters: Options and Budget Costs
Seven ways to load 5 × 10 ft acrylic and aluminum sheets onto a laser cutter, from vacuum lifters to storage towers, with sheet weights and budget costs.
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Cobots and Industrial Robots in Fiber Laser Welding
Cobot or industrial robot for fiber laser welding? How they differ, six automation examples, what a cell costs and why both need laser protection.
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How Laser Technology Is Transforming Industry
Laser cutting, welding, cleaning and mold repair are changing how shops make parts: where the savings come from, how new workers learn and where AI fits in.
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How to Select a Handheld Laser Cleaning System
How to buy a handheld laser cleaner: describe the job, test on your own parts, look past the wattage, plan fume extraction and compare cost per square foot.
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How Laser Technology Empowers Fabricators and Entry-Level Workers
Laser welders let entry-level workers do professional work on routine jobs. What they learn fast, what still takes skill, and what a shop can save.
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Buying a Handheld Laser Welder: A Practical Checklist
Cooling, power, wire feeder, wobble head, torch weight, safety and warranty: the points that decide which handheld fiber laser welder fits your shop.
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Inside the Ascent 2000W Handheld Fiber Laser Welder
What the Ascent 2000W handheld fiber laser welder brings to a shop: refrigerant cooling, a high-speed wobble head, a light torch and a complete kit.
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How the Ascent 2000W Refrigeration Laser Welder Compares
The Ascent 2000W refrigeration laser welder next to typical air- and water-cooled handheld welders: cooling, duty cycle, torch weight, running cost and support.
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Winning Over a Skeptical MIG or TIG Welder
How to get an experienced MIG or TIG welder to give laser welding a fair try: aluminum, the daily workflow, labor math, safety questions and a test weld.
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Up to 4x Faster: What a 2000W Handheld Fiber Laser Welder Offers
Handheld fiber laser welders can travel up to 4x faster than traditional welding. Cooling, torch weight, included gear and what a 2000W machine can weld.
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Laser Welding and the Cost of Aluminum Welding Labor
Skilled aluminum TIG welders are expensive and hard to hire. How training a production worker on a laser welder changes the labor math, with wage data.
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Fit-Up and Gap Control in Laser Welding
A gap in a laser weld joint is a path for the beam. Fit-up tolerances, joint types, fixturing, copper backing bars and what to do when a gap stays open.
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Setting Up for a Handheld Laser Welder, Step by Step
Get your shop ready for a handheld laser welder: power, gas, the laser-controlled area, fume extraction, table height, cables, fixtures and a daily checklist.
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Is QCW Safer? Pulsed vs. Continuous Tabletop Laser Welding
QCW pulses put less heat into thin aluminum and stainless than CW, but both are Class 4 lasers. What a CCD camera and an enclosure really add to safety.
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QCW Tabletop or 2000W Handheld: Which Laser Welder Fits Your Shop?
The Ascent QCW tabletop and handheld welder versus the 2000W handheld: typical work, heat input, speed, and which kind of shop should buy which.
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Mold Repair Lasers Compared: QCW Fiber, Pulsed Nd:YAG and Continuous Fiber
QCW fiber, pulsed Nd:YAG and continuous fiber (CW) lasers for mold repair: beam quality, efficiency, peak power on reflective metals, filler wire and heat.
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Which Materials Actually Stop a 1070nm Fiber Laser Beam?
Ordinary welding curtains don't stop a 1070nm fiber laser. Which absorbing and reflecting materials work as backing, barriers and beam stops, and which fail.
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CO₂ or Fiber Laser Cutter? Match the Laser to the Material
CO₂ or fiber laser cutter? Which materials each one cuts, edge quality, speed, running costs and maintenance, and when it pays to run both.
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Consumables for a Dual-Gantry CO₂ and Fiber Laser Cutter
Which parts wear out on the CO₂ and fiber sides of a dual-gantry laser cutter, how often to replace them, what spares to stock and how to budget for them.
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How to Choose a Fiber Laser Cleaner: Pulsed vs. CW, Power and Cooling
Pulsed or continuous wave, low or high power, air or water cooling? What laser cleaners remove, the specs that matter, red flags and what to ask a supplier.
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Class 4 Laser Regulations in Canada
Class 4 lasers in Canada: Health Canada product rules, bilingual labels, provincial workplace law, Alberta registration and what to ask for before you buy.
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How Can a 300W Laser Cutter Improve Metal Fabrication?
How a 300W CO₂ laser cutter supports a metal fabrication shop by cutting acrylic templates, panels and prototypes while the metal machines stay on metal.
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What Makes a CO2 Fiber Laser Machine Ideal for Manufacturers?
How a combination CO₂ and fiber laser machine helps manufacturers cut metals and nonmetals, and what to check before you buy.
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When Should You Upgrade to a 300W Laser Cutter for Acrylic?
Signs it is time to move to a 300W-class CO₂ laser cutter for acrylic, and what a stronger machine gives you.
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Can a Gantry Laser Cutting Machine Improve Manufacturing Efficiency?
How a gantry laser cutting machine helps manufacturers in the US and Canada cut faster, waste less material and finish more jobs at a steady quality.
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How to Choose the Best 150W CO2 Laser Cutter Machine
How to choose a 130W to 150W CO₂ laser cutter for a shop in the US or Canada: work area, cooling, controls, tube life, support and what it can cut.
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Will Cooling System Failures Impact CNC Fiber Laser Accuracy?
How a cooling system failure affects CNC fiber laser accuracy, the warning signs to watch for and how to look after the chiller.
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Could Gantry Laser Machines Replace Traditional CNC Punching Systems?
Gantry laser cutting compared with CNC punching on precision, speed, materials and cost, and when a laser can replace a punch.
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Can Laser Cutter Accuracy Be Affected by Ambient Temperature or Humidity?
How temperature and humidity affect laser cutter precision, and what you can do to protect accuracy with your laser cutter and engraver.
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Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Metal Sheet Cutting Machine Running Smoothly
Practical maintenance tips for a metal sheet laser cutting machine: daily checks, cleaning, lubrication, cooling and a maintenance log.
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How to Choose the Right QCW Laser Welding Machine for Your Workshop
How to choose a QCW laser welding machine: materials and thickness, power, tabletop or handheld, cooling, safety and service.
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How to Choose the Right CNC Fiber Laser Cutter for Long-Term Business Growth
What to check before you buy a CNC fiber laser cutter in the US or Canada: materials, laser power, accuracy, speed, safety, support and total cost.
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How a CO₂ Laser Engraving Machine Improves Branding and Product Personalization
How a CO₂ laser engraving machine gives small and mid-sized manufacturers clean, permanent branding and personalization on wood, acrylic and leather.
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What Should Businesses Know About CO₂ Laser Cutting Machines?
What businesses should know about CO₂ laser cutting machines: how they work, what they cut, maintenance, safety and buying tips.
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How a metal laser cutting machine supports both volume production and prototyping
How one metal laser cutting machine handles both volume production and prototyping, and what to look for when you choose it.
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How Small Businesses Can Benefit from Laser Metal Engraving
How small businesses use laser engraving to brand products and take custom orders, and which laser engraves metal and which engraves nonmetals.
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How to Troubleshoot Common CO2 Fiber Laser Machine Issues
How to troubleshoot common problems on CO₂ and fiber laser machines: power, optics, cooling, software and mechanical wear.
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Tips to Maximize Efficiency with Your Handheld Laser Welding Machine
Fifteen practical tips for getting the most from a refrigerant handheld laser welder, from safety and surface prep to settings and upkeep.
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Starting a Mold Repair Business Using Fiber Laser Welding
What a small shop needs to start a mold repair business with laser welding: equipment, workspace, customers and common challenges.
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Industries That Use Laser Cutting Technologies: Spotlight on Automotive Applications
How automotive and other industries use laser cutting for body panels, exhaust and engine parts, and the machines that cut them.
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Which Laser Works Best for Cutting Metals in Small Businesses?
Four Ascent machines for small businesses that cut and weld metal: a fiber laser cutter, a CO₂ cutter and two handheld fiber laser welders.
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What Is a Laser Cleaning Machine and How Does It Work?
What a laser cleaning machine is, how it removes rust, paint and coatings, how pulsed and continuous-wave types differ, and the safety points to know.
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Fix Smarter with Refrigeration Handheld Fiber Laser Welders
How a refrigeration handheld fiber laser welder fits HVAC repair and maintenance: portability, low heat, clean welds and the precautions to take.
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How Deep Can a 300W Laser Cutter Go? Cutting Thickness Explained
See how thick a 300W-class CO₂ laser cutter can cut acrylic, MDF and wood, with recommended settings and tips for clean cuts.
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Why CNC Fiber Laser Cutters Are Replacing Plasma Cutters in 2025
Why many shops are moving from plasma to CNC fiber laser cutting for sheet metal, and where plasma still makes sense.
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How Fiber Laser Cutter for Metal Transforms the Future of Industrial Cutting
Why shops use fiber laser cutters for metal: speed, precision, the metals they cut, low maintenance and low energy use.
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Top Benefits of Using Fiber Laser for Mold Repair in Manufacturing
Why laser welding suits mold repair: low heat, accuracy, less waste, a longer mold life and faster turnaround.
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High-Precision Handheld Laser Welding: Cost-Effective & Eco-Conscious
Where handheld laser welding saves money and cuts waste compared with TIG and MIG, and what to look for in a machine.
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Laser Welding Made Simple: How It Works and Why It’s Worth It?
How laser welding works, how it compares with traditional welding and what a handheld laser welder costs.
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How to Avoid Warping When Welding Thin Aluminum Sheets?
How to keep thin aluminum from warping when you laser weld it: surface prep, heat control, clamping, backing bars and weld patterns.
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Laser Engraving vs. Laser Cutting: Understanding the Key Differences
The differences between laser engraving and laser cutting: purpose, depth, materials and speed, and when to use each.
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Handheld Fiber Laser Welder: How It Handles Different Materials Compared to MIG?
A handheld fiber laser welder compared with MIG on steel, aluminum, copper and titanium: heat input, speed, thickness and cleanup.
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Choosing the Right Metal for Your Laser Engraving and Cutting Projects
How stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper and carbon steel behave under a laser, and what to consider when you pick a metal to cut.
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How to Choose the Right Acrylic CO2 Laser Cutting Machine for Your Business
Ascent Lasers Pro sells CO₂ laser cutters across the US and Canada for acrylic, wood, leather and other nonmetals, with installation and training included.
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