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Air Pumps for AM.CO.ZA CO2 Laser Machines: Which Pump Fits Which Laser, What Air Assist Does, and How to Connect It

This page started as a short 2024 airpumps.co.za post about why an air pump matters on an AM.CO.ZA CO2 laser machine. It now adds the full AM.CO.ZA air pump range with the specifications from the current product data, which pump AM.CO.ZA uses on which kind of laser, how to join two pumps, why an air pump is advised over a tank compressor for CO2 laser cutting, the laser head and nozzle parts the air flows through, and the warranty and installation terms. The original post is kept at the bottom.

Product facts come from the AM.CO.ZA product data behind buythis.co.za (product JSON on am.im, dump dated 2026-10-19) and AM.CO.ZA's own YouTube videos, mainly Full Range of Air Pumps from 40L/min to 450L/min for CO2 Laser Cutting and How to Combine Connect (2023-01-08). Prices change, so check the current price on each linked buythis page. Stock is not shown here.

Quick answer

What the air pump does on a CO2 laser

The pump blows air down through the laser head and out of the nozzle onto the spot where the beam meets the material. This is called air assist. On an AM.CO.ZA CO2 laser it does four jobs:

Job What it means in practice
Clears smoke and debris Blows smoke, dust and loose material out of the cut so the beam stays clean and the cut edge stays sharp
Cools the cut Carries heat away from the cut so materials are cooled evenly and distort less
Helps prevent flames A steady airflow at the cut point reduces flare-ups on materials such as wood and acrylic
Protects the lens Positive air pressure around the lens holder keeps smoke and particles off the focus lens, so it lasts longer and the cut quality stays consistent

The more litres per minute a pump can give, the more consistent the airflow stays over a long job. That is the main difference between the sizes, as AM.CO.ZA explains in the range video.

The AM.CO.ZA air pump range

All figures below are from the current AM.CO.ZA product data. Sizes are as listed in that data (length × width × height, in cm); weights are in kg. Where the product data does not list a size or weight, the cell says so.

SKU Model Power Airflow Pressure Listed size and weight Typical use (AM.CO.ZA)
AG-AIR/40 ACO-002 magnetic piston pump about 35 W to 40 W about 40 L/min 0.03 MPa not listed Desktop CO2 lasers
AG-AIR ACO-003 about 80 W (short name says about 40 W to 60 W) about 50 to 70 L/min 0.03 to 0.035 MPa 23 × 13 × 16, 2 kg Default for standard cabinet and flatbed CO2 lasers
AG-AIR/110 ACO-009 about 110 W 110 L/min above 0.035 MPa 26 × 17 × 18, 5 kg Standard cabinet and flatbed CO2 lasers, steadier airflow
AG-AIR/300 ACO-818 about 380 W 300 L/min about 0.05 MPa 34 × 19 × 20, 6.5 kg Larger machines that need stronger airflow
AG-AIR/450 ACO-016 about 520 W 450 L/min about 0.05 MPa not listed Top of the range, demanding production work

For scale, 0.03 MPa is 0.3 bar and 0.05 MPa is 0.5 bar. These pumps move a lot of air at low pressure, which is what CO2 laser air assist needs.

Large CO2 machines may ship with a pump in the package. For example, the TruCUT flatbed barebone LC-2040 (2050 × 4000 mm table) comes in a crate with two 750 W extraction fans and an air pump.

How to connect the pump

The 2017 setup video TruCUT Cabinet CO2 Laser Unbox and Setup Video of Air Pump, Water Pump, Cooling and Laser Tube Insta (2017-07-07) shows a TruCUT cabinet CO2 laser being unboxed and set up with its air pump, water pump and cooling.

Air pump or air compressor?

AM.CO.ZA's range video explains the difference this way:

Air pump Tank air compressor
How it works Pulls air from the room and pumps it straight through the outlet into the machine Compresses air into a sealed tank and lets it out until the tank pressure drops to a set level
Airflow Continuous flow at a constant pressure A continuous supply is not guaranteed, because the tank cycles
Pressure Low pressure, high volume (0.03 to 0.05 MPa on the AM.CO.ZA range) High pressure; AM.CO.ZA says not to use more than 4 bar on a laser machine
What else you need Nothing; it plugs into the laser A large compressor plus a regulator, which means more money and more maintenance

You can still use a compressor if you choose, but AM.CO.ZA's advice is that air pumps are better suited to CO2 laser cutting. For a longer comparison, see airpumps-air-pumps-vs-ompressors.md.

AM.CO.ZA also sells AG-AIR/550, a 220 V, 550 W oil-free quiet air compressor with an 8 litre tank, up to 7 bar and about 40 litres per minute (listed size 45 × 19 × 48 cm, 14.8 kg). Its product data lists it for workshops and for pneumatic laminators (Sales Talk - Laminator with Silent Compressor #Shorts (2023-06-21)), not as the default CO2 laser air assist.

Do not confuse this with fibre laser metal cutting. Fibre laser cutters such as the RayCUT range cut steel with high-pressure compressed air or nitrogen from large rotary screw compressors (for example 15 to 16 bar). That is a different job from CO2 laser air assist. See the fibre laser videos in the list below.

Laser head and nozzle parts the air flows through

Part AM.CO.ZA SKU Notes from the product data
Laser head, standard nozzle LC-HEAD For TruCUT cabinet lasers; holds a 25 mm mirror and a 20 mm lens with 63.5 mm focal length; mirror and lens not included
Laser head, short nozzle LC-HEAD/S For TruCUT cabinet lasers; holds a 25 mm mirror and a 20 mm lens with 50.8 mm focal length; mirror and lens not included
Nozzle set LC-NOZZLE/2 One aluminium nozzle for non-metals (acrylic, wood, plastic) and one copper nozzle for metal cutting on a suitably configured laser

A blocked or damaged nozzle cuts the airflow at the cut point even when the pump is working, so check the nozzle when cuts start to char or flame. For nozzle alignment, see TruCUT PRO CO2 Sheet Metal Cutting Laser Alignment Process on the Laser Nozzle for Vertical Straight (2017-07-07).

The CO2 laser tube itself is cooled by water, not by the air pump. Water chillers such as A-CHILLER/1400 (1400 W, up to 5000 BTU/h, 6 litre tank) do that job; despite the "air compressor" in its name, that is the chiller's refrigeration compressor, not an air supply.

Warranty, installation and returns

These terms are on the current AM.CO.ZA product pages for the air pumps:

More pictures are in the air compressor machine gallery, and the air compressor sales handbook covers the range for sales staff.

Related pages

Videos

AM.CO.ZA videos on air pumps, CO2 laser air assist and setup, nozzles, and (for contrast) compressed-air cutting on fibre lasers:

FAQ

Which air pump do I need for a desktop CO2 laser? AM.CO.ZA says the 35 W, 40 litres per minute pump, AG-AIR/40, is typically used on desktop lasers.

Which air pump comes with a standard cabinet or flatbed CO2 laser? The 80 W, 70 litres per minute pump, AG-AIR, is the default. The 110 litres per minute AG-AIR/110 also works well and gives a more consistent airflow over time.

Can I connect two air pumps to one laser? Yes. Join them with a Y connector from a hardware store. This increases the airflow without increasing the pressure.

Can I use my workshop air compressor instead? You can, but AM.CO.ZA advises an air pump. A tank compressor does not give a guaranteed continuous flow, and a laser machine should not get more than 4 bar, so you also need a regulator.

Do the pumps plug into a wall socket? They come with plugs that fit straight into the laser machine's own power grid. Use a qualified electrician if you want to fit a local wall plug.

What warranty do the air pumps have? A 6-month quality warranty on machines sold by AM.CO.ZA, when fitted by or under the supervision of an AM.CO.ZA technician.

Does the air pump cool the laser tube? No. The laser tube is water cooled by a water pump or chiller. The air pump cools and clears the cut and protects the lens.

Original 2024 post (airpumps.co.za/am-laser-machine-air-pumps)

The text below is the original post as published on airpumps.co.za.

Source: https://airpumps.co.za/am-laser-machine-air-pumps

Tailored for Precision:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4v_O9he5AQ

Efficient Cooling Power:

Comprehensive Debris Management:

Robust Durability for Continuous Operation:

Seamless Integration:

Compact and Quiet Operation:

Positive Lens Protection:

Conclusion:

When it comes to optimizing your AM.CO.ZA C02 laser machine, the choice of an air pump is paramount. Air pumps from airpumps.co.za not only meet but exceed the expectations, offering precision, efficient cooling, comprehensive debris management, durability, seamless integration, and positive lens protection. Elevate your laser experience by choosing the best – air pumps from airpumps.co.za, where excellence is not an option but a standard.

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