Why should I consider laser cutting for my custom parts?

Lasers have many advantages over other conventional metal cutting and metal fabricating processes. Laser cutting can produce very complex parts while cutting materials up to 20mm thick. Lasers can cut the hardest materials and leave burr-free edges. The laser cutting process is extremely repeatable and produces parts with virtually no distortion. Laser cutting is well suited for rapid prototyping and provides a cost effective solution for short run production, making it a good alternative to metal stamping.

The narrow laser cut (kerf) width created by material removal, provides for the efficient layout of parts (and more parts per sheet), with less material scrap waste than most other cutting methods.

In most cases, laser cutting offers major benefits over short run stamping, plasma cutting, wire EDM, water jet cutting, and NC milling. Lasers are capable of cutting steel, stainless steel, alloys, copper, aluminum, and brass. They are capable of cutting non-metallic materials like plastics, ceramics, rubber, quartz, wood and even some composite structures. Overall, laser cutting out performs plasma, water jet, NC milling, and conventional saws in nearly every cutting process. However, for some materials, thickness requirements, or tolerances, other metal cutting processes may be more efficient.

What is your typical quote response turnaround time?

Quotes are usually returned to the requesting company the same day or, at the worst, the following day. We are very concerned about quick and accurate quote response times.

What's the typical processing time for a laser-cutting job?

The processing time is really a function of the job's complexity, so it depends. Furphy Laser can turn around laser cut parts in as little as a few hours, but some jobs might take a week. We also fill many rush jobs and will produce and ship partial orders to ensure our customers' production is uninterrupted.

Request a Quote to get a specific answer for your requirements.

Don't most laser cutting processes leave material on the bottom edge of the part?

It depends how you operate the laser. At Furphy Metal Services, we regulate the laser power, our feed rates, and the assist gases we use in our laser cutting production to minimize and eliminate machining damage created by dross on the bottom side of the material during the laser cutting process.

What kind of drawing files can you accept for my laser-cutting project?

We do our fastest work when we receive emailed .DXF files. Preferably, files are submitted in or AutoCAD 14.dxf or newer .DXF files.

How should I provide files containing text?

Provide text-containing files in Adobe Illustrator (AI) or Corel Draw format.

What is the maximum sheet size Furphy Laser can handle?

Our lasers can handle sheets up to 60" x 120". Our 4030 LXP laser utilizes a pallet changing system that allows us to change sheets in 30 seconds, increasing our production capacity and decreasing processing times for your job.

How can I keep the costs down on my laser cut parts?

You can help yourself cut costs by providing clean legible prints, which helps to eliminate needless questions. If you e-mail a clean .DXF file to Furphy Metal Services with no overlapping or incomplete lines, you are providing the most efficient method of providing a print for quoting or processing. Since the potential for blowout occurs primarily at sharp (90-degree) corners, using radii (fillets) where possible is a great help in reducing scrapped parts and minimizing your costs.

How quickly can you begin my laser-cutting project?

Once your order is received, we quickly begin the process of generating the NC file that our Laser machine will use to cut your parts. Lead times range from one day to a week or more depending on the size and complexity of the project. Furphy Laser always allows for emergency situations by allotting time to offer partial shipments.

Request a Quote to get a specific answer for your project.

Once you've laser cut my parts once, how easy is it to reorder?

Once our computers have been programmed to laser cut your part, we can begin producing your re-order parts within just a short setup time. Each part on the re-order will have the same repeatability and positioning tolerances as the previous order, ensuring all parts are identical.

Besides laser cutting, what other capabilities does Furphy Laser offer to assist with our project?

We offer a wide variety of metal fabricating services designed to provide you with a one-stop-shop for your fabricating needs including shearing, forming, machining, welding, grinding, polishing, and painting, for virtually any metal fabricating application. We work in most metals used in metal fabrication including steel, stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper and aluminum.