Details for Part Designers

Laser Cutting

Tabs 

Small parts must be "tabbed" when laser cutting to keep them from falling out of the sheet into the scrap bin. 

This photo shows .38" x 1.2" squares cut from 16-gauge galvanized steel.  The tab is visible in the center of the part.  

Larger parts less than about six inches in the smallest dimension must be tabbed to keep the part from "tipping up" on the laser table.   The laser could hit parts if they tip up. 

Tabs leave a small burr on the part when it is detached.   

Unless specified, we will allow the laser software to automatically place the tabs.  If the burr is troublesome on a critical edge, the designer can specify the least important edges to locate the tabs. 

We welcome your CAD file if you have one.  There are some advantages if you prepare and submit the file because you will know exactly what will be cut and have a record for the future.  

Please adhere to these conventions:

  • Attach your CAD file in .dxf ASCII format

  • All CUT lines must be on Level 0

  • All ETCH lines must be on Level 1

  • All other levels are ignored

  • “Clutter” on Levels 0 or 1 will result in cutting errors

  • The part must be a closed shape

The laser will faithfully cut the part as drawn – missed corners, hanging lines, extraneous dots, etc. will be cut as drawn.

 

Nesting

Do NOT combine multiple parts into a single cut file.  

If multiple parts are needed, supply a separate CAD file for each.   

We have advanced nesting capabilities to combine multiple parts onto a single sheet.   We will nest your files together to cut the required quantity of each part.    The nester will optimize the material usage and will utilize larger wasted spaces like the center of circular cutouts for smaller parts. 

 

Review

We review all of the parts as we nest them.   Our software also has error proofing.  If we find a problem, we will do our best to identify it and advise how best to remedy it.     Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee we will catch every problem.


Bending

Consistent bending requires careful design.  We can unfold, cut and bend parts perfectly on the first try when standard bending guidelines are observed.   We can provide simple design guidelines and advice to ensure your parts can be bent consistently. 

Unconventional bends require special effort.   Bends that are too sharp can stretch or tear the material and require excessive bending force that can damage tooling.  Achieving a large bend radius can require special tooling or multiple hits.  We will accept these parts but special tooling or longer lead times may be required.

We will work with you to design your part for efficient production.