Industrial Laser Solutions published an article on how moving from a CO2 laser to fibre changed the way we cut sheet metal: Fiber laser cutting reduces job time from four days to six hours.
The background
Wheeler Fabrications started as a factory maintenance firm and gradually moved into sheet metal work. A 2013 move into our current premises gave us more production floor space - and room to install a 3kW Bystronic BySprint Fiber 3015, which took over from an older CO2 laser.
The job that made the point
The article highlights one job: 125 units cut from 1.5mm and 3mm stainless steel sheet for oil rig safety lights. On the fibre laser it was finished in under six hours. On the previous CO2 laser, the same job would have taken four days.
What changed with fibre
According to the article, the fibre laser:
- profiles components five times faster than the CO2 machine it replaced
- costs less to run - lower power draw, no costly optics servicing and no helium or CO2 resonator gas
- can cut reflective materials such as copper and brass without damaging the optics
- handles copper, brass, aluminium and stainless steel sheet up to 3m × 1.5m, from 0.5mm to 6mm thick
- works with our Bysoft 7 nesting and 2D programming software, which in turn links with our Radan 3D CAD/CAM modelling
The machine was also supplied with a ByLoader 3015, which loads sheets automatically. That removes the heavy job of lifting sheets onto the bed by hand and helps avoid damage to pre-plated materials.
The result for customers
Faster profiling and more consistent parts mean shorter lead times and lower costs - on prototypes, low-volume runs and production quantities.
Find out more about our fibre laser cutting service or our work as sheet metal fabricators in Birmingham.
