Sheet Cutting Service

A: A laser cutting service uses high powered lasers to cut and engrave materials such as sheet metal, acrylic, and plywood very accurately. It includes the uploading of a CAD file or DXF to a service provider who will then make use of a laser cutter to produce the cut parts as requested.

A: Sheet cutting services can work on quite a number of sheet materials such as sheet metal, acrylic sheets, plywood sheets, and birch wood. Choice of material depends on project requirements and limitations of the cutting service. This makes it convenient since some providers have a very vast range of cutting materials.

A: There are high expectations in terms of the accuracy and precision that laser cutters are able to provide. Regarding the tolerances that are common with laser cut parts, it can be in the range of ±0.1 mm up to ±0.25 mm, depending on the thickness of the material being used and the level of detail of the design. The tolerances that you expect to get from a service provider are, however, best confirmed by the provider concerned.

A: Laser cutting and CNC cutting both have their specialties. In laser cutting, a beam of focused light is directed on the material to cut it while in CNC there are tools of cutting. The faster of the two is laser cutting and more accurate especially in cutting thin materials while CNC takes up cutting in Bulkier materials and three-dimensional cut outs. They can both be employed in sheet metal fabrication services but may depend on the project needs.

A: Yes, most services that cut sheets specialize in making custom sheet metal parts. You can upload your CAD file/design and the service will use a combination of laser cutting and in some cases bending to fabricate your parts. This suits low volume production and definite prototypes.

A: Most of the providers include additional services apart from laser etching such as bending and cutting as well as powder coating and engraving. Others may provide plasma cutting services especially on thicker material. It is advisable you confirm from the service provider you intend to use all the options they provide.

A: Turnaround times can vary according to the nature of the project and who the services are from. Rapid prototyping services provided by some companies can manufacture products within one to three business days. For further complex or larger orders, it may take longer. Always consult your provider for realistic perspective on the delivery time.