Laser cutting is an advanced technology used in many metal fabrication projects. There are many different methods that fabricator use for cutting metal, but laser cutting is one of the most advanced techniques. Fabricators often choose laser cutters because of their ability to make precise cuts at speeds unmatched by other flat sheet cutting methods. Read below to learn about the benefits of using laser cutters for metal.
Laser cutting is known for the ability to cut metal accurately at fast speeds. When dealing with metals under 3/8" thick, laser cutters will cut very rapidly. When dealing with thicker materials, the cutting time lengthens, but they still work very quickly. Laser cutters are well suited for operations of both small and large scales, and can help shorten production time by shortening the time it takes to cut materials. When fabricators use the right type of laser cutter, they can offer the fastest cutting speeds on the market. Laser cutters can also be very useful in helping to rapidly create prototypes. In addition to quick cutting times, laser cutters improve fabrication efficiency because multiple parts can be programmed and cut at once.
Laser cutters are virtually unrivaled when it comes to precision. CNC routers program the cutters to perform complex cuts into elaborate geometric patterns, and lasers produce these cuts and shapes with a high degree of accuracy. A laser cutter creates clean edges and a smooth finish. Anything in the laser’s path is burned, vaporized, or melted. For this reason, there will not be any excess debris that will lead to a rough cut. This accuracy not only creates high-quality parts, but helps reduce waste during production as well. Because laser cutters can produce parts with such a high degree of accuracy, they are a great choice to cut parts for fabrication of aerospace parts and medical devices, where tight dimensional tolerances and quality standards are necessary.
The efficiency of a laser cutter combined with its advanced technology causes it to use less energy than other cutting methods. In fact, laser cutters will typically use about 10kW of power during a cutting session, while other cutting mechanisms will use around 50kW of power. As manufacturers look to work smarter and use less energy, both as a cost saving mechanism and as an environmentally friendly one, laser cutters can help work toward this goal. Laser cutters are a great way to cut down energy usage during the fabrication process
Because laser cutters create such precise cuts, you can be sure that your parts and assemblies are accurate. Laser cutters are programmed with CNC CAD/CAM programs, ensuring that the same cuts can be repeated as many times as necessary. Because laser cutting is extremely precise, you can be sure that the cuts will be exactly as programmed. The result of this precision and programming is consistency in each fabrication project. When creating multiple copies of the same product, you can be sure that each copy comes out exactly the same. You can also be sure that each time you use the laser cutter, it will produce the same quality product.
Multi-axis lasers allow wide range of projects that laser cutters can help complete. They can cut materials of all different types and thicknesses. They can cut both simple and complex structures easily. Laser cutters can even accurately cut a wide variety of materials including metals, alloys, diamonds, plastics, woods, and glass. Laser cutters can create complex shapes in all of these materials, even different materials at once, into intricate and highly precise shapes. Their precision and accuracy mean that the types of cuts that laser cutters are capable of making are nearly endless.
Because laser cutters produce highly precise cuts, they will lead to fewer necessary finishing requirements. Edges produced by a laser cutters are smooth and free from burrs. The beams are also tightly focused, meaning there will not be internal flaws from heat exposure. Because laser cutters will produce high-quality, precise cuts, quality checks will take less time. They ensure that all parts specifications are met, leading to efficient quality checks.
It's crucial to do your research when choosing a metal fabrication, as not all companies are capable of completing the same quality of work. CAMM Metals has years of experience, honing our skills across the board to deliver a quality product and measurable bottom line value to our customers.