5 Ways Laser Cutting Technology Transforms Manufacturing
Laser cutting machines have long been used in the manufacturing sector, but there’s more to this tool than meets the eye.
Here are 5 ways laser cutting technology transforms the manufacturing process and improves efficiency, safety, and productivity throughout the factory floor. Read on to learn more about this innovative technology and how it can improve your company!
1) Saving Money
Over the years, one of the most common areas of savings in manufacturing is due to laser cutting technology. Machines that use laser cutting instead of a punch and shear can slash production times by as much as 80% while lowering labour costs significantly.
As a result, companies have become more competitive on pricing and delivery schedules with greater margins to make up for lower volume sales.
Inexpensive equipment upgrades like laser cutters also offer an opportunity for small business owners who don’t have million dollar budgets to get in on some advantages. With the productivity increases that come from switching over to laser cutters, it’s easy to recoup the cost in just a few years without doing too much work on your side besides plugging it in.
2) Improved Accuracy
Many industries can greatly benefit from the use of laser cutting technology. As a reliable way to cut sheet metal, sheet plastics, rubber or other materials up to 30 inches wide and up to two inches thick with incredible accuracy, it stands as one of the most practical methods in production today.
Because this method is precise down to fractions of an inch, the cuts are almost always very straight and it creates clean edges on all four sides which reduces the need for finishing work or additional processes.
The elimination of these additional processes saves both time and money while making production more streamlined, reducing labour costs and errors because there is less chance for human error that comes with handling heavy machinery.
3) Streamlined Design Process
Laser cutting technology has revolutionized the design process by removing the need for several machine setups. Machine setups are time-consuming, inefficient, and expensive. The innovation of laser cutting technology offers a number of benefits in the form of optimized workflow, faster production time, reduced waste, shorter job lead times, and more versatile products.
4) Shortened Delivery Times
One of the key benefits of laser cutting technology is shortened delivery times. When we’re producing anything from signage to apparel, laser cut designs come with a quicker turnaround time than traditional CNC routing methods. With fewer production steps and less finished product handling, it typically takes just one week for you to receive your finished materials.
With this type of streamlined workflow in place, manufacturers can offer a higher-quality service while saving time and money. Compared to CNC routers that may require more hours spent routing per project due to production limitations, the laser cutter can make more complex cuts within just minutes or seconds. And because there are no additional steps involved in this process, the cost per cut is also much lower than similar conventional manufacturing methods.
5) Better quality
There are a variety of advantages that come with using laser cutting for your manufacturing needs. For one, you can cut materials like steel, aluminium, and hardened plastics with incredible precision.
Unlike other types of cutting tools such as saws or shears, lasers deliver an incredibly clean cut that doesn’t require the presence of air to cool down the surface to keep it from cracking or warping when pressure is applied.
As a result, what might have been misshapen cuts are instead totally straight-edged with only the thinnest of ridges in place where laser beams have come into contact with it. The results are cuts that are so precise that they can’t be replicated by any other type of machine.
To sum up…
In conclusion, laser cutting technology transforms the manufacturing process by making it possible to cut any size of part, shape and material. These qualities have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the production time, as well as the safety of workers who are exposed to fewer harmful chemicals and gases.