The Top 10 Benefits of CNC Laser Cutting Technology
CNC laser cutting machines have a variety of uses in the design world, whether they’re used to cut or engrave wood, leather, or plastic. The best part about these machines is that they can be used on almost any material that you can imagine, which means that you’re not restricted in the types of designs that you can create with your laser cutter. Here are ten benefits of this type of cutting technology that everyone should know about!
1) Improved Efficiency
CNC laser cutting technology is a faster way to create parts than traditional manufacturing methods such as drilling, milling, and turning.
CNC laser cutting technology can also be used to make an infinite variety of shapes and sizes, which means that one machine can produce a wider range of parts for a company, thus, significantly improving efficiency.
2) Lower Material Cost
CNC laser cutting technology will reduce the material cost. The process involves a machine moving a laser beam in a pattern to cut through metal, plastic, or other materials.
This eliminates the need for saw blades, hammers, and grinding wheels which lead to an overall reduction in production costs. Plus, there are no consumables like dust or water needed with this process.
3) Fewer Wastage and Scrap
Traditional manufacturing methods often create a lot of waste, which is costly to the company. The scrap metal has to be recycled and new raw material will need to be purchased. This costs the company money in the form of raw material and recycling fees.
In addition, this can lead to an increase in prices for consumers as they are paying for all these additional materials. With laser cutting technology there is less waste, so companies can save money on raw material and recycling costs while keeping prices low for consumers.
4) Consistent Results
CNC laser cutting machines are a great solution for businesses that need to produce a consistent output on a large scale.
A CNC laser cutting machine produces the same exact quality product every time. With traditional methods, there is always the chance that your final result will be different from what you envisioned because of human error or differences in the materials used.
5) Faster Production Rate
CNC laser cutting technology is much faster than other cutting methods. It can produce parts in a matter of minutes rather than the hours or days. Not only does the speed and accuracy make this technique great for prototyping and production, but it also makes it an excellent choice for research projects that require quick turnaround times on small batches of parts.
6) Elimination of Dangerous Chemical Agents
Dangerous chemical agents like solvents, toxic metals, or other by-products can be eliminated with laser cutting.
This is because the only thing that is created during the process is water vapour and nitrogen gas. It also allows for a wide range of different types of materials to be cut without any danger. It also doesn’t create any dust particles or waste which makes it an environmentally friendly process.
7) Environmental Friendly Machining
CNC laser cutting is an environmentally friendly machining process. The process uses water-based lasers to cut the material, which eliminates the need of toxic materials and solvents that are used in traditional machining processes.
With most traditional machining methods, there’s a large amount of waste created during the cutting phase because they’re typically done manually with saws or other machine tools with lots of blades. However, with CNC laser cutting, only the material that’s actually being cut is melted into tiny pieces by the laser beam and thrown away.
8) Excellent Surface Finish
CNC laser cutting is also advantageous because it can produce parts with a high quality finish. The material is cut away with a computer-controlled beam to create a desired design, leaving the untouched material in place.
This creates more uniform edges and smoother surfaces than traditional machining techniques, which may cause some rough edges or jagged pieces. The surface finish on CNC laser cutting parts is comparable to that of pieces that are turned on a lathe.
9) Less Bending and Warping
CNC laser cutting minimizes the physical stress on the material, eliminating warping and bending. The reduced load on the material minimizes distortion and allows for increased accuracy in the cut which saves time. The laser cutter also creates a cleaner edge which reduces finishing time.
Additionally, because there is no contact between the material and a blade or other tool, there is less chance for contamination that can cause defects.
10) Ability to Machine Hard Materials
Last but not the least, one of the major benefits of CNC laser cutting is that it can machine hard materials like stainless steel and titanium. In addition, it has the ability to cut and engrave a variety of materials including wood, plastics, aluminium, and even stone.
Another perk is that you can use it to create complex parts with intricate details. Furthermore, one advantage is that there’s no need for support material in most cases. It also has a high tolerance for errors because it usually won’t create any burrs or wobbles when cutting or engraving a design.