Cost Benefits of Laser Cutting
- The laser cutting profile programme costs less than 0.5% of the die cost.
- No die storage or maintenance with laser cutting.
- Minor design changes for laser cutting cost little compared with the cost of changes to hard dies.
- Tooling costs are eliminated and close nesting of parts enables more economic use of materials.
- Laser Cut short runs are “off tool” quality and competitive when all hand operation costs are considered.
- Without the need to tool up, short lead times as well as short production runs become
viable. Even “one off” laser cut jobs are economical.
- Special materials can be used with laser cutting which are difficult or
impossible to cut by other methods.
- Special service when time is critical.
Technical Benefits of Laser Cutting
- The high energy focused heat source provides for accuracy up to =/-0.10.
- Little thermal effect and no mechanical distortion.
- Hardened steels can be cut with minimal effect on temper Plated or coated steel can be cut with minor edge damage.
- Very thin materials can be cut without the problems of tool clearance normally required.
- Lasers can cut materials in intricate shapes normally found impossible using conventional manufacturing techniques.
- Fragile materials can be cut without damage.
- High finish materials can be cut without surface marring.
- Accurate profiles in already folded products such as square tube or cabinet doors.
- High degree of control, providing unlimited profiling capability due to the absence of a cutting edge.
- Kerf compensation for accurate cutting of mating components.