Since 1963, Steelway Laser Cutting has built its reputation in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania as a leader in metal fabrication and laser cutting services. With the recent addition of a state-of-the-art CNC laser cutting machine, we have propelled our business to new heights, increasing production and expanding the services we are able to offer.
Our team at Steelway Laser Cutting is excited to diversify our business and take on new projects that would not have been possible without the edition of the new CNC laser cutter. Since laser tools have fewer mechanical moving parts, they become less expensive to maintain and operate. This lowers the cost of hiring a laser cutting service.
What is a CNC Laser Cutting?
A CNC laser cutter is a piece of computer numerical control (CNC) equipment that uses a focused, high-powered laser beam. This laser beam can mark, cut, or engrave material to form custom shapes. Its unique design and operation make it highly accurate, especially when cutting intricate shapes and small holes.
A great addition to the laser cutter is a CNC bending machine. This equipment allows for precise and uniform bends not previously attainable through traditional bending. This has been a game-changer for metal bending companies that would otherwise rely on simpler, manual machines.
Some laser cutting machines have essentially absorbed all metal welding services, providing a result that encompasses most welding and fabrication processes. This includes all metal cutting, bending, and shaping.
Types of Metals
Laser cutting opens up a world of freedom when it comes to the materials that can be cut. This applies to the intricate shapes and designs that can be produced. Laser cutting machines can work with virtually any type of metal. CNC forming and cutting can provide custom metal cutting and precise metal bending for copper, bronze, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanneal, and regular hot rolled steel.
Who Can Benefit from CNC Laser Services?
Laser cutting is most commonly used in the automotive, die, mold, tool, jewelry, and medical industries. Materials that are difficult or impossible to cut using other methods make excellent candidates for laser cutting.
Laser cutting offers several advantages over other methods. High accuracy, precision cuts, low lead times, less waste, lower power consumption, cutting versatility, the ability to handle complex jobs, and the lack of damage to thick materials make laser cutting far superior. Bottom line, you’ll be able to cut costs and achieve higher quality results with laser cutting.
How Laser Cutting Saves Time and Money
Machinery
- A highly precise, automated process, laser cutting can eliminate the need for additional machining and finishing on many fabricated parts and products. Since laser cutters have no moving parts or mirrors, this makes the machine far less expensive to operate and maintain.
- They cut up to three times faster than CO2 machines using a third of the power, so it is a more precise and energy-efficient process than many other types of industrial cutting. It’s also a cleaner process than most cutting options, as it requires little to no secondary cleanup. Unlike traditional cutting machines, laser cutting quality does not rely on parts that can wear during the cutting process instead of staying consistent and precise throughout the job.
Efficiency
Laser cutters provide an accurate, intricate, detailed cut, making efficiency one of the greatest advantages of using laser cutting. Businesses that need to produce high-quality products quickly turn to laser cutting machines. With laser cutting software, you can send your product design files and have them manufactured onsite in a matter of hours. This ultimately saves you time, rather than the weeks or months it would take if you did it yourself. This shortens lead times, reduces manufacturing costs, and increases quality control measures. This is possible since they’re able to inspect the products as they come off the production line.
Quality
Cost and quality are two major influences on the marketability of any product. So, laser cutting allows for high-quality components at a lower cost overall. Therefore, a more affordable, better quality product can be produced. Material defects and weak welding are just a few of the problems that can result in losing time and money on a project manufactured without the use of laser cutters. With laser cutting software technology, problems can be detected during the fabrication process and immediately tweaked for optimal production.
Reliability
The job needs little manpower as contemporary laser cutting machinery is highly automated. An experienced machine operator still plays a big role in the final quality. However, the speed of cutting and little need for manual labor result in lower costs compared to other cutting methods. In addition, CNC machines don’t need to take breaks as human operators would. They can run 24/7, only requiring downtime for occasional maintenance.
Programming
CNC laser cutting machines are programmable. This means that features and functionality are added to them by simply updating their software. Rather than rapidly becoming out-of-date and obsolete, they can easily evolve and gain new capabilities to adjust to the customers’ changing needs.
Maintenance
Laser cutting machine maintenance typically represents about 2-3% of your investment every year. This is minimal compared to the cost of repairing broken machinery that can take weeks to bring back into commission.
Are You Ready to Start Benefiting from Laser Cutting Services? Steelway Can Help!
Steelway Laser Cutting is proud to offer laser cutting services for all your fabrication needs. From design support, to manufacture, to packaging and delivery, we have you covered! We firmly believe that high-quality results can only be achieved through the use of high-quality equipment. Laser cutters offer unparalleled precision in both design and execution that can help elevate any product or idea from average to innovative.
We are proud to say that our TruLaser 1030 offers the ability to cut through a wide variety of materials and thicknesses at high speeds. We can produce extremely precise and accurate cuts that your business depends on. If you’re looking for a way to take your next big project to the next level and save time and money, then Steelway Laser Cutting may be just what you need.
Contact us today to see how much time and money you can save by using the CNC laser cutting for all of your metal fabrication needs.
Article reviewed and approved by Director of Product Design – Derek McAvoy.