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Introduction

Sheet metal laser cutting is a fabrication process that uses a high-powered laser to melt or vaporize material, leaving a precise cut edge. It is a versatile process that can be used to cut a wide variety of metal thicknesses, including stainless steel, aluminum, and mild steel.

First, Nhat Nam Mechanical's Fabricators convert CAD and drawing data into machine code. A laser cutting machine will then precisely remove sheet material. If any assembly or post-processing is required, our manufacturers will provide turnkey finishing to the part.

Laser cutting is often used for complex or intricate cuts that would be difficult or time-consuming to make with traditional methods, such as punching or shearing.

metal-laser-cutting-introduction
metal-laser-cutting-capabilities

Capabilities

Nhat Nam provides quality laser cut components to the OEM, and specialties industries in Vietnam. Our equipment includes a 3000-Watt Fiber Laser with twin pallets and a 6000-Watt C3 Bodor Fiber Laser with an autoload cell for maximum efficiency.

We deliver short and medium runs alike with unmatched precision.

Sizes & Tolerances

  • Blank Size: 3048x1524mm (118”x59”)
  • Sheet Thickness: Up to 25mm (0.99")
  • General Tolerances: Edge to edge tolerances of +/- 0.010” nominal on the top-cut surface. Thicker materials may have a tolerance deviation on the bottom face due to tapers inherent in laser cutting
product-by-metal-laser-cutting

Materials & Post-processing

Steel
  • CRS/HRPO
  • Galvanneal (GA)
  • Galvanized (GI)
Thicknesses available

0.025 in. - 0.787 in. (0.635 mm - 20.0 mm)

Stainless Steel
  • 201
  • 304
  • 316
Thicknesses available

0.025 in. - 0.393 in. (0.635 mm - 10.0 mm)

Aluminum
  • 1050
  • 5052
  • 6061
Thicknesses available

0.025 in. - 0.393 in. (0.635mm - 10.0mm)

Part Marking

Part marking is a great way to add high-contrast markings, part numbers, logos, and more. The table below compares the different types of marking methods we offer.

Marking Method Common Uses Pros Cons
Silk Screen
Graphics
Logos
Text
Color Variety
Crisp Detail
Works on a variety of materials
More costly at lower quantities
Susceptible to wear/fading over
Laser Marking and Engraving
Graphics/Text
Part Numbers
Extremely durable markings
Crisp Detail
Cannot produce colored markings
Bag and Tag
Serialization
Part Numbers
Very low cost
Can speed up inventory and receiving processes
Non-permanent solution

Finishes

Applying a finish to your sheet cut parts can not only improve their cosmetic appeal but also provide surface protection and increased performance. Below you will find some of the post-processing options and finishes we offer:

adhesives-and-coating-finished
Adhesives and Coating
  • Black Oxide
  • Powder Coating
  • Hot-Dip Galvanizing
  • Wet Paint
anodizing-1-finished
Anodizing
  • Type II Anodize
  • Type III Hard coat
  • Type III w/ PTFE.
metal-plating-1-finished
Metal Plating
  • Electroless Nickel
  • Zinc
  • Gold
  • Silver
conversion-and-pretreatments-1-finished
Pretreatments
  • Passivation
  • Pickle and Oil
  • Bead/Sand Blasting
  • Electropolishing

Design Guides

File Preparation Reference Sheet

File Types
Use vector files such as .DXF for 20 designs as well as for artwork such as engravings and part markings
Recommended 3D design formats:
  • .STEP
  • .STP
  • .SLDPRT
  • .PRT
File Optimization
Check that your design file does NOT contain:
  • Duplicate or overlapping lines, curves, points, etc.
  • Open curves or broken paths
  • Lines with a length of less than zero
  • Extraneous curves preventing the detection of boundaries
  • Stray points or empty objects

Design Guidelines Reference Sheet

Tolerances
  • Design for edge to edge tolerances of +/- 0.010" nominal on the top-cut surface
  • Designate which is the top face on your drawing
Kerf
  • Don't forget to account for the thickness for laser cutting: 0.008-0.012"
  • Kerf width generally becomes larger as the material thickness increases
Distance Between Features
MT = Material Thickness
  • Minimum Hole to Edge Distance = 2X MT or 0.125”, whichever is smaller
  • Minimum Hole to Hole Distance = 6X MT or 0.125”, whichever is smaller
  • Minimum Relief Cuts = 0.010” or 1X MT, whichever is greater
  • Minimum Corner Fillets = 0.5X MT or 0.125”, whichever is smaller
  • Minimum Tab Thickness = 0.063” or 1X MT, whichever is greater
  • Minimum Slot Thickness = 0.040” or 1X MT, whichever is greater

FAQs

What is the turnaround time for laser cutting orders?

It can vary depending on several factors, including the complexity of the design, the quantity of parts, the material being cut, and the current workload of our laser cutting machines.

Worked material

  • Aluminum
  • Stainless Steel
  • Carbon Steel

Advantages and disadvantages of laser cutting?

Advantages
  • High precision: Laser cutting can achieve very high precision, with tolerances of up to 0.01 mm. This makes it ideal for cutting complex shapes and patterns.
  • Fast speed: Laser cutting is a very fast process, and can cut through materials much faster than traditional methods such as sawing or drilling.
  • Clean cuts: Laser cutting produces clean cuts with no burrs or slag. This makes it ideal for applications where a high-quality finish is required.
  • No tooling required: Laser cutting does not require any tooling, such as saw blades or drill bits. This can save money and time, and also makes it easier to change between different materials.
  • Automatable: Laser cutting can be automated, which can further improve productivity.
Disadvantages
  • High cost: Laser cutting equipment is expensive, and the initial investment can be prohibitive for small businesses.
  • Limited material thickness: Laser cutting is not suitable for cutting very thick materials. The maximum thickness that can be cut depends on the type of laser and the material being cut.
  • Hazardous fumes: Laser cutting can produce harmful fumes, so it is important to have adequate ventilation in the workplace.
  • Requires skilled operators: Laser cutting requires skilled operators to ensure that the process is done safely and efficiently.
  • Overall, laser cutting is a versatile and efficient process that can be used to cut a wide variety of materials.

Design guidelines for Cut features

Notches and Slots

Notches and slots must be designed in the file,even if they are at the kerf thickness of the sheetcutting process. It is recommended for slot featuresto have exaggerated “lollipop” rounds on at leastone side to help compensate for the pierce-hole,which will be slightly larger than the cuttingthickness (kerf).

Designing Text For Cutting

It is important to “stencilize” text or add joiningbridges on free-floating text features, such asthe holes in D, O, P, Q, or other closed-loopcharacters. Otherwise, the features will be lost,and all that will be left is a letter-shaped hole! This guideline also applies to reversed shapescontaining holes; bridges should also be used inthose instances.

Common Sheet Metal Materials

GaugeSteelGalvanizedStainlessAluminum
inmminmminmminmm
30.23916.07
40.22425.69
50.20925.31
60.19434.940.16204.11
70.17934.550.18754.760.14433.67
80.16444.180.16814.270.17194.370.12853.26
90.14953.800.15323.890.15633.970.11442.91
100.13453.420.13823.510.14063.570.10192.59
110.11963.040.12333.130.12503.180.09072.30
120.10462.660.10842.750.10942.780.08082.05
130.08972.280.09342.370.09402.390.07201.83
140.07471.900.07851.990.07811.980.06411.63
150.06731.710.07101.800.07001.780.05701.45
160.05981.520.06351.610.06251.590.05081.29
170.05381.370.05751.460.05601.420.04501.14
180.04781.210.05161.310.05001.270.04031.02
190.04181.060.04561.160.04401.120.03600.91
200.03590.910.03961.010.03750.950.03200.81
210.03290.840.03660.930.03400.860.02800.71
220.02990.760.03360.850.03100.790.02500.64
230.02690.680.03060.780.02800.710.02300.58
240.02390.610.02760.700.02500.640.02000.51
250.02090.530.02470.630.02200.560.01800.46
260.01790.450.02170.550.01900.480.01700.43
280.01490.380.01870.470.01600.410.01260.32

Why Chose Us?

Expertise

Our dedicated experts work closely with you every step of the way to design, develop, and deliver the precision-crafted part and customized product.

Vetted Network

With ISO 9001 Certification and ANSI Certification, only the top shops that apply to become network suppliers make it through our qualification process.

Expert help

Our team of Application Engineers and Process Specialists are available to support you and provide answers to all of your fabrication and manufacturability questions.

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