Page 20 - MetalForming December 2017

When Laser Blanking
When Laser Blanking
Is the Best Bet
Is the Best Bet
The process can hold its own
compared to blanking via a stamping press. Here’s how.
manner. When the investment required to manufacture a part no longer can be spread out over a large number of parts, it must be divided over the lower volume. One of the best methods to address this: Reduce setup time and tooling costs.
The traditional stamping process requires extensive die production time, taking anywhere from 6 mo. to 1 yr. to develop the original forming diesets. Add more time during tryout for mod- ifications to the blank shape in order to assist the forming process, as well as an additional 14-16 wk. to produce the final production blanking die after tryout completes.
So, imagine eliminating the need for a die, and simply programming a CNC laser unit to cut a desired shape.
BY JAY FINN
People tend to think of laser blanking as a niche manufac- turing methodology or proto- typing resource, and mechanical stamping as a process better suited for high-throughput environments. How- ever, a multitude of factors determine what makes a successful manufactur- ing operation. These factors include customer responsiveness, product quality, efficiency, flexibility, mainte- nance and scrap reduction, material- yield improvement, overall cost reduc- tion, and profitability. Given the advances in laser technology, manu- facturers may find, in many cases, that laser blanking offers a more economi- cal option than stamping.
Responding to Customer Needs
If the customer isn’t happy, nothing else really matters. With that in mind,
Jay Finn is general manager and chief technology officer at LaserCoil Tech- nologies LLC, Napoleon, OH; 419/592- 0050, www.lasercoil.com.
let’s start with improving customer experience and responsiveness. In today’s market, mass customization represents a key component in cus- tomer satisfaction. Consumers drive manufacturers to produce more mod- els yet lower volumes of everything from cars to appliances more quickly, more efficiently and at lower costs. Meeting this shift requires the agility to respond quickly and to meet rapidly changing product designs and mate- rials, and to do so in a cost-efficient
18 MetalForming/December 2017
www.metalformingmagazine.com
Laser blanking produces a clean edge, regardless of the material being processed.