Five Top Advantages of Fiber Laser Cutting

Justin Hanna - Director of Operations, Preferred Machine, LLC • January 31, 2018

There is a time and place for different types of laser cutting. Here are five top reasons customers choose fiber laser cutting services.

The utilization of fiber optics continues to evolve. The introduction of fiber optics into the digital, data driven world has allowed for the increase in data transfer speeds and amount. Instead of sending information through phone lines or coper wiring, fiber optics are made up of strands of diodes and transmitted using beams of light. The ability to send beams of light has shifted to lasers as the amount of light channeled and amplified through the fiber optic cabling allows for a a powerful light beam, 200 percent more efficient than that of a CO2 laser, without the pricey optical mirrors commonly found in laser cutting systems. For businesses looking to invest in laser cutting or in need of laser cutting services, there are many advantages in turning to fiber laser cutting over the alternatives. Here are the top five advantages.

1. Less Expensive

Possibly the most valuable advantage of fiber laser cutting is the price. The cost overhead for this technology represents a massive savings, both in initial purchase and over the lifetime of the laser. For starters, it doesn't require expensive optical mirrors as is the case with other laser technology. Additionally, the focusing lens is not exposed, but instead sealed within the cutting head. Due to this, the focusing lens will, when properly maintained, last the lifetime of the fiber optics, instead of becoming damaged and requiring continual replacements, which is the case with other laser applications.

2. No Moving Parts

Moving parts lead to heightened maintenance and an increase in operating costs. As light pulses are sent through the fiber optic cabling, it does not require moving mirrors in order to generate the necessary laser. Other forms of lasers utilize a rapidly moving mirror in order to heighten the laser's power. To extend the life of the mirror regular maintenance is needed. This causes a slow down in productivity. However, if regular maintenance is not performed, the chance of material damage increases, which not only takes the laser offline but it increases the cost to operate.

3. Boost in Cutting Speed

Another advantage in using fiber optic laser cutting is the increase in cutting speed. When cutting a straight line of 1mm in thickness, a fiber based laser can cut three times faster than that of a traditional laser. This includes cutting through materials such as stainless steel. When cutting through 2mm thickness the time improvement does drop to twice as fast, but never the less, it still represents a sizable improvement.

4. Cutting Reflective Material

One of the major problems when using a traditional laser is in regards to reflective material. There is the chance a laser may bounce off the reflective material, which in turn will damage the equipment. Due to this, traditional lasers are not often used when cutting brass, aluminum and copper. With fiber optic lasers though, this reflective material problem is no longer an issue, which in turn allows for the cutting of these materials.

5. Higher Electrical Efficiency

Conventional CO2 lasers require a considerable amount more energy to product the laser beam. In fact, a 2 kW fiber laser cutting setup uses a third of the power as a 4 kW CO2 machine. This means the fiber optic configuration will not only save power each and every time it is used, but due to the lower energy requirements it helps increase the life expectancy of the hardware as well.

In Conclusion

Each laser type has a time and a place. However, these are five of the most substantial benefits a fiber optics laser has over other, more conventional CO2 lasers. Request a quote to learn more about the right laser cutting process for your material.

A man is writing the word erp on a screen

The role of ERP in Laser Cutting

By Justin Hannah • February 21, 2018
Laser cutting technology has been widely implemented in many industries particularly the manufacturing industry. This technology is used in cutting most types of materials including metal, rubber, polymers, plastic, stone and glass among others. It comes with a lot of benefits such as reducing production cost and time, optimal utilization of materials and producing high quality designs. However, Laser cutting systems are not fully efficient on their own and need to be integrated with Enterprise resource Planning (ERP) Systems so as to streamline the operations and to equip you with real time information at every stage. The ERP plays the following roles in the laser cutting industry Making estimates and quotations Making estimations and quotes is a very important process in a business as it may make or break a deal with a prospective customer. Lesser time-to-quote translates to a good reputation and business opportunities amid stiff completion in the industry. The cost estimates should be arrived at in the shortest time. An ERP helps giving real-time information on the Bill of Materials to be used at every stage and the cost, enabling you to make cost estimates and issue quotations in the shortest time possible. Inventory management Laser cutting operations are very dynamic and in most cases very unpredictable as they depend on what different customers want. An ERP is responsible for keeping track of materials (inventory) right from when they are purchased to when they are consumed. You are able to get timely alert as to when a particular inventory has reached a set amount and needs replenishing. The ERP helps you maintain a good amount of inventory, reduce costs for storage and restock in good time. Nesting and Integration with other Systems Different customers’ orders vary in designs, dimensions and quantities. When the orders are simultaneous, absolute control of inventory is necessary to ensure there is minimum or no wastage. An ERP will help the cutting operation in optimizing inventory usage by integrating nesting applications to manage usage of inventory and reduce costs. The nesting module is able to track the remaining inventory after previous operations and the ERP is able to track the inventory and facilitate reordering when necessary. This will help your business in optimal material utilization and eventual reduction of the cost of inventory. Maintaining High Quality Laser cutting needs to have mechanisms that ensure that high quality products are produced. Since most of these products are used in industries that are highly regulated, it is critical that the quality is controlled at every stage of the process. An ERP will ensure that these quality standards are enforced as it is integrated with a core manufacturing execution systems (MES). The ERP ensures there is continuous measurement of quality parameters at all stages so that corrective measures can be immediately effected when defects are detected. Interfacing with other Applications To fulfil end-to-end operations, the ERP will need to interface with other applications. The ERP has to be integrated with other applications used in laser cutting operations that complement each other. You will be able to trace the products more easily when the ERP is integrated. These are among the roles played the ERP solutions in the Laser cutting operations. Our company offers High quality CNC laser cutting services in Michigan. We use applications are integrated with ERP systems that ensure that we give you timely and accurate quotations, your orders are processed within the shortest time possible and our products meet the required industry standards and the requirement of our customer.
Laser cutting

From Prototype to Mass Production - Using CNC laser cutting to scale your operation

By Justin Hannah • February 15, 2018
CNC laser cutting, using Computer Numerical Control to guide a powerful laser beam, frees your products from the limitations of in-house fabrication and traditional construction. You can easily create pieces that reflect your designers’ vision and try them out. Quick and cost-effective production of prototype materials means that you can respond in real time to marketing tests, design changes, and material choices. For production the CNC laser turns into a copy machine, automatically producing the quantities you need. CNC laser prototyping and production follow the same basic steps: Design Material choice Data file review CNC laser processing Product assembly Creative and Versatile The versatility and precision of CNC laser cutting make it a go-to technology for initial product development and ongoing production. Your design files are quickly turned into the pieces you need, from intricate artistic work to signage and product enclosures. Your designers are freed from the limits of traditional sheet metal or plastic construction and can create functional designs to spec using cardboard, plastic, wood, metal, and other materials. Beyond Machining Capability The laser cuts cleanly for a finished look, following curves, creating cutouts, and etching patterns and lettering beyond the capability of traditional machining. Everything is completed without transporting the material from one machining station to another, yielding speed, precision, and great results. Simple Design, Simple Production Your new product design has never been easier -- we use software to create and model the pieces, then deliver the resulting data file for review before production. The complex and costly tooling you may be used to is cut down to data file preparation. Send a file for each piece that you need or work with us to design, and go ahead with single-unit production rather than waiting for the model shop to produce that initial prototype. With CNC laser production, you can check form and fit with the real thing, then go ahead with quantity production or make units on-demand as orders come in. Whether you’re a startup watching your budget or a large company that values just-in-time stocking, you don’t have to juggle add-on costs which vary by your strategy. Advantages of Laser Cutting Laser cutting is quick, clean, and does the work of an extremely thin tool. The kerf, the material that the tool removes because of its size, is small and the tool turns on a dime, so these systems are being used by artists to produce ornate pieces that once only a lifetime of craftsmanship could create. The laser can cut through paper, wood, plastic, and even metal allowing you to use the same process to create paper cutouts, plastic models, and metal production units. Don’t Be Blocked by Startup Costs and Tooling CNC laser cutting keeps the “bumps” of design and production minimal so your project has fewer big decisions to make and more green lights. Your turnaround for custom projects will impress your customers as you respond to design changes and new ideas without long lead times and expensive retooling. Moving smoothly from prototype to production volumes means not only an easier product launch, but the reassurance that what comes out of your production facility is exactly what you created in the prototype phase. Turn to CNC laser production to get started on your project, and you will see the product you envisioned, faster and easier than you imagined.