At GF Laser we are regularly asked how quickly we can turnaround laser cutting jobs. This all depends on the type of job and we have turned around jobs in a few hours but typically customers ask for 24 hour turnaround laser cutting.
Some of the factors that can affect timescales are:
Is there CAD available?
Although we have the ability to reverse engineer parts using our Faro ScanArm it is obviously a lot quicker if the CAD already exists. That said, if it’s a simple part to draw up then a member of our CAD team can create the CAD in a few minutes using AutoCad.
What type of material?
On a regular basis we laser cut Mild Steel, Stainless Steel, and Aluminium. On a less frequent basis we laser cut brass and titanium. So, if your enquiry is for a type of steel we have in stock then turnaround times will be shortened.
How many parts?
Laser cutting is a brilliant solution for one part or a thousand parts. We also have 5 laser cutting machines running day and night so we often run the same job on multiple lasers if the customer is in a hurry. What often happens for quick turnaround laser cutting is for example that 5,000 parts are required for a project but just 100 or so are required immediately for early or prototype builds. This is especially true for laser cutting for the toolmaking industry where modifications are often required prior to a final part.
Timing is everything.
Although we do work around the clock, including weekends, it is obviously harder to produce parts within 24 hours if we receive an order on a Friday afternoon at 4pm. This might be because our steel stockholders don’t tend to work on weekends or that we don’t have the relevant Quality Engineer available to check the parts.
So, the best way to find out whether we can cut your parts quickly is to get in touch, please send any enquiries to sales@gflaser.co.uk or call a member of the estimating team on 01384 245 095.