How to reduce the cost of laser cutting projects

Whatever you’re sourcing in business, cost should always be a significant factor. 

But balancing that cost against quality, speed of delivery, customer service and additional advice is still key, particularly when it comes to specialist areas such as laser cutting.

Laser-cut pieces are now vital for many industries, forming critical parts of machinery in sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals to the automotive field.

However many firms are unaware that their laser cutting cost could be reduced by improving communication with their laser cutting partner and making simple alternative choices.

We’ve put together some tips to potentially reduce your laser cutting costs in time for your next project.

It’s worth remembering that searching exclusively at the lower end of the price scale, particularly for specialist services like these, can sometimes backfire and you should always consider how experienced, respected and highly-rated your laser cutting service is.

1: Outsource laser cutting to the professionals

When a project requires a precision finish that only a laser cutting machine can achieve, some organisations initially think about adopting a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach. 

But that’s often swiftly followed by the realisation that on-site laser cutting can involve expensive investment in new equipment such as CNC machines, plus large amounts of staff training and maintenance.

Rather than spending months or years mastering laser cutting and CNC machines and overcoming the subsequent obstacles and costs, you can easily remove those complications by outsourcing your project to an experienced company.

Professional laser cutting machines can be costly and sizeable and are not likely to be used enough to cover your outlay.

Laser cutting and CNC machines also need regular maintenance and safety checks, raising costs even further.

Outsourcing the work and enlisting the help of an expert firm familiar with best practice in laser cutting services will speed up the project and reduce costs.

2: Design a prototype

If you’re submitting your first designs and haven’t used a laser cutting service before, it can be difficult to picture what your end product will look like.

Placing an order for a large quantity of laser-cut products without examining the design and creating a prototype model could ultimately lead to difficulties.

Costs could increase if you have to re-order to correct mistakes that weren’t picked up.

Dedicated laser cutting firms are able to create initial prototypes in model space and check them for fit and movement, saving valuable time and money.

Preliminary prototypes can then be cut prior to series production, reducing costs by catching problems early.

3: Consider type and thickness

Laser cutting is useful on a wide variety of materials, but the thickness of it will affect how fast the laser beam can cut.

If you select a thicker, more dense metal, the time spent creating your design will increase, and therefore so will the cost.

If a specific thickness of metal is vital for your project, pairing it with a simple design may help to balance out the cost.

Materials can take up a large amount of the cost to buyers, so it’s important to consider which metal is best for your purposes.

Get in touch

If you’re searching for a laser cutting service with expertise and experience that can save you time and money, contact Yorkshire Laser & Fabrication.
Call 01924 220236, email us on info@yorkshirelaser.co.uk or message us directly here. One of our experienced team members will be happy to help with your enquiry.