Punching consists in the creation of holes by pressing down on a flat metal surface and it is used to cut and create holes in aluminium or steel metal plates with a depth of not more than 6mm.
However, if the client requires the cutting of sheet metal with greater depths, laser cutting is used.
Laser cutting allows the creation of holes in flat metal sheets with high depths (up to 20mm) and it is used to produce products for the auto-traction (girders/poles, leaf-springs) and tram industries.
The use of the new generation numerically controlled laser machinery allows the cutting of forms on pickled steel plates, hot galvanized steel plates, inox and aluminium plates. In this way it is possible to resolve even delicate or complex production problems advantageously, even by integrating laser techniques with more traditional methods.
Laser cutting technology has an advantage over other methods (for example flame cutting or plasma cutting), in that a greater cut can be achieved in a smaller heated area. By using this type of method, it is possible to achieve appreciable results, in terms of precision and in terms of the final appearance of the part being produced.
There are two principal parameters which are essential for laser technology: the diameter of the laser beam and the focus point.
The borders of the material being cut by laser beam demonstrate vertically small, subtle indentations on the surface, and the roughness of these indentations depend on different factors related to the type of material used, its depth, and the parameters of the cut.
Such imperfections are caused by molten material which is pushed down in an irregular fashion due to the pressure of the material evaporating locally. Naturally if the cutting parameters are programmed correctly, a smooth surface results without any defects or imperfections.
Laser technology is widely used today in many sectors, due to its flexibility and its wide range of applications. Laser, because of its short preparation times, can be easily adapted to different production demands and, with its capacity of producing very diverse detail, is an ideal technique to support the various personalization demands of the market.