Reasons Why Laser Cutting is So Popular in South Africa

Laser cutting is a popular method of cutting stainless steel and mild steel plates. With advanced technology and high-tech machinery offered from laser cutting, steel plates of various thicknesses can cut easily. Using only a laser ray, very detailed shapes can be formed using this method. There are plenty of laser cutting services in Gauteng that can assist you in steel cutting. (Information Credit – https://www.plasmacut.co.za/services)

There are many reasons for the immense popularity of laser cutting services.

• Efficiency and Productivity: Laser cutting provides strong and deep penetration into the steel plates at a high speed, which makes it a highly efficient method. With an average speed, it can cut to about 10 meters per minute. The thinner sheets are cut even faster. Due to this high-speed cutting, productivity is greatly increased when compared to conventional steel cutting techniques.
• The utilisation of low heat: As mentioned above, laser cutting methods work very fast, making it utilise the least amount of heat. It results in narrower heat affected zones. So, nearby components do not face the risks of thermal damage.
• High-quality product: Generally, the steel cutting processes makes the steel pieces distorted or warped. However, the laser cutting method is a non-contact process so, these risks are reduced, which helps laser cutting services in Gauteng to produce high-quality steel sheets.
• Brilliant edge quality: The laser cutter is a very small cutting tool that uses a highly focused laser. As less heat is used to cut into the metal from this small tool, a narrow cut is created, resulting in the production of steel pieces with brilliant edge quality.
• No tooling expenses: Laser cutting methods don’t require any hard tools but the laser cutter. So, there are no additional expenses regarding tool sharpening, changeover, and storage. So, it helps companies reduce on any unnecessary expenses.
• Easy set-up: As laser cutting only requires the laser cutter and no other tools, it is easy to set it up. All that the operator needs to do is programme the machine, then load and unload the material to it as required.
• Low-cost prototyping: It is easy and convenient to reprogram prototypes quickly because there are no tooling costs in this method. So, any potential production problems can be avoided easily.
• Advantages of customisation and automation: Laser cutting is not manual work. It is processed and programmed by CNC (computer-numerically-controlled) manipulators, which makes the process simple. So, it is easily automated and repeated.
• Scrap eliminated: In laser cutting, close nesting of parts assures efficient use of materials that reduces scrap and sometimes even eliminates it.
• Safe process: Unlike traditional cutting processes, laser cutting does not involve direct contact of the workers with the cutter. The whole cutting is processed through computer software. So, with this method, there are no risks of accidents occurring in the workplace.

Due to these reasons, laser cutting services are growing rapidly in Gauteng.

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Tony Pearson Joined: March 13th, 2019