Laser Cutting

Laser Machines and Contract Manufacturing
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Laser Cutting Sheet Metal

Cutting with a Laser

Laser cutting uses the laser as a single-point cutting source to vaporize material in a very small, well-defined area. This process allows for very small cut widths to be achieved, from 0.002" to 0.020" (0.05mm to 0.5mm). Depending on the material, CO2, Nd:YAG and Fiber Lasers can be utilized to optimize the cut quality. Metal, plastic, and wood fabricators are using industrial laser cutting technology to improve throughput and quality because of faster production rates and part changeover times.

Common Applications

  • Automotive
  • Recreational Vehicles 
  • Complex Shapes and Geometry 
  • Edge Quality Requirements
  • Sheet & Tube Metal Fabrication
  • Medical Devices

Countless applications.

Cutting high-density dust-free holes in sanding discs is one of many ideal applications for high-speed laser cutting. Preco not only offers cost-effective contract manufacturing solutions for applications such as abrasive discs with unique features, but also laser equipment for in-house production at your facility.

Common Materials & Applications

Preco's proprietary laser equipment is capable of cutting a wide variety of materials.

Laser Processing Metals

Metal Cutting

The ability to laser process metal can be done with accuracy, ease and speed using a laser. Applications include mower blades, turbines, gears, tools and energy storage modules, among many others. Preco has both laser equipment and contract manufacturing services available to meet your metal processing needs. 

Common Metal Materials

  • Aluminum Alloys 
  • Irons & Steels 
  • Copper Alloys
  • Titanium 
  • Superalloys
  • Refractory Metals
Cutting Abrasive Materials

Abrasives Cutting

When it comes to production solutions for abrasive material processing, Preco is the dominant market supplier. We handle it all, from wide-web processing of heavy grit abrasives through micro-polishing grits for glass or fiber-optic end connectors. Preco developed a laser cutting process that virtually eliminated the possibility of remaining chads and provided the clean edge that manufacturers were looking for when cutting abrasive discs. 

Laser Cutting Gasket Materials

Gasket Cutting

In the gasket market, the cost of the basic materials tends to be similar foremost gasket makers. The market and types of gaskets made is broad and incorporates a wide range of materials, from rubber to steel. What becomes a key differentiator is how effective the gaskets are cut, increasing material yield and incorporating automation and other labor-saving methods, such as automated collating, stacking, and matrix removal.

Common Gasket Materials

  • Open and closed cell foams
  • Virtually any plastic
  • Cork
  • Rubber
Laser cutting pressure sensitive adhesives

Pressure Sensitive Adhesives (PSA) Cutting

Pressure-sensitive adhesives have proven to be a widely accepted approach over mechanical fastening or liquid adhesive options.  Applications include uses in computers, medical devices, and drug delivery systems, among others.

Common Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

  • Open and closed cell foams
  • Virtually any plastics
Laser cutting foam materials

Foam Cutting

The variety of foams on the market includes reticulated foams, open-cell foams and closed-cell foams are great applications for laser cutting. Some advantages of laser cutting include no contact processing, flame-polished edges, no chipped edges, fine details without breakage and reproducible precision down to ±0.051 mm. 

Common Foam Materials

  • Silicone Sponge
  • PU Foam
  • Open Cell Sponge Rubber
  • PVC Foam
  • PE Foam
  • PS Foam

Advantages

Just some of the advantages of laser cutting with a Preco-made machine.

  • Virtually unlimited cutting path. Unlike mechanical cutting tools, for example, knives and saws, lasers can make three-dimensional cuts, and with Preco, up to five-dimensional cuts are achievable with help from SurfCamsoftware
  • Well suited for fabricating parts with tight feature tolerances, especially with flexible materials. Since the laser beam exerts no force, the part retains its original shape from start to finish.
  • Can cut very hard or abrasive materials without difficulty or wearing the laser.  
  • Achieves outstanding edge quality without the need for secondary operations.
  • Can process sticky materials that would otherwise gum up a blade.
  • Cuts at high speeds and can be faster than a water jet or EDM (electro-discharge machining).
  • Laser cutting is a cost-effective process with low operating and maintenance costs as well as maximum flexibility.

Laser Cutting Equipment Line