Many industrial companies, particularly those in the fabrication and machining sectors, require laser cutting for their projects and services.
Essentially, laser cutting refers to the process of using a laser beam to pierce the material and melt it in an exact line to ensure a clean output. It has been a popular method in the industrial setting because it produces no edge effects after cutting.
Due to its ability to cut materials with precision, manufacturers and other businesses can carry out a high volume of jobs more efficiently. However, it’s essential to know that laser cutting can be expensive.
The continuous use of laser cutting can be unsustainable for many companies and organizations.
So, if you also find yourself dealing with the expensive costs of laser cutting, here are four ways to consider in reducing your expenses.
1. Outsource Your Laser Cutting Needs
When you have a project that needs a precise cutting requirement, the first thing that comes to your mind is to execute an on-site laser cutting procedure. This means investing in expensive equipment and paying for your employees’ training and equipment upkeep.
Although your business can master a specialized cutting method, a DIY approach may not be a financially viable option. This is especially true if you don’t have enough capital to buy the machinery and other costs.
Accordingly, outsourcing it to professionals can be an excellent idea if you want to meet your laser cutting needs without spending a lot of money.
When you work with an experienced external team, you can save time, money, and energy because they handle all custom CNC machining and laser cutting jobs for you. Moreover, they can finish the work quickly since they’re aware of the best practices of laser cutting.
2. Develop a Prototype
If your business is new to laser cutting, you may have no idea what your finished product will look like. As a result, you may end up wasting more money when you don’t like the outcome of laser cutting technology.
To avoid this costly undertaking, it’s best to create a prototype of your design before placing a full quantity of laser-cut products. With it in place, you don’t need to order another product to get your design right. Instead, you can use the prototype to make some modifications when necessary.
By refining your desired product with prototyping, you give your company’s bank account a huge favor. This is because there’s no need to spend unnecessary funds on the company’s laser cutting requirements every time you need it.
3. Use Efficient Laser Cutting Techniques
Another way to minimize your laser cutting costs is using two of the most efficient cutting techniques. These can include:
- Grouping: It’s a less-costly laser cutting technique that can help you reduce waste. By grouping your laser cutting projects, you put the pieces into clusters to minimize the distance your equipment should travel to execute the next cut, making the entire process more efficient. Also, when you do the grouping technique, you can reduce the amount of scrap metal produced by the laser cutting procedure, thereby helping you save on the costs of the materials.
- Nesting: It’s another technique that can help you keep more money in your pocket. With nesting, you rearrange the pieces in a way that they share common edges to create optimal results. Remember, producing more precise laser-cut products can make the cutting process more efficient and help you minimize waste. In turn, all these benefits can translate into more savings for your business.
However, if you want to spare yourself of the intricacies of these techniques, you can work with a company that offers a reliable laser cutting service. They know how to perform these techniques to ensure you keep the laser cutting costs down at all times.
4. Factor in the Thickness of the Metal
Many types of metal can be subjected to laser cutting. As such, they also have different levels of thickness which can affect the edge quality of the laser cut products and how efficiently the laser beam can do the cuts.
In most cases, producing quality cuts along with the efficient operation of laser beams can help you minimize costs. This is because you no longer need to redo the cutting process or make unnecessary modifications to the product.
With these things in mind, it’s essential to consider the thickness of the metal during the laser cutting procedure. For example, using a thicker metal can consume more cutting time, which is costly in the long run.
Due to this circumstance, you should balance the metal’s thickness with the goal of your projects that require custom-cut pieces. If your order requires a thick metal, you need to partner it with a simpler design to reduce the costs.
Bottom Line
Dealing with laser cutting projects is never easy. Aside from the level of precision these products need, you should also be mindful of the potential costs. Laser cutting is an already expensive project.
But, by keeping the information mentioned above in mind, your company can lower your expenses to ensure the best possible outcome for your cut pieces.
