Laser Cutting Guide: What You Need to Know Before You Buy
You have to admit, as far as the manufacturing industry goes, there are plenty of challenges. Demand for finished parts is high, but raw materials are hard to find as supply chain issues continue. Lead times for sheet metal parts are officially next-to-impossible to deal with. Manufacturing companies feel like their businesses are being held hostage by things beyond their control. In short, that’s a huge issue. It’s no wonder that machine shops all across the country are looking for any way possible to get some of that control back.
That sense of frustration may explain all the conversations we had in our FABTECH 2021 booth with shops that are suddenly interested in achieving in-house laser cutting capability. It seems everyone, from OEMs to startups, are now leaning towards making their own parts.
It makes perfect sense. You might even have thought about it yourself, but weren’t quite sure where to start. No worries. In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know to start the conversation. We’ll cover every phase: before, during and after the buying process.
Step 1: Tell us what you’re doing now.
CLi cut mild steel parts in various thickness
Productivity with a laser cutter is all about the application. We want to know the kind of parts (geometries/sizes), you’re making, the volume (current and future) and how the parts are being used. On top of that, we’d be curious about:
How are you doing this now? Are you outsourcing it to another shop, or using an in-house method (water-jet or plasma) that is too slow?
You’ve been doing things one way for some time, so why change now?
Is your volume steady, or do you anticipate growth?
Step 2: Identify target machine models and software.
Let’s talk specific models. If we hear someone say, “We make these large 8-foot panels,” well, those are too big for most small machines (like the CLi, for example). But if you’re making brackets and other smaller parts, and the volume is fairly low (less than a full shift), something like the CLi would be ideal. It has a low price point, a small footprint, and a simple design that passes on costly bells and whistles.
The CLi and other small-footprint, entry-level machines are excellent bridges between farming out your sheet metal work to a contract manufacturer and pulling it in to do it yourself. For those larger panels, you might want to consider moving up the line to a more robust laser cutter like the CLX or CL-900. It might be a good idea to get your foot in the door with a smaller machine and then move up to a bigger machine when the time is right. We would be happy to help you decide which model is right for you.
Software is another consideration. Existing laser users might have their own CAD and nesting software in place. That’s fine. We work with third parties all the time. But a first-time user will want to start with the basics, which CI can supply. Sometimes, it’s a lot easier knowing the software comes from the same source as your new laser cutter. If you have a software question. we can troubleshoot and answer questions. You won’t be transferred to an entirely different company.
Step 3: It’s official: you’re getting a laser cutter. Time to sort the logistics.
Once you’ve crunched the numbers and are convinced that a laser cutter will add to your bottom line, there are still some vital questions to answer. Things get real when you start talking about installation. For example, does the machine’s footprint actually fit on your floor? That’s step number one. Now, do you need to run airlines? What are the maintenance requirements? You might also wonder if you will have to hire experienced operators to run the machine or if your existing staff can handle it.
Those conversations need to happen upfront. But don’t worry. The right partner will sit down with you and do a complete system overview so they can match equipment to your specific needs, not just what’s in stock.
Step 4: Remember that the post-sale stuff is often most important.
That brings us to our final step. Laser cutters are a much more technical machine than press brakes, which means they require more in the way of training and support. At Cincinnati Incorporated, 98% of our customers are in the U.S. That’s our core market. CI is an Ohio-based company. There are so many machines that are manufactured all over the world, so where is the service and support actually coming from? It’s an important question to ask.
If you’re in the U.S., you’ll call Ohio and talk to a CI staffer about the part you need. If you call tech support, we talk with you or do a remote session to fix the problem. For training, you come to Ohio or we come to you.
We’ve manufactured, installed and supported CO2 and fiber lasers since the mid-80s. If you have any further questions after reading this guide, don’t hesitate to reach out. We wish you the best of luck on your laser cutting journey. We can guarantee that you won’t regret making the leap, and simply having the machine on your floor unlocks possibilities you can’t even imagine yet.
