You already probably know that the cost of a laser machine does not stop when you first buy it. If you want the true cost of a laser machine, then you must consider also how much it will cost to operate it (also referred to as the ownership cost). The true cost of a laser machine is then the initial cost of the laser machine when you first bought it + the cost to operate it.
Knowing the true cost of a laser machine is important because this will help you find out whether investing in a laser machine is worth your money.
Investing in a laser machine is only worth it if it makes a profit or helps you achieve something you want. If you have a business, I’m sure you’re really interested in profit. And in order to see if something will make you profit, you need to know the true cost of things (laser machine in this case).
How Do You Measure Operating Cost Of A Laser Machine?
It’s hard to accurately calculate the operating cost of a laser machine because there are so many things involved. So I will do my best to make sure you can calculate approximately the running cost of a laser machine for any business.
The running cost is usually measured in cost per hour. Here in the US is dollars per hour. And it is measured only when the machine is running (not when it’s idle or off).
Here is a quick overview list of things that you need to keep in mind when figuring out the running cost of owning a laser machine.
The Top Factors That Affect Laser Machine Operating Cost
Everyday Cost
- Gas Consumables: Most laser cutting operations require gas consumables such as O2 (oxygen) or N2 (nitrogen). The amount of money you pay for gas use depends on the method you use for providing gas to your laser machine (more on this later).
- Power Consumption: A laser machine has many parts that consume power. The major parts are the laser power source, the chiller/cooler, the mechanical stuff of the laser machine, and perhaps an exhaust blower if you use one. The higher the laser power of the machine, the more it will cost to operate. For example, a 10kw laser machine will cost more to run than a 2kw laser machine. Also, a CO2 laser machine consumes converts electricity less efficiently than a fiber laser, so it will cost more to operate. You can check out this blog post I made about comparing the two here: Fiber Laser Machines VS CO2 Laser Machines – The Ultimate Guide.
- Labor cost: If you pay someone to operate the laser machine for you, you need to consider that as part of the operating cost of the laser machine.
Every Once In A While Cost:
- Part replacements: Laser machine parts such as protective lens, focus lens, nozzle, and ceramic rings have to be replaced over a certain period of time.
- Maintenance and cleaning: You need to do things list vacuum, wipe down, lubricate, check the alignment of certain parts on the laser machine, and other stuff to make sure your laser machine is operating as best as possible and lasts a long time. These things of course require money and time.
After A While Investment
- Replacement of major parts: Over a long period of time, some parts of the laser machine need to be replaced such as the laser head. You don’t have to worry so much about things in the short term, but you should consider their cost for the long-term.
- Repair cost: Sometimes something can go wrong out of nowhere when working with your laser machine over a long period of time. Consider how much will it cost to have someone diagnose and repair your laser machine if such a situation ever happens.
- Insurance/warranty: If you plan on renewing your warranty or you have an insurance plan you have to pay regularly for your laser machine, consider adding this to your overall cost.
The Cost Of Certain Things
The Cost Of Gas Consumables
The cost of gas consumables is a huge part of the operating cost of laser machines.
Power Consumption
When measuring power consumption cost, you will have to factor in all the things that consume power in a laser machine. The fiber laser source, the cooler/chiller, the exhaust fan, and the machine itself.
A 4 kW laser machine does not mean it consumes 4 kW of power. The 4kW means how much power the machine can output with its laser. But the machine itself will require more power to perform.
For example…
A 4kW machine can consume 29kW of power. 12kW from the laser source, 6kW from the machine itself, 6kW from the water chiller, and 5kW from the exhaust fan.
Conclusion
As you can see, owning a laser machine can be pretty pricey. But if your total production and profit beat the cost, then it’s worth it.
