With fiber laser cutting, the laser light is generated in the resonator and then sent through a fiber optic cable to the cutting head where the light is focused precisely into the surface of the metal to be cut. Under the intense heat, the metal is vaporized and with the assistance of high-pressure gas (often nitrogen) directed at the cut, the molten metal is blown away. The resulting cut path is called the Kerf and is approximately 0.008”- 0.010” (0.20-0.25mm) wide. Fiber lasers provide marked advantages over the traditional CO2 laser, including reduced maintenance, lower operating costs, increased reliability, and faster cutting speeds.