What is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting has certain advantages over plasma cutting. Take a look at how it works and what machines AMS uses to produce quality metal products.

Laser cutting technology offers reduced contamination of the workpiece presents certain advantages over traditional mechanical cutting techniques. Learn what laser cutting is and how it works, and its advantages, and learn about the machines that we use to create quality metal products here at Accurate Metal.

What is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting is a manufacturing process that can eliminate the need for machining in many engineering jobs, allowing you to save money on manufacturing costs. It’s a non-contact process that utilizes a laser to cut materials, resulting in high-quality, dimensionally accurate cuts.

How Does Laser Cutting Work?

Laser cutting uses a high-power laser that is directed through optics and computer numerical control (CNC) to direct the beam or material. Typically, the process uses a motion control system to follow an infinite number of patterns to cut various materials. This focused laser beam burns, melts, vaporizes, or is blown away by a jet of gas to leave a high-quality surface finished edge.

Our machines can be used to cut a precise line through a thin plate of steel, engrave, or mark many different materials with varying degrees of thickness.

Advantages of Laser Cutting

Laser cutting has certain advantages over plasma cutting.

High Accuracy and Precision Cuts

This process is more precise and uses less energy when cutting steel and aluminum sheets. Also, the precision levels and edge quality achieved with laser cutting machines are much better than traditional cutting methods. The laser beam never wears during the cutting process.

This fascinating technology also enables us to cut complex shapes at varying depths without the need for tooling and allows us to cut small diameter holes with complex detail and good edge quality.

Low Lead Times with No Need to Replace or Modify Tooling, Lower Costs

Laser cutting can make replicating a die a quick and accurate process as well and can be used to make injection molds with the same accuracy that it does with dies. This simplifies the process of mold making and allows us to reproduce the mold in less time while saving you money, even on small batches.

Can Handle Complex Jobs

The high-powered laser can be used to work on a very narrow section of material and causes very little warping or distortion to the area being cut. A laser cutter can be used to quickly and easily create even the most highly complex geometries and cuts with unparalleled precision and excellent tolerance levels.

Higher Sheet Utilization

It can utilize a very high percentage of your sheet material. By nesting cuts properly, a laser cutter can maximize the number of usable components and parts from any given sheet of material.

Extreme Cutting Versatility

Lasers can also be used for drilling, marking, and engraving, just to name a few functions – without needing to replace or switch any tooling.

They can be used on almost any material. From ferrous metals like stainless steel to copper, aluminum, brass, and even other materials like composites, wood, plastic, and even some types of textiles.

About Our Machines

AMS uses Amada CNC Laser Cutting Machines, which provide innovative technology for maximum efficiency, productivity, and quality metal fabrication. These are top-of-the-line machines that you will not see at any of our competitors because they believe that these laser cutters are too expensive.

These machines produce superior-quality laser cutting with unmatched precision and reliability. They are able to cut up to 3/4″ material using water assist while producing minimal burs and virtually no splatter. Learn more here.