The Importance of Laser Cutting Technology to the Manufacturing Industry

Over the recent past, laser technology has found its way into the manufacturing industry.

16:16 27 November 2020

Known for its versatility, cleanness, and reliability, this thermal-based procedure offers various unique benefits over traditional techniques. In this article, we shall continue to explain the many benefits that laser cutting technology has in store for the manufacturing sector. 

 

1. Known for Speed and Reliability

 

One of the primary reasons manufacturing industries are adopting laser cutting technology is its fast speed. With a laser cutter, one can easily cut small holes plus edges in almost every metal. When compared to traditional cutting methods, laser technology is reliable and efficient. The tech uses computer programming to direct laser beams. Besides, there is less human intervention needed to achieve desired results because of the computer-aided-programs. Therefore, it’s much easier to attain error-free output while using the tech.

 

1. Cost-Effective

 

When viewed from a broader perspective, using laser cutting technology may seem expensive. For starters, buying a laser cutting machine that matches your manufacturing needs means spending a fortune. But, when compared to the traditional cutting methods, you will end up saving plenty of cash. 

 

First, laser cutting technology saves much on power. As mentioned earlier, working with these machines means that your power bills will reduce significantly. Also, technology is known for its accuracy. Therefore, it means that using it will reduce wastage that could arise from errors. With a high level of accuracy and speed, a manufacturer can manufacture more within a short period as opposed to when using the traditional means. Most of the companies offering custom metal cutting have shuttle tables. In total, this helps reduce the need for handling and hence improved accuracy. With laser cutting, the manufacturer can deliver your product sooner than you expected.

 

Another thing to note is that when working with laser cutting tools, the chances of accidents are minimized. This, therefore, means that you won’t have to spend your money catering for the injured employees or dealing with lawsuits that follow.

 

1. A clean workplace

 

It feels exciting having a clean workplace. The fantastic thing about using laser technology is that it can help one maintain a clean work environment. While working with laser beams, they are known to stay intact and firm during the process and, as a result, less dust formation. The fact that there are precision and less dust formation means that it’s easier to achieve the desired results.

 

1. Non-contact process

 

How does laser cutting technology work? This technique relies on computer programs to direct laser beams to the metals you want to work on. The laser beams don’t physically come into contact with the materials they are working on. This, therefore, means that there won’t be melting through heat formation. With that, the manufacturer can save much on the cost that would have accrued out of the damages caused by cutting using old-school techniques. 

 

1. Lower power consumption

 

For the manufacturing sector, dealing with energy bills can be a pain in the neck. Unfortunately, there is little you can do about that as you need to power up the machines used. However, introducing laser cutting technology can significantly reduce energy consumption. On average, a cutting machine will only use around 10kW of power. The figure is way much less as compared to traditional methods known to use even more than 50kW. Another thing to note is that using laser beams to cut metals is more accurate. With the high accuracy and speed, it means that you won’t have the cutting machine running for a long time trying to achieve specific results. 

 

1. Safe Procedure

 

Among the many things that you ought to consider when setting a manufacturing plant is your employee’s safety. With the rising cases of workplace accidents, it’s good to invest in safety first. Unless you don’t mind spending your time and money following up on these cases, the issue is different when it comes to using laser cutting technology. The fact that this cutting machine is computer-aided means that human involvement is less. With that, it means that the number of accidents will reduce significantly. From a professional’s point of view, ensuring employee safety is one way to boost productivity. This is because your employees will feel extra safe when working with you. 

 

1. Can work on Different Materials

 

When working in the manufacturing sector, the high chances are that you will be working with different materials. There is nothing that can feel frustrating than being unable to bypass a specific material all because you lack the necessary tools. The fantastic thing about using laser cutting technology is that you can easily cut through any material. Therefore, whether you are dealing with metal, diamonds, wood, glass, and plastics, among many other materials, there is nothing to worry about. You can easily cut down the materials to your desired shape without any struggles. 

 

1. Saves on Space

 

How much space do you have to set up your manufacturing plant? This is one of the crucial questions you should ask yourself when establishing your first plant. Your space should accommodate all the tools you need to run your operations. Traditional cutting tools are known to take plenty of space. One thing to note is that they are slow. Therefore, you may need more of these tools to meet your output. More space is required to achieve this. 

 

Laser cutting tools, on the other end, don’t ask for much space. They are small and designed for efficiency. With their fast speed and accuracy, one laser cutting machine can efficiently deliver the same output as more than two traditional machines. As a result, there is no need to buy more than one tool that will take more of your space. 

 

The manufacturing sector has recently been experiencing tremendous improvements. Among the many advancements that have come to bring a difference is laser cutting technology. Known for their accuracy, safety, and speed, laser cutting machines are quickly taking over the traditional methods. By reading through this article, you will have a clear understanding of what the technology involves and its importance.