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Benefits of Lean Manufacturing and Related Blogs

Lean manufacturing is the process of cutting back on certain materials or speeding up certain processes to lower the overall cost of manufacturing. There can be key benefits to this approach to manufacturing, but it's important to move forward with a balanced view of lowering costs without compromising quality. This blog looks at that concept, but it also delves into other information related to the manufacturing and industrial fields. Ultimately, this blog is designed to help manufacturing professionals as well as B2B clients who purchase products or outsource processes to this field. If you have questions, I hope that you find the answers you need here.

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Benefits of Lean Manufacturing and Related Blogs

Metal Laser Cutting: Three Crucial Factors to Consider Before Making an Order

by Mark Peters

If you are preparing for a metal fabrication project, you should think about choosing laser cutting as your primary cutting method. As implied, this technique uses a focused laser beam or light radiation to cut manufacturing materials. This option is more favourable than alternatives because the cutting beam is precise and clean. Therefore, it uses little energy and produces a smoother edge. Also, unlike mechanical methods, there is minimal surface contamination. However, you should note that the benefits obtained will depend on your fabrication choices. Here are the most critical factors to consider before making an order.

Fabrication Material

Your choice of material will have a significant impact on the results of the laser cutting process. Therefore, you should choose the best material for your application for an ideal finish. In simple terms, there are different grades or qualities of metal materials in the fabrication industry. If you select a low-grade metal with numerous impurities, you will not get the best edges after cutting. This problem can be attributed to the fact that the laser is set to a temperature suited for handling the primary material. So, the beam will not cut the impurities with equal ease. For example, steel with high carbon quantities will have rough edges after cutting. For the best results, you should choose a high-quality fabrication material.

Tolerances

Laser beams are narrow and focused and therefore, more precise than plasma cutters. Also, unlike mechanical methods, the raw material panels are not ground. There is minimal metal lost during the laser cutting process. So, the technique can support relatively tight tolerances. However, this does not mean that you will get accurate cuts regardless of your order. The tolerance achieved will depend on the size of the beam, the equipment used and the specifications in your order. If it is critical for your metal to be cut to precise dimensions, you should ensure that your fabrication company provides CNC machining and machines with narrow beams. However, the increased tolerance might cost more.

Surface Finish Quality

Finally, you should consider the surface finish which you would like to achieve after laser cutting. If you are fabricating products that require an aesthetic appeal, it is critical for the edges to be smooth. In general, the quality of the final products will be determined by the material thickness, speed of cutting, laser technology and level of power. Therefore, you should discuss your options for improving the smoothness of the cut with your professional laser cutting company before the project.

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