Steel Fabrication Tips: The Benefits of Laser Cutting

If you're about to commission a steel fabrication project, then you may need to choose how your steel is cut, shaped and designed. Laser cutting is considered to deliver an effective and efficient solution to steel manufacturing jobs. What are the benefits of laser cutting?

You Get More Precision 

The lasers used to cut steel give more precise and even results. Unlike other steel cutting tools, lasers don't wear out, run out of fuel or dip and surge during the cutting process. Their cut stays the same, no matter how long it takes or how many times it is used.

This may give you more consistent results on your fabricated steel pieces. It also reduces quality control problems. Lasers cut the same way and produce identical results every single time. This reduces wastage and improves production efficiency.

You Get Faster and More Consistent Production

Laser cutters work extremely quickly compared to some other cutting tools. They are typically controlled by data programmed into a computer aided design (CAD) system. This computer then guides the laser to cut where it should.

While laser cutter operators get a lot of training and are skilled in their field, the process removes some human interaction from the cutting process that actually benefits you. For example, the laser cuts without needing a break. It doesn't need to think about what it is doing or to consult plans to check measurements, cuts or positions, it simply cuts to order.

Human and fabrication errors are minimised. As long as the computer has the correct data input to work with, the laser tool cuts accurately to those directions every time.

You Get Better Detail

If your steel needs to include fine detail, like holes, edge styles or shaping, then laser cutting can do this for you. As well as cutting large sections of steel into specified sizes, a laser cutter can also work delicately on small areas.

For example, a laser cutter can produce detailed and even decorative cuts and shapes in steel depending on your specification. These can come as standard in the cutter's CAD programs or can be specially programmed to meet your requirements.

If you think that your project is a good fit with laser cutting, then talk to your steel fabrication processing contacts. It's good to get input from experts who can assess your needs and come up with the best solution for them.