Straight answer
What can a diode laser do that a CO2 can’t — and vice versa?
It is a wavelength question. A blue diode (~455nm) handles wood, veg-tan leather, cork, slate, dark acrylic, and coated or anodized metal. A CO2 (10,600nm) does all the organics plus the two things a diode physically cannot: cutting clear acrylic and engraving glass.
Neither touches bare metal — stainless and brass reflect both. That is fiber/IR territory at 1064nm. The practical split: diode for entry cost and footprint, CO2 for acrylic work and production cutting speed.
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