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How Maintenance of Laser Cutting Machine Affects Quality

Ha Noi   June 1, 2022

Machine maintenance is a vital part of a laser cutter's performance. While companies or users may know they need to maintain their machinery, they may not be aware of the best practices associated with keeping these machines running at an optimal level. Since companies rely on lasers to produce accurate and high-quality cuts for fabrications, it's crucial to know how to perform the right kind of preventative maintenance practices to keep businesses working at the top of their game. 

Find out more about how regular maintenance can improve your laser cutting machine and which maintenance practices you can follow to ensure it runs at its best performance. 

Can Regular Laser Cutting Machine Maintenance Improve Laser Cutting Quality?

Regular maintenance is vital to your laser cutting machine's performance. Neglecting to maintain your laser cutter will lead to breakdowns, halting your production until the machine can be repaired or replaced. By keeping your machinery in good condition, you can expect to stay on track, hitting productivity targets without surprises. Additionally, well-maintained laser cutters will also last longer, helping you get the most from your investment.

In addition to improving the life span of a laser cutter and keeping it reliably productive, proper maintenance practices also improve the machine's cutting quality. A laser cutter in good condition will be more precise in its cutting, ensuring you get the cut you require. A well-maintained cutter also cuts faster, helping you stay on schedule, and it will be much cleaner. This eliminates some of the clean-up duties normally required after you're done.
 

How Do You Maintain a Laser Cutter?

With all the ways regular laser cutter maintenance can improve a machine's quality, you might be interested in some of the best practices you can follow to ensure your laser cutter performs at the highest level. Some of these practices include keeping the laser cutter jet centered, cleaning the laser cutter lenses, monitoring the machine's temperature and focusing the laser cutter optic. 

If you want to know more about how to perform these preventative maintenance practices, check out some more information about them below:

1. CLEAN LASER CUTTER LENSES APPROPRIATELY

Your laser cutter lenses are crucial to the duties your machinery performs, and operators should clean them regularly. Because the lenses can affect the cut's quality — and everyday cutting processes can cause layers to form on the lenses — it's critical to clean the lenses after a particular number of cutting cycles. The laser cutter manufacturer usually prescribes this cleaning schedule, and operators should follow it.

Alongside cleaning them at the right intervals, it's also important to clean them the right way. When operators don't appropriately clean a cutting lens, they could damage it or leave a thin level of dirt on it, affecting the quality of future cuts. 

When operators clean lenses, they should apply an appropriate cleaning agent at the recommended level. After doing so, they should gently polish the lens by hand. Ensuring operators are using the right cleaning agent and being gentle in the polishing station can extend the life span of your lens and keep your laser cutter working at a top level.

2. KEEP THE LASER CUTTER JET CENTERED

During the laser cutting process, the jet plays an essential role. The jet allows auxiliary gas to go through it and directs the laser beam to the metal. After a laser jet goes through a prescribed number of cycles by the manufacturer, an operator should check it. If the jet is off-center, the laser cutter will see decreases in its cutting speeds and precision.

When the operator checks the jet and finds it is off-centered, they should direct the laser to a piece of tape for about a second. After directing the laser for this amount of time, the operators need to check if the hole in the tape is centered appropriately. To examine the tape, operators usually use a magnifying glass to properly inspect the hole's small dimensions. By positioning the laser cutter jet appropriately, you'll see a faster cut and greater precision from your laser cutter.

3. ENSURE LASER CUTTER OPTIC IS FOCUSED

While newer laser cutters often feature optics that focus automatically without input from the operator, older ones often require professionals to do the focusing process. After using a laser cutting machine for a manufacturer-prescribed number of cycles, operators will need to refocus the cutting optics. 

To focus the laser optic appropriately, the operator will start by releasing a low-power laser beam and utilizing the laser cutter's focusing system. During this process, the operator will note the laser beam's color. After the laser beam turns blue, the operator will need to record the values provided by the machine. The operator should then repeat this process three times. With the results, they'll calculate the average of these values and enter them into the laser cutter's system, resulting in a focused optic.

While you can take the above steps as a general rule, your laser cutter manufacturer or laser cutter brand may have different focusing processes. As a result, it's crucial to speak with the manufacturer before you manually focus your laser cutter.

4. MONITOR THE LASER CUTTER'S TEMPERATURE

Your laser's chiller performance is crucial to its functionality. As a result, operators must keep a constant eye on the laser cutter's temperature gauge. All chillers will feature temperature displays or sensors to assist operators as they attempt to keep temperatures at the right level. When left unchecked, extreme temperatures can cause resonator damage, leading to long and expensive repairs. If an operator notices the temperature is off, they need to stop work until they get the temperature back to an acceptable level. 

Some of the most recent control technology allows fabricators to set a constant temperature. Though this removes the need to monitor the temperature consistently, operators must still monitor the chiller units' water levels. When the water builds up in these units, it can create some conductivity. If a chiller unit has high conductivity, it can cause the laser cutter's self-diagnostic features to stop the resonator from working until there are lower water levels.

To lower the conductivity level of the water and the chiller, the operator can run the chiller unit for a few minutes before they begin cutting. The operator can also swap out the resin at appropriate intervals to deionize the water, lowering the conductivity as a result.

Contact SIV for Precision Laser Cutting Services

SIV Metal is one of the leading laser cutting companies in central Pennsylvania, and we're ready to produce high-quality fabrications for you. Our laser cutting services allow us to cut extremely complex shapes and work with various materials. If you have any questions or want to see how our 70 years of laser cutting expertise and metal bending experience can benefit you, please contact us today.

The Importance of Sandblasting Before Powder Coating

Ha Noi June   1, 2022

Sandblasting is one of the most important steps you can take when powder coating metal parts. It's an essential part of cleaning metal before powder coating, ensuring the powder coat lasts a long time and isn't harmed by contaminants on the metal surface. Sandblasting comes with many benefits, and using it properly can greatly improve the quality of your powder coating and the protection of your metal parts.

Find out more about sandblasting and how it can help prepare a metal surface prior to powder coating. Additionally, you may want to be aware of the required steps for powder coating preparation, which we will explain below.
 

What Is Sandblasting?

Sandblasting is a kind of metal preparation process designed to etch or clean a surface. Many people use it to clean off metal surfaces before they powder coat them. When someone sandblasts a metal, they'll use a pressurized gun to propel extremely fine materials at incredibly high speeds toward a surface. 

While sandblasting gets its name from the type of material it propelled when the technology was first developed, it doesn't always use sand. Other very fine bits of materials are also used and are more common, such as powdered abrasives, copper slag, coal slag, silica sand, walnut shells and steel grits. 

To properly sandblast a metal surface, a user will load the pressurized sandblasting gun with these fine blasting materials. This gun will generate high-powered pressure to propel the materials forward. Since the sandblasting gun makes the materials fly forward quickly and at high pressure, the sandblasting technique effectively removes any contaminants or dirt on metal surfaces.

Do You Have to Sandblast Before Powder Coating?

Sandblasting before powder coating is a necessary step to take. If you're wondering if the metal has to be bare to powder coat it, the answer is yes. Sandblasting is the best method to clear it. 

Proper powder coating preparation requires metal surfaces to be entirely clear of any finish or dirt that could cause the powder coating to not adhere to the surface. Besides removing contaminants, it's essential to eliminate the old coat of paint or powder. Stripping the prior coat paves the way for you to apply a newer powder coating layer evenly across the surface. Sandblasting the prior coat also ensures your new coat effectively sticks to the metal surface.

Additionally, when you don't take the time to clean a metal surface with sandblasting, it's much more likely that your powder coat will suffer from peeling, bubbling and cracking from poor adhesion. Not using sandblasting can also result in the powder coating having a reduced life span. If you want your powder coating to last a long time and provide a smooth outer surface, you should use sandblasting.

Benefits of Sandblasting Prior to Powder Coating

There are several advantages to sandblasting your metal parts before powder coating, making it an essential step for anyone who wants to properly prepare their metal components. These benefits range from providing faster cleaning and removing tough contaminants to giving powder coating a longer life span and causing the metal surface to be more friendly to bonding. With all the ways sandblasting can improve the powder coating process, savvy businesses know to use it to assist with metal cleaning. 

Below is some more information on the primary benefits of using sandblasting prior to powder coating:

1. Fast cleaning: A major benefit of sandblasting metal parts is the ability to quickly clean surfaces before powder coating. Since you're shooting tiny particles at high speeds onto the metal surface, you can quickly clear off contaminants. Compared to manually scrubbing or sanding these contaminants off, it's a much more time-effective process.

2. Effective removal of tough contaminants: One of the most obvious benefits of sandblasting is how it effectively removes even the toughest contaminants from a metal surface. Besides eliminating dirt and dust, it can also effectively remove tougher materials like rust and paint. Sandblasting ensures you get all these contaminants off your metal surface, helping it be as clean as possible before powder coating.

3. Greater bonding on the metal surface: It's also important to sandblast metal parts because the process leaves minuscule scratches on the surface. These tiny scratches make it easier for powder coats to bond with and sink into the surface. With an easier bonding process, your powder coating will look much more even and uniform on the metal's surface. Additionally, you'll see greater powder coating adhesion over a longer period.

4. More effective for angles and curves: Some entirely flat materials can be manually sanded before powder coating instead of being sandblasted. However, most metal parts will have curves and angles, which are very difficult to sand evenly by hand. Sandblasting makes it much easier for people to smooth out the surface of a metal part and remove contaminants from hard to reach areas. This more efficient method saves you time and produces smoother coats.

5. Longer life span for powder coating: Sandblasting is also critical as it helps improve the powder coating's life span. Since sandblasting removes contaminants that could cause peeling, bubbling and cracking, you can safely apply the powder coat to the surface. As a result, your powder coat will stick to your metal part for a longer time, reducing the frequency of needing replacement coats.

6. Exceptional reusability: Since sandblasting doesn't do any structural damage to a metal part, you can reuse it as much as you like. Every time your metal part needs a fresh powder coating, you can use sandblasting to remove the old coat and any contaminants that might be on the surface. When you can sandblast your metal surfaces any time you want, you can better protect them over the long term, making sandblasting technology and services a worthwhile investment.

Best Blasting Media for Powder Coating

Before powder coating, you'll need to use blasting media in the sandblasting gun to remove any contaminants. When you search for blasting media, you'll have multiple options to select from, so it's important to choose the right one. Coal slag is a popular option, as it's cost-effective, lasts for a while and leaves a good profile. It also strips rust and paints quickly.

Another good blasting media is aluminum oxide. While it's more expensive than coal slag, it's even more effective at removing paint and rust. Aluminum oxide is also an extremely aggressive media, allowing it to remove prior powder coats fast. It tends to leave a great profile on iron and steel, and it doesn't produce as much dust as coal slag, leading to faster clean up. You'll likely want to steer clear of this blasting media on softer metals, as it can leave too much of a profile.

While you might think sand is appropriate as a blasting media, it's usually not a good choice. Even though sand is the cheapest option available, it produces a great deal of dust, which can make it hard for you to see while sandblasting and could contaminate the metal parts. Additionally, the silica dust produced by sand can lead to severe lung damage, and the only safe way to use it is to wear a supplied-air breathing system. 
 

CAN YOU POWDER COAT OVER RUST?

It's not recommended to powder coat over rust. Like other contaminants, rust can affect the powder coat's quality after application. When you place powder coating over a rusty surface, the rust can cause outgassing, bubbles and various imperfections in the powder coating, resulting in a poor finish. You also shouldn't powder coat over rust because rust will continue to spread and start flaking off. When the rust flakes off, your powder coat will come off with it. 

Luckily, sandblasting can handle rust, even the tougher variety. By using sandblasting to clear all the rust off the metal parts, you can prevent the negative effects of leaving it there. Sandblasting your rusty metal components will save you a significant amount of time and money in the long run, as you won't get bogged down continuously adding powder coating to areas that rust has damaged or caused to flake.

How to Prep Metal for Powder Coating ?

Metal prep for powder coating is a crucial step to take. Powder coating preparation involves a multi-step process to ensure the metal part is ready for a professional to sandblast and powder coat it. Since cleaning metal before powder coating is crucial to getting the most out of the process, you should know how to prep for powder coating. Additionally, you'll want to know the best practices for safety and proper sandblasting during metal prep.

Review some of the primary steps for the powder coating process below:

1. Gather supplies: Before you begin prepping the metal, you should gather your supplies. To complete the prep work, you'll need high-temperature tape, vinyl gloves, a clean rag, degreaser and a screwdriver or wrench.

2. Remove parts: With your screwdriver or wrench, remove the metal part's bolts and nuts. You'll want to remove these elements due to the need for bare metal during the sandblasting stage.

3. Wipe bare metal with a clean rag: Once your metal is bare and you've removed all the bolts and nuts, you'll need to wipe the part with a clean rag. To get rid of any oil or grease on the metal surface, you should use your degreaser. After completing this stage, wear vinyl gloves whenever you're handling the metal part to avoid contaminating the surface with your oily fingerprints.

4. Identify areas you don't want to powder coat: After you've wiped down the metal part, move on to identifying areas you don't want to powder coat. With these spots identified, utilize high-temperature tape to protect them from the sandblasting process and powder coating. If your metal part has any holes exposed designed to hold bolts or screws, fill them with a high-temperature plug.

5. Suspend metal part in the air: While still wearing your gloves, find a way to suspend your metal part in the air. When you hang the metal part in the air, you'll expose all of it for sandblasting and powder coating. Many people choose to hang the metal with a chain.

6. Put on safety glasses and a respirator: With the metal part hanging in the air, you should prepare yourself to use the sandblaster. Since the sandblaster will shoot out many tiny particles at high speeds, wearing a respirator and safety glasses is a must. Before you begin handling the sandblaster, ensure you're properly wearing your safety gear.

7. Prepare and use sandblaster: Once you're wearing the relevant safety gear, attach your sandblaster to the air compressor, with the sandblaster filled with your chosen blasting media. Begin spraying the metal part with the sandblaster, ensuring you do so evenly and carefully to blast every section of the metal part.

8. Clean area: After using your sandblaster, don't immediately move on to powder coating. Instead, sweep the floor to remove any debris or dust in the area. If contaminants are left on the floor, they could end up sticking to your powder coating during its application. By sweeping, you increase the chance that your powder coating lasts a long time and doesn't crack or peel prematurely.

9. Disconnect sandblaster and prepare powder coating: With the area swept clean, disconnect your sandblaster from the air compressor. After removal, you can connect the corona gun to the air compressor. You'll use this gun to apply the powder coat to the surface. Ensure you're still wearing your safety gear as you fill the corona gun with your powder coating.

10. Spray the item with powder coating: Once the gun is filled with powder coating, begin spraying the metal item with it. You should spray the powder coating much like you're using a can of spray paint, doing so in even and short strokes. As you spray, check to see if you've applied it evenly and that you've covered every angle and surface. If you want to apply a second coat, you can do so after you've evenly applied the first coat.

11. Cure metal Item: After powder coating the item, you'll want to cure it. To do so, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven reaches this temperature, place the metal part in it for 10 to 25 minutes, letting it cure. When the curing is complete, wait for the metal part to cool down before taking it out of the oven.

Contact SIV Metal for Powder Coating Services

With all the steps and equipment needed to sandblast and powder coat a piece of metal, you may want to turn to a professional. At APX York Sheet Metal, our team of powder coating experts is ready to help. Our ability to handle jobs of various sizes, fast turnaround time and exceptional customer service make us the go-to option for our clients. We can powder coat several metal parts, such as front panels, metal brackets and sheet metal boxes.

View our powder coating services to see what we can do for you. If you have any questions, please contact us or request a quote. 

Smart Manufacturing Technology

Ha Noi   February 1, 2021
 

Smart technology is everywhere — our homes, cars, smartphones and offices. Shopping experiences are tailored to our exact interests, fast food restaurants have started using robotics, and manufacturing processes are evolving to reduce errors, simplify processes, minimize product waste and improve efficiency. According to many industry experts, we are experiencing what is known as "Industry 4.0," a type of fourth Industrial Revolution, due to the fast-moving rate of technological advancements that are transforming manufacturing as we know it.

Smart manufacturing utilizes similar techniques as other smart technology, including powerful processors, user-friendly applications and sometimes cloud storage. You can apply smart manufacturing to an entire shop or fleet or pick and choose which tools and features are most useful in your market. Although much of the current smart manufacturing technology relies on internet connectivity — including the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) — it is more about data and how operators collect, manage and analyze information to make better production decisions.

Smart advancements in the metal fabricating industry are less about what we can do and more about how changes can improve processes and final products. It's amplifying use and efficiency, solving problems and establishing safer, less wasteful work environments.

That's not to say there isn't a creative or ambitious side to all of these advancements. While efficiency is at the forefront, smart manufacturing also opens up an entire world of possibility for metal fabricators. This guide discusses the benefits of smart manufacturing, including emerging CNC automation technologies and other machine automation.

How Does Smart Manufacturing Affect the Metal Fabrication Industry?

One of the easiest ways to understand how smart technology influences the industry is through comparison. Let's take a look at press brake smart technology, for instance. Before technology evolved and became integral in production, hydraulic and mechanical press brakes required blueprints, hands-on training, manual troubleshooting and manual positioning of the axis and back gauges. Operators were responsible for entering all information, including material type, thickness, designs and angles, then positioning the press brake throughout the production process. Although the process was and remains effective, there are several opportunities for error:

1. The operator can enter incorrect information, leading to product waste, damage or injury.

2. Repositioning may be off, wasting time and materials.

3. The machine may malfunction without apparent cause, costing time and possibly professional service to diagnose and repair it.

4. Operator training takes a while to learn and depends on another person showing them how to complete tasks.

Today, smart technology transforms the way tools like the press brake operate. Operators learn everything they need to know about the machine from computer learning software, and built-in guides on the machine make the process more straightforward and eliminate learning curves. Built-in automated sensing can alert operators of data errors or machine malfunction before wasting materials. Angles and lines are more precise, thanks to more sophisticated design equipment. Of course, error is still possible — that's why the human element will always be necessary for metal fabrication. There must be people to program machines, oversee progress and keep things running efficiently.

Smart manufacturing exists in many mediums across the metal fabrication industry, including:

1. 3D printing

2. Industrial robotics

3. Automated processes

4. Connected devices and machines

5. Cloud integration

6. Condition monitoring

7. Artificial intelligence (AI)

The more common smart tools become within the industry, the more affordable and accessible these resources will be for businesses of all sizes. 

Reports show that making the change and adopting new technologies into the manufacturing workplace can be beneficial. One survey found that factories that adopt smart technology see a 10% to 12% increase in production output, a percentage that is likely to grow as technologies do. Neglecting to utilize newer, faster and smarter equipment could also mean your business isn't performing up to its potential. A study found that manufacturing businesses only average about 40% of their production potential because they're spending so many resources — including time, money and workforce — on slower, more manual processes and administrative tasks.

Automating Machinery With Smart Technology

Automation and robotics are closely linked, as they both refer to a machine that has built-in programming and technology to complete some or all tasks on their own, without the need for an operator to prompt them. Automation can benefit many machinery types. For example, CNC machines are fast and reliable, but when paired with CNC automation technologies, they're a continuous supply of consistent, quality results.

HOW IT WORKS

Automation for machining operations turns standard equipment into a versatile, self-reliant operation. With it, a machine might automatically detect the type of material it's processing, including its dimensions, and take the appropriate next steps based on that information without operator input. Because you can program automated machinery with set parameters, automation in CNC machines and other machinery means they also know when to stop or alert users of a possible error.

Manufacturers do not have to replace all existing equipment with industrial automation. Many of your existing tools might be eligible for an upgrade or smart technology add-ons, like data monitoring devices. Alternatively, re-outfitting your set-up with smart technology will make it easier for machines to communicate with one another along the entire production line. Automated machines are available in a range of sizes and capabilities, so factories can usually find what they need, whether they are a large mass-producer or small-scale supplier with an irregular inventory.

THE FUTURE OF SMART MACHINERY

If there is anything to understand about the future of smart machinery, it is that machine automation and intelligent equipment will be a process of integration, not a takeover. Manufacturers will continue to have more options available to them that may improve productivity and efficiency, but many of the industry's standard equipment and processes will always remain. Industry insiders also confirm that factories need not choose between human or machine — there will always be jobs in metal fabrication that require a human eye and mind. Facilities will likely be split into a variety of direct and indirect manufacturing tasks, with new jobs emerging in areas like machine programming, installation and repair.

As intelligence grows, machines will become more autonomous, though levels of automation and smart features will vary from piece to piece. Some machines and processes will likely be fully intelligent, while others will combine traditional techniques and operator input with smarter technology aiding in the process. Manufacturers will continue to transition to these new technologies, some moving faster than others. Budget and space restraints might stand in the way for some business owners, as well as operator apprehension.

Smart manufacturing will leverage the big data that companies need to make smarter decisions, regardless of the amount of smart technology that business has adapted. It is worth noting that, as smart manufacturing and machine automation becomes more commonplace within the industry, consumers will begin to expect faster, more reliable results. To stay competitive, some metal fabricators might transition to automated machinery and smart-enabled tools sooner, rather than later, to keep on top of trends and meet those end-user expectations.
 

Benefits of Using Smart Technology and Machine Automation

Smart technology in metal fabrication can take numerous forms — wireless or wired, simple or advanced, a single machine or your entire production line. You can program machines to communicate with one another, with other devices, with operators and vice versa. The more integrated operators and smart machines are, the more efficient your team will be.
Some benefits of smart manufacturing in the metal fabrication industry include:

1. Self-monitoring: Self-monitoring machines are primarily hands-off, meaning an operator is not limited to standing at the machine during their entire shift. Instead, operators will aid in production by programming these machines, setting up processes and overseeing results. This minimizes the chance of operator injury.

2. Set parameters: When you establish parameters for your automated machines, it enables them to understand what task to complete and when to complete it. They supplement employee efforts by processing complicated instructions with less error, and although there may be the occasional misstep, they enable more efficient processes. Machines also require no training and understand tasks without taking up valuable production time.

3. Reliability: When certain smart machines experience an error, they will alert an operator and may even display possible troubleshooting steps or error codes, so you can correct it and minimize downtime.

4. Data: As smart technology collects the data from your machinery and processes, you can use it to identify strengths and weaknesses along your production line. You can also get valuable insights toward energy consumption, amount of downtime and how closely you're adhering to safety compliance regulations. Store this data in the cloud, where it is always accessible — even when away from the facility — and safe from damage caused by natural disasters. Analyze and track patterns and production trends to make educated estimates for costs and profit.

5. Production: Merge smart technology into your existing process and identify areas for improvement with targeted training. This will help you bridge gaps in knowledge among employees and cross-train operators whenever applicable. With automated machinery, operators can turn their attention to other tasks without being limited to the same area as the machines since you can operate machines from a central location and have problems diagnosed from off-site, if necessary.

6. Transportation: Smart technology inside your facility has immediate, tangible benefits — but what about what happens to your product when you finish fabrication? Smart technology lets you automatically track deliveries and identify any weak points along your transit route. Automated machines can help load and unload materials and process packages quickly. With fewer people involved in the process, shipping is also safer and more predicta

7. Profit: All of these benefits add up to create faster production times with less manual labor needed from operators, as well as better quality products and fewer wasted materials. Smart technology can also help you manage your inventory, so you're never wasting resources.

OFFER MORE ADVANCED SERVICES

CNC automation, robotics, data collection devices and machine-to-machine communication may allow you to offer more advanced services, such as:

1. 3D imaging and printing: 3D printing has come a long way in manufacturing. What started as an interesting approach to product creation has turned into a viable addition to the metal fabrication industry. The list of materials suitable for use with a 3D printer is expanding to include things like powders and resins — even entire buildings made of soil. As far as metal is concerned, new machines can handle steel, titanium, aluminum, gold and more. 3D imaging lets you craft more precise, scalable prototypes and models before finalizing your product. During fabrication, smart robotics have increased agility and automated sensing to make those detailed cuts with minimal waste and less error. Without design restrictions, your facility can offer consumers a more customized product with faster turnaround times than before.

2. Tube laser cutting: Tube lasers are automated technology that creates cuts, holes, channels, tubes and shapes in materials with heightened precision and faster production speeds. Because your process will move more quickly, you may see a boost in both profit and quality.

3. Self-driving equipment: One part of industrial automation you might not know is available is a relatively recent addition — self-driving material handlers and equipment. These machines save time by performing repetitive back-and-forth tasks that are otherwise a waste of operator talent. Though they are not yet established in the world of metal fabrication, they have helped numerous industrial facilities simplify their productions — and it's only a matter of time before manufacturers begin applying those benefits to metalwork. If nothing else, metalworking facilities should prepare for an increase in project requests they may receive for this emerging technology.

COMPLETE JOBS MORE EFFICIENTLY

In addition to more streamlined processes and high-quality products, smart manufacturing technology will create a more efficient facility by letting you:

1. Optimize energy consumption: Analyze your operational data and gauge your energy usage to establish baseline costs and adjust billing for different products, take steps to reduce your company's energy consumption or aid in your efforts for a more eco-friendly facility. Track changes over time and see what methods are working and which need continued improvement.

2. Automate appointments and parts: One valuable aspect of automation is that these machines often have built-in technology to let you know when something is wrong. Some may even automatically schedule service appointments with pre-programmed contacts or order their own part replacements.

3. Adapt to market changes: As the consumer market evolves, so must your business — and that includes adapting to market trends and meeting growing needs. There are no excessive wait times or long training periods to meet these industry changes with smart technology. Instead, machines are updated to reflect production shifts. In many cases, once you have equipped your facility with the latest technology, this means minimal additional equipment purchases.

4. Engage in lean manufacturing: Lean manufacturing refers to the process of keeping material waste low, avoiding over- or under-producing products, assigning operators important tasks, utilizing technology in the right way and reducing idle time among workers and machines. Automation and smart manufacturing technology will help you monitor these key areas and adjust processes as needed.

Contact SIV Metal for Fabrication Services

If you need custom metal fabrication, SIV Metal can help. We have been utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and technology to craft custom metal fabrication for clients in the electronics, industrial, construction, material handling, OEM manufacturing and alternative energy sectors for more than 70 years. Contact us to request a free quote for your project today.

How Does Laser Cutting Work?

Ha Noi October 5, 2020

Laser cutting is used in everything from manufacturing to surgery. With its many applications, laser cutting is crucial to the success of many companies. If you're interested in using laser cutting for your business, you should know how the laser cutting process works and how a laser cutter functions. You should also know the primary types of laser cutters and their main applications. This article will give you all the details you need.
 

What Is the Laser Cutting Process?

What is the process of laser cutting? The laser cutting process is relatively new as it relies on advanced computing power and laser beams to cut into materials. During laser cutting, someone first inputs a design into a computer program. After the design is in the program, the computer will then move the laser over the material you want to cut. 

This laser then burns, melts or vaporizes the materials to adjust them to fit your desired shape. The machine will also often use gas to blow away any material left over. At the end of the process, the material will be transformed into a product with the desired shape. Its edge will also have an excellent surface finish. 

Like a more traditional milling machine, a precision laser cutter will cut on the x, y and z axes. Laser cutters separate themselves from these older machines by using a high-powered laser instead of a drill to do the cutting. 

During the laser cutting process, you can choose either a continuous wave beam or pulsed beam. A pulsed beam will deliver the laser in quick bursts, while a continuous wave beam will keep it running in continuous succession. You can usually control the laser beam's heat output, length and intensity to customize it to the needs of the material you're working with. You can even use a special lens or mirror to focus the laser beam more.

How Does a Laser Cutter Work?

A laser cutter is a form of digital manufacturing technology that utilizes 2D vector files to guide lasers. The laser cutter has a laser resonator that contains glass fibers or a gas mixture of a crystal body. The type of laser resonator used will depend on the cutting method. To begin cutting, the machine will take energy and apply it to the machine's mixture. After the energy is applied, it is then sent through the various mirror lenses needed to focus the laser. 

As the energy is sent through the mirrors, it travels into a nozzle that straightens the beam and sends it onto the material in a focused form. While the technique is called laser "cutting," it's more like laser "vaporizing," as the beam vaporizes the material it makes contact with. This material is vaporized into the shape programmed into the vector file. 

There will be some changes to this process based on the type of laser cutter you use, but the above information covers the basics of how a laser cutting machine works.
 

Different Types of Laser Cutters

Many different types of laser cutters are available for manufacturing companies to use. Each type brings advantages and capabilities that make it better suited for certain materials. Gas, fiber and crystal laser cutters are three primary kinds of laser cutters used in various industries.

Below, you can find more information on these three main types of laser cutting machines:

1. Gas laser cutters: Gas laser cutters, sometimes referred to as carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers, cut material by using electrically stimulated CO2. They can pierce through thicker material than fiber lasers. A key advantage of these lasers is they provide a smoother finish when they cut thick materials. They're the most popular type of laser cutter since they can cut several kinds of materials while also being inexpensive and efficient. Gas lasers can cut glass, leather, wood, acrylic, paper, some foams and some plastics. 

2. Crystal laser cutters: Using a combination of crystals — neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate and neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet — crystal lasers generate powerful beams. They're well-suited for cutting strong and thick materials since their beams have a high intensity. The main downside to this laser is its higher power leads to frequent breakdowns. The materials these laser machines cut include metals, plastics and some ceramics.

3. Fiber laser cutters: A fiber laser cutter refers to a laser that utilizes an optical fiber doped in various rare elements, like thulium, holmium, praseodymium, dysprosium or erbium. The doped optical fiber combines and condenses laser diodes into a strong cutting beam. Compared to gas laser cutters, fiber models are much more energy-efficient and can cut reflective materials without the danger of back reflections. They also require less maintenance, are cheaper and last longer than crystal lasers. Fiber laser cutters can cut metals and plastics. 

What Is a Laser Cutter Used For?

Laser cutters can be used in various applications. They're most commonly employed for manufacturing tasks, but hobbyists, small businesses, schools and even hospitals use laser cutting tools for different purposes. 

One of the top uses for laser cutters is cutting metal. Metal is a necessity in many different industries, so laser metal cutting is quite common. An example of this is when a company shapes a cellphone case or car body. Additionally, some professionals use laser cutters to cut reflective metals, which can be more difficult than cutting other types of materials.

Another notable use for laser cutting is within the medical sector. The technique's precision helps form highly advanced medical devices. Doctors even use it in surgery to vaporize human tissue in place of a scalpel. 

You'll often see laser cutters assisting with marking and engraving objects. This process adds intricate designs to an item, raising its aesthetic value. You can often see people employing laser engraving and laser marking methods for creating jewelry and wooden signs.

Additionally, those in the microelectronics, semiconductors and solar industries use laser cutters to cut silicon. The precise nature of laser cutting makes it easy to form the silicon and produce smaller silicon products.

Contact SIV Metal for Laser Cutting Services

SIV Metal is a premier laser cutting company in central Pennsylvania, and we're ready to take your metal fabrications to the next level. We have more than 70 years of laser cutting and metal bending experience guiding our services, ensuring you get only the best custom metal fabrications available on the market. We're always happy to provide advice on laser cutting and deliver reliable and efficient services.

Contact us today to find out how we can help with your precision laser cutting needs. One of our representatives will be happy to discuss how we can earn your business and provide you with top-quality metal fabricated parts.

How Thick of Metal Can a Laser Cut?

Hanoi   September 2, 2020

Laser cutting is an incredibly useful development to arise from the past half-century. Projecting extreme heat in an incredibly narrow stream, laser cutting allows manufacturers and welders to cut custom pieces and parts out of metal with the utmost precision. Like so many other technologies, it's a contributor to the increased sleekness and reliability of many modern machine parts.

Of course, as with all technologies, laser cutting is an ever-developing field, which means it's never perfect. There are always obstacles to push beyond, and limits to overcome. When it comes to laser cutting thick steel, those limits manifest primarily in factors like the materials able to be cut, the power of the lasers, and — as a result of those things — the maximum thickness of metal that the lasers can handle.

What Metals Can a Laser Cut?

Lasers can cut through many materials and are typically used on a select few types of metal — in particular, carbon steel, mild steel, stainless steel, steel alloys and aluminum.

1. Carbon steel: Steel is a mixture of iron and carbon. Carbon steel is steel with an especially high amount of carbon.

2. Mild steel: Mild steel has a low concentration of carbon compared to carbon steel.

3. Stainless steel: Stainless steel adds small amounts of chromium to create resistance to corrosion.

4. Other steel alloys: Alloyed steel is bonded with one or more other elements to strengthen it.

5. Aluminum: Aluminum materials are useful due to being lighter than steel ones.

In addition to these metals, lasers can be used to cut through many non-metallic materials, from wood to plastic to ceramics. However, it most often gets used to cut metal, specifically those listed above.

What Is the Maximum Thickness a Laser Can Cut?

It seems simple enough to ask for a single maximum limit on thickness for all laser cutters, but it's more complicated than that. Many variables are at play in how a laser cuts through a piece of metal, so the maximum laser cutting thickness depends on the specific laser and material being used, among other things.

For the sake of naming a specific number, we can pair a high wattage laser — 6,000 watts — with a metal like stainless steel. In this case, the laser cutting maximum thickness would typically be about 2.75 inches.

But that thickness is contingent on those particular variables. The same laser paired with carbon steel could probably only handle up to 1 5/8 inches, while a 4,000-watt laser could only penetrate 1 inch of stainless steel.

The maximum thickness would go up immensely for non-metallic materials like wood and plastic, as they're much less dense and strong than steel or aluminum.
 

Laser Cutting Power vs. Material

When looking at what the maximum cutting thickness of a laser, you should analyze two factors in particular — laser power and material. A laser at one wattage won't be able to cut through as thick a material as a laser at another. Likewise, the same laser won't be able to cut through the same thickness of carbon steel as it will aluminum.

Some of the most common laser wattages to encounter are 3,500, 4,000 and 6,000. Lasers of 6,000 watts are excellent for cutting through especially thick or strong metals, though in many cases the lower wattages are more than enough to get the job done.

MATERIAL STRENGTH

The strength of a given metal can vary depending on factors like the ratio of different elements in the alloy, but there are still tendencies for certain types of metal to be stronger or weaker than others. Here is a brief overview of how the previously mentioned materials stack up against each other, from hardest to easiest to cut.

1. Carbon steel: High amounts of carbon provide an added layer of strength to a metal.

2. Mild steel: Being lower in carbon content than carbon steel, mild steel proves easier to cut. However, though more cuttable, finished products made of mild steel are stronger and more resilient than those with higher amounts of carbon.

3. Stainless steel: The presence of chromium combats rust and often makes the material less ductile and harder to cut. It doesn't have the same effect as carbon, though.

4. Aluminum: Aluminum is typically a very ductile material, as anyone experienced with aluminum foil knows. It rarely proves a significant problem for lasers.

5. Non-metallic materials: Unsurprisingly, at the bottom of the list are materials like wood, plastic and ceramic, which have much less strength than metal.

Other steel alloys can appear at various places on the list as well, depending on the specific alloy and the ratio of elements included. Again, none of these rankings are definitive, as they can vary from case to case depending on a particular metal's structure. One type of stainless steel can be much softer than another, for instance. But the above list can help give a sense of how things often are.

CUTTING SPEED

It's also worth considering speed. Lasers with higher cutting power can get through greater thicknesses, but they can also cut through smaller thicknesses in less time. Likewise, a laser can cut through weaker materials more quickly than stronger ones. This can sometimes contribute value to using a high-wattage laser even if you're not dealing with a particularly thick or strong metal.

Speed is also affected by the use of gas in the process, however. Metal can't just be cut through carelessly, as this would leave burrs and other inconsistencies on the cut edges. As the cuts are being made, gas has to be applied at high pressure to smooth out those issues. Stainless steel, for instance, uses nitrogen, while carbon steel uses oxygen. The type of gas and time needed to properly apply it can have an impact on the speed of the process, which is another way the process depends on the material being cut.

When deciding on what power laser cutter you need, you have to weigh these factors against one another, as well as against what you need the laser for. You may not need the highest-power laser for a certain job.

Contact SIV Metal for Precision Laser Cutting

If you're looking for somewhere to have your metal parts cut with laser-accurate precision, look no further than SIV Metal. Our sheet metal fabrication is high in both quality and reliability, and we do all our work in-house — no outsourcing to other businesses. Our process starts with laser cutting, and then goes through bending, inserts, welding, grinding and painting before producing the finished products you need.

You can count on us to use top-notch equipment to get the job done, so you get the highest-quality parts available. To get started, just get in touch with us today!

Công ty Siv Metal 

​Bao gồm bốn hoạt động sản xuất tích hợp

1. Siv Metal  - sản xuất kim loại tấm tùy chỉnh chất lượng cao và các cụm lắp ráp được sơn / không sơn hoàn thiện

2. Siv Metal Enclosures - nhà sản xuất hàng đầu trong ngành về các loại vỏ tủ điện được xếp hạng NEMA với mọi kích cỡ

3. Siv Metal Coatings - chuyên sơn tĩnh điện  & sơn ướt cho các thiết bị công nghiệp lớn và các bộ phận chế tạo

4. Siv CNC  workshop – Gia công chi tiết chính xác cao như. Jig , Mold, linh kiện….

Các phân xưởng Siv Metal hoạt động liên tục . Xem bên dưới để biết thêm thông tin:

Các lĩnh vực chúng tôi phục vụ

Chào mừng khách hàng từ khắp nơi trên thế giới.

Năng lực của chúng tôi

1. Chế tạo kim loại theo yêu cầu: Các công nhân của chúng tôi có thể chế tạo kim loại tấm với nhiều loại khác nhau thành các bộ phận đáp ứng thông số kỹ thuật của bạn. Chúng tôi chuyên về uốn kim loại và cung cấp đầy đủ các dịch vụ cho mọi bước của quy trình.

2. Tủ kim loại và vỏ tủ điện tùy chỉnh: Chúng tôi có thể phát triển thùng tùy chỉnh cho các ứng dụng điện và công nghiệp. Các thùng loa đáng tin cậy của chúng tôi chứa các thiết bị và linh kiện quan trọng cho nhiều ngành công nghiệp khác nhau.

3. Chế tạo thép: Siv Metal có thể thực hiện nhiều dịch vụ chế tạo thép khác nhau. Chúng tôi cung cấp chế tạo thép mạ kẽm, chế tạo thép cacbon và chế tạo thép không gỉ.

4. Chế tạo nhôm: Khi bạn cần giải pháp nhẹ, chúng tôi có thể cung cấp dịch vụ chế tạo nhôm. Các công nhân của chúng tôi có thể làm việc với nhiều loại nhôm để phù hợp với thông số kỹ thuật của bạn.

Các dịch vụ được cung cấp

1. Thiết kế sản phẩm: Chúng tôi có đội ngũ kỹ sư đẳng cấp thế giới sẵn sàng giúp bạn thiết kế sản phẩm tiếp theo của mình. Khi chúng tôi tạo ra một thiết kế, chúng tôi có thể sản xuất nó theo thông số kỹ thuật của bạn.

2. Uốn kim loại: Đội ngũ của chúng tôi chuyên về uốn kim loại để tạo hình dạng thép theo hình dáng cụ thể của bạn. Chúng tôi có thể uốn nhiều loại thép cho công trình của bạn.

3. Cán kim loại: Khi bạn cần một bộ phận hình trụ cho sản phẩm của mình, chúng tôi có thể cuộn ống, hình nón, kênh và các vật thể cán khác.

4. Cắt laser: Công nghệ cắt laser tiên tiến cho phép chúng tôi cắt các hình dạng từ kim loại có độ dày khác nhau.

5. Gia công: Chúng tôi có thể kết hợp tạo hình, cắt, mài và khoan để tạo hình một miếng kim loại thành phần bạn cần.

6. Cắt kim loại: Các thợ gia công kim loại của chúng tôi chuyên cắt như một phương pháp đáng tin cậy để cắt kim loại.

7. Hàn: Sau khi chúng tôi cắt và tạo hình các bộ phận bạn cần, chúng tôi có thể nối chúng bằng cách sử dụng hàn nhiệt hạch.

8. Sơn tĩnh điện: Kết thúc quá trình chế tạo kim loại, chúng ta có thể phủ một lớp sơn tĩnh điện chống ăn mòn. Dù bạn đang ở đâu, chúng tôi hy vọng bạn sẽ cho phép chúng tôi hợp tác với bạn trong từng bước chế tạo kim loại.

Tiếp cận để tìm hiểu thêm về các cơ hội nghề nghiệp mới của chúng tôi !

Các lĩnh vực chúng tôi phục vụ

Chào mừng khách hàng từ khắp nơi trên thế giới.

Các ngành đã phục vụ

1. Điện tử và công nghệ

2. Thiết bị công nghiệp

3. Thi công tại công trường

4. Xử lý vật liệu

5. Sản xuất OEM