Direct Feed: Laser or Arc?

Lasers have high running costs, low efficiencies, and small feature sizes. Electric arcs, on the other hand, have lower costs, higher efficiencies, and larger feature sizes.

If we compare the two heat sources, we can conclude that lasers have a very high capital cost (£40k/kW), medium running cost, low power source efficiency of 25%, low coupling efficiency of 40%, a very low total efficiency of 10%, very high safety issues, medium – high build rates, and feature size of 0.2mm upwards. Electric arcs have a low capital cost (£4k/kW), low running costs, very high power source efficiency of 90%, very high coupling efficiency of 85%, very high total efficiency of 80%, medium safety issues, high – very high build rates, and feature size of 1mm upwards.