5 Benefits of Using a Laser Engraver and Cutter

Laser cutting machines are a versatile solution to a variety of industrial and commercial challenges. With the right laser cutting machine, industrial and commercial organizations can satisfy their needs for engraving, cutting, or marking a variety of different materials, with technology that characteristically out-performs the competition. Below, we&#;ve listed five of the key benefits associated with using a laser engraver or cutting machine. Keep reading to find out how the versatility and precision offered by powerful laser technology can benefit your organization.

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Laser Cutting Machines are Versatile

Laser cutting machines are versatile in the sense that they can perform different operations depending on how the user or operator configures their settings. Laser cutting, engraving, marking, and even laser etching can all be performed by the same machine with different operating conditions, and each function lends itself to different types of applications. Let&#;s take a look at the four functions and how they differ:

Laser cutting is when a laser machine is used to cut entire shapes or sections out of the chosen material. High-powered CO2 lasers machines are the best option for cutting through plastics and metal substances, as they interact with the material directly, not just the pigment in the material. Some metals have high enough melting points that they cannot be cut with lasers, but virtually all fabrics and paper materials can easily be shaped into something new by laser cutting.

Laser engraving uses a high-powered laser to vaporize the surface of the material, leaving a visible marking with a depth between 0.02&#; and 0.125&#;. Laser engraving is a useful process for personalizing or customizing an object made from wood, leather or stainless steel, but the process may be inappropriate for industrial parts-marking application as the depth of the cut can compromise aspects of the material that are critical to its performance.

Laser etching is a special type of laser engraving that makes extremely shallow cuts, typically just 0.001&#; in depth.

Laser marking is typically used to create permanent bar codes or other traceability markings on metal products, such as medical devices or automotive or aerospace components. Laser marking does not cause any physical change to the material, as it is done with only a low-powered laser. The beam causes oxidation under the surface layer of metal, causing it to change color and leaving a permanent, high-contrast marking. Laser marking is effective on flat, curved and round surfaces.

Image courtesy of Hai Tech Lasers

Caption: High-powered CO2 laser machineslike this have rapidly replaced virtually all traditional marking technologies, such as dot peen, inkjet, and labeling. Lasers create permanent and consistent markings at a low price point with a high accuracy that simply can&#;t be matched by other marking technologies.

Vector Cutting Machines are Precise and Reliable

Mechanical and laser cutting are both common fabricating processes that are represented throughout the manufacturing sector today, but there&#;s a reason that an increasing number of manufacturers are choosing to rely on laser cutting machines to fulfill their needs.

That reason is the unparalleled precision and reliability of a computer numerically controlled (CNC) vector cutting machine, its ability to deliver absolute consistency and help minimize risk throughout the cutting process. Compared to mechanical cutting, laser cutting offers:

• the ability to apply finish to a product, whereas machine-cut parts may require post-machining treatments to finish them

• no direct contact between the material and the laser cutter, reducing the likelihood of material contamination or an accidental marking

• less heat generated in a smaller area compared to mechanical cutting, reducing the risk that the material will become deformed or misshapen at the cutting site

The laser engraving process also outperforms its industrial counterpart, computerized rotary engraving. With lasers, the time and labor needed to set up an engraving job were reduced and laser engraving could be used to mark a wider variety of metals and other materials.

Some manufacturers continue to use chemical etching to mark their products, but laser marking is certainly a more efficient option. Thanks to its CNC interface, laser markers can produce consistent markings on a variety of materials, even of different shapes, with 99.9% accuracy. A process such as chemical etching, whose success depends on the variable absorption rate of the chosen material for the acid, often produces markings with error/defect rates of up to 50%. Chemical etching lacks both the precision and reliability of laser etching when it comes to producing high-quality, long-lasting laser marks.

Laser Cutting Works with a Variety of Materials

Have you ever wondered &#;What can you cut with a laser cutter?&#; The answer is, almost anything. Laser cutting works by directing a highly concentrated beam of light rays, the output of a high-powered laser, through a series of lenses that magnify their intensity and onto the desired surface. When the laser beam hits the material on the targeted surface, it is either vaporized, melted, burned away, or blown away by a jet of gas.

Lasers are used to cut, etch, mark and engrave materials for a variety of applications. On the industrial side, manufacturers of automotive and aerospace parts use laser cutting machines to mark parts with unique traceability numbers or product identification codes, making it possible for regulators to trace the path of each part through the supply chain. Product designers use laser cuttings to create home decor products and other crafts. The versatile applications of laser cutting machines are due in part to the versatility of materials that can be cut by a laser, including:

• Acrylic, also known as Plexiglas, a hard plastic material that comes in many different colors

• Mylar also called polyester

• Nylon

• Two-tone acrylic

• Polyethylene and polypropylene

• Stainless steel

• Anodized aluminum

• Silicone

• Cloths such as suede, leather, hemp, and cotton

• Sheet metal, including magnetic sheets

• Papers

• Rubber products such as neoprene and viton

• Woods (balsa, birch, oak, cedar, cherry, and others)

Aerospace parts manufacturers benefit significantly from the versatility of laser engravers and cutters, as they can be used to mark wires made from rubber, custom instrumentation panels made from two-tone acrylic and mechanical components made from stainless steel.

Laser Engraving and Cutting is Extremely Safe

Laser cutting machines are becoming increasingly common on the job site, in public workshops and &#;maker spaces&#;, and even in schools &#; but what are the risks?

The Laser Institute of America, in collaboration with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has released a document called ANSI Z136, which establishes safety standards for operating lasers in the workplace. Under the standard, the laser in your typical laser engraving machine would be labeled as Class 3B or Class 4 &#; high-powered laser beams capable of causing severe skin or eye injury.

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Despite that, laser cutting machines have been designated as &#;low-risk&#; under the standard because they are fully enclosed and interlocked. Users should never manipulate safety features or intentionally expose their skin or eyes to the laser beam &#; but otherwise, laser engraving and cutting are extremely safe and low-risk technologies.

Conversely, alternatives to laser cutting can pose a significant threat to the safety of workers. The chemicals used in acid etching can be toxic if ingested and corrosive to the skin, and workers are much more likely to be injured by a mechanical fabrication process than by a laser cutter.

Image courtesy of Hai Tech Lasers

Caption: In desktop laser markers such as this one, the laser is housed within an enclosure that should always be closed when the program is active. As a result, the machine operator is never exposed to the laser beam which could be intense enough to seriously damage eyes or skin. Their compact design and inherent safety make desktop laser cutters popular for marking small medical implants or industrial components.

A Laser Cutting Machine Produces Few Waste Products

One of the best things about operating a laser cutter in your workshop or on your manufacturing line is that they don&#;t produce any real waste and don&#;t require any consumables.

Imagine that you&#;re manufacturing automobile components that have to be marked for traceability and you have the choice between marking with a laser cutting machine or with chemical etching. If you choose etching, you&#;ll need to establish relationships with suppliers that can provide you with the chemicals, acids, and the wastewater treatment equipment needed to dispose of them legally. You&#;ll also have to generate a unique physical stencil for each unique marking, or replace a used stencil after 20-30 uses.

In contrast, the only consumable used by a laser cutting machine is electrical power so you&#;ll have no new waste removal processes and no extra products to order.

Summary

Laser cutting and engraving machines offer significant benefits to the organizations that use them. These diverse machines can perform several applications, including engraving, cutting, or marking a wide variety of materials (stainless steel, plastics, wood, paper and more). In addition to their precision and reliability, laser cutting machines are valued for their excellent safety designation under ANSI Z136 and the fact that they produce no material waste.

Laser cutting is a highly efficient and versatile technology that has revolutionized the automotive industry. It offers a range of benefits that have led to its widespread use. Laser cutters are used in a variety of applications in the automotive industry, including: cutting plastic parts, fabricating metal components, and marking and engraving parts for identification and branding. The production of high-quality automotive parts can be streamlined by combining laser cutting with robotic systems. This makes the automotive industry more efficient and cost-effective.

This article highlights the five benefits of using laser cutting in the automotive industry. These benefits include: precision and clean cuts, versatility in cutting a wide range of materials, compactness, fast processing, high-quality results, and the ability to engrave materials in a single operation. 

1. Laser Cutting Produces Clean, Precise Cuts.

Laser cutters use a high-density heat source for cutting which results in precise and clean cuts. The light wave produced by the laser cutter has a wavelength of 10,000 nm. Precision cutting is made possible by the metal's partial absorption of this energy, which leads to a change in the metal's molecular structure. The beam parameter product (BPP) is also used to assess the laser beam quality. The BPP of CO2 lasers, for example, is typically 8&#;9 mm. This, along with the intensely concentrated heat, accounts for the cut&#;s near-perfect quality and the method's widespread use in the automotive industry.

Laser cutters are particularly ideal for cutting and sealing airbags. They are considered to be practically error-free in sealing airbag covers, which is why they are now the primary technology used to cut and seal airbags in cars. The laser cutter&#;s powerful and precisely focused heat is the primary advantage in sealing airbags. 

2. Laser Cutting Is Incredibly Versatile, It Can Laser Cut a Wide Range of Materials.

Laser cutters move precisely to cut the outlines that have been programmed into the laser cutting machine since their cutting heads are CNC controlled. This is an extremely useful technology for the automobile sector because it cuts down on production time tremendously and produces consistent parts every time. This also gives this technology the advantage of being very versatile in terms of design flexibility and complexity. 

Plastics, fabrics, glass, and rubber are just a few of the materials used in the automotive industry that can all be successfully processed with lasers. Components and materials that have undergone laser processing can be found in practically every part of a standard car, including the exterior as well as the interior. Today, every step of the automotive production process, from initial design and development to final assembly, uses lasers.

The compactness of laser cutters is a key factor in their widespread use and popularity in the automotive industry. The use of the laser cutting machine becomes a crucial output-to-space efficiency for vehicle manufacturers because it is relatively small in comparison to its throughput.

The compact nature of laser cutters allows for easy integration into a manufacturing line. The machines take up minimal space and free up valuable floor space for other equipment. The size advantage of laser cutters also means that they can be used in smaller automotive shops, without sacrificing the precision and accuracy that is needed for quality parts production. 

4. Laser Cutting Machines Process Quickly and Produce High-Quality Results.

One of the advantages associated with laser cutters is their fast processing time. They are also known for their high-quality cuts in which both accuracy and precision are realized. These advantages make laser cutters ideal for streamlining the production of automotive parts in all the stages of the manufacturing of the car: from the design phase to part development to assembly. 

Lasers frequently function in conjunction with robot systems due to the 3-dimensional nature of some of the items. In certain circumstances, a robot will pick up a part, present it to a stationary processing head, and manipulate it as necessary to finish the cut. As an alternative, the laser might be installed on a robot arm to allow the beam to be guided around the part's 3-dimensional contours.

Combining these two techniques allows for a wide range of processes. It manages the workpiece and the laser head to carry out numerous cutting operations as effectively as possible. Often, multiple laser processes can be carried out within a single robot cell, speeding up production and reducing cycle times.

Lasers aren't just used in mass production, however. They are also being used in high-end, custom car manufacture, where throughput is low and some tasks are still done by hand. Here, the goal is to increase processing quality, repeatability, and dependability rather than to scale up or speed up production. This will lower rejection rates and cut down on the waste of expensive materials. This capability makes laser cutters ideal for both small-scale and large-batch productions. 

5. Laser Cutting Machines Can Engrave Materials in a Single Operation.

Laser marking/engraving is more cost-effective than other alternatives since it doesn't have the high consumable expenses that come with inkjet printing technology. In most situations, laser cutting creates a mark that is more durable and indelible. Hot stamping provides durability and high-quality marks, but at the sacrifice of flexibility because each mark needs a different die. Contrarily, laser marking is quick, flexible, and adaptable. The information and visuals to be marked can be quickly modified without the need for tool modifications or downtime. For more information, see our guide on Laser Engraving.

What Are the Uses of Laser Cutting in the Automotive Industry?

Laser cutters have a wide range of applications in the automotive industry. These include:

1. Plastic Parts. A wide range of plastic components can be cut with laser cutters, including: the bumpers, dashboard and interior panels, license plates, light housings, pillars, spoilers, and trims. A wide range of plastics, including: ABS, acrylic, HDPE, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and TPO can be used to make automotive components. Plastics can be plain or painted. They can also be integrated with other materials, such as: interior pillars covered in fabric and support systems reinforced with carbon or glass fibers. Lasers can be used to trim extra plastic residue from the injection molding process as well as to cut or drill holes for fixing points, switches, parking sensors, lights, and other components.
2. Cutting and Sealing Airbags and Seat Belts. Laser cutters are ideal for cutting and sealing airbags without any wear, which is a common problem with other conventional cutting methods. Flat-woven airbag materials must be shaped by laser cutting before being stitched together and are often silicone-coated to achieve the appropriate air permeability. One-piece-woven (OPW) airbags also need to be trimmed, and a laser is the best instrument for the job. Since there is no contact in both situations, handling of the fabric is limited and the silicone coating is less likely to sustain damage, which could jeopardize the airbag's structural integrity.
3. Cutting Synthetic and/or Real Leather. Laser cutters are ideal for cutting leather for car seats. 
4. Fabric. A car's interior normally consists of a variety of textiles; an example includes the upholstery fabric. The kind of fabric and thickness of the cloth will affect the processing speed. However, a more powerful laser will cut at a proportionately faster rate. The majority of synthetic textiles are precisely cut. The edges are sealed to prevent fraying during later stitching and seat assembly. 
5. Metal Parts. Laser cutters are used to cut different metal parts for cars, including: sheet metal parts (e.g., doors, hoods, body panels, fenders, etc.), engine components (e.g., gears, bearings, and shafts), exhaust systems, and suspension components. 

For more information, see our guide on Uses of Laser Cutting.

What Is the Type of Laser Cutting Used in the Automotive Industry?

There are two main types of lasers used in the automotive industry: CO2 lasers and fiber lasers. These lasers offer the right balance of speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness for automotive production processes. CO2 laser cutters are used for cutting non-metallic materials such as: plastic, rubber, and fabrics. These machines are also very versatile and can be used to cut intricate shapes and patterns. On the other hand, fiber lasers can cut both metallic and non-metallic materials. They are perfect for high-volume production runs due to their speed, accuracy, and efficiency. Compared to other kinds of laser cutters, they are also low maintenance and energy efficient.

Factors that influence the choice of the laser cutter in the automotive industry include: the type of material being cut, the production volume, and the required level of accuracy and precision. To satisfy the needs of the sector, the laser cutter must also be capable of cutting the material quickly, precisely, and consistently.

For more information, see our guide on Types of Laser Cutters.

What Are the Manufactured Products Using Laser Cutting in the Automotive Industry?

Some manufactured products using laser cutting in the automotive industry are:

1. Bumpers
2. Dashboards
3. Interior panels
4. Car seats
5. Doors
6. Body panels
7. Engine components

How Effective Is Laser Cutting in the Automotive Industry?

The use of laser cutters in the automotive industry has generally been regarded as effective in terms of producing precise, high-quality cuts. Laser cutters offer a fast and efficient means of cutting a wide variety of materials. This leads to improved production times and lower costs. They also offer greater accuracy and consistency than traditional cutting methods, which can reduce the number of errors and defects in the final product. The use of laser cutters can also help to minimize material waste, as precise cuts allow for the efficient use of raw materials. The compact size of laser cutters allows for easy integration into existing production lines and minimizes the required floor space.

Is Laser Cutting the Best Choice for Cutting Materials in the Automotive Industry?

Yes, laser cutters are the best choice for cutting materials in the automotive industry for several reasons. Laser cutting offers unmatched accuracy and precision at a high production rate. They are also a lot safer than alternative open-blade cutting methods. Laser cutters are also compact in size resulting in output-to-space efficiency. 

Summary

This article the benefits of laser cutting in the automotive industry, explained what they are, and discussed each of them in detail. To learn more about laser cutting benefits in various industries, contact a Xometry representative.

Xometry provides a wide range of manufacturing capabilities, including sheet cutting and other value-added services for all of your prototyping and production needs. Visit our website to learn more or to request a free, no-obligation quote.

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