10kW+ High Power Lasers Become Ideal Substitutes for Plasma Cutters
A U.S. South Carolina Manufacturer Uses Bodor C3-22kW to Cut 40mm Carbon Steel with High Efficiency and Low Costs
The Company's Success Story
0.35mm
Precision improved
3x
Cut speed surged
5x
Running costs saved
The company is an eminent sheet metal and structural steel manufacturing enterprise located in South Carolina, the United States. It is committed to providing superior-quality carbon steel products for truck spare parts and steel structure industry. By always putting the customers’ needs first, the ambitious enterprise has grown as a strong and reliable sheet metal fabricator with excellent customer satisfaction.
INDUSTRY
Structural Steel Fabrication
INSTALLATION TIME
February 2023
LOCATION
South Carolina, U.S.
Poor Quality, High Running Costs, and Complicated Cutting Drawings Layout
Processing the 10mm and 40mm carbon steel plates with a plasma cutting machine became a tough challenge for the company. The fabricated products exhibited poor quality and diminished precision features that contradicted its high-quality requirements. The situation that many processed products needed second grinding, and low cutting speed reduced production efficiency, increased labor costs, and extended the lead time.
The plasma cutter consumed a great amount of energy when put into use. Operators would shut down the machine to change nozzles every one to three hours. The power used for running the machine added to expensive electricity costs as well.
Even skilled and experienced workers mentioned that operating the plasma cutting machine was complicated and time-consuming. Its outdated CNC system required for cutting drawings preprocessing, nesting optimization, and cutting tool path planning to create shapes on metal plates.
Reliable Solution at FABTECH 2022 - Bodor C3 22kW Laser Cutting Machine
The company was in urgent need of a powerful and efficient laser cutting machine to process its 40mm carbon steel plates as the company made great strides in the metal fabrication industry. It spotted Bodor Laser at FABTECH 2022, North America’s largest exhibition that showcased the latest innovations and technology in the metal fabricating, welding, forming, and finishing industry.
Bodor Tech & Service Team demonstrated the remarkable performance and high-quality cut samples of its metal sheet laser cutting machines to the sheet metal manufacturer on-site. The professional technicians explained the machines’ outstanding functions in detail and answered questions from the company. After analyzing its running condition and processing needs, Bodor recommended the C3 high-power model to it, offering 7/24 after-sales service, a 3-year equipment warranty, and a technical training program for operators.
C3-22kW, a high-power base sheet fiber laser metal cutting machine with full protection, became the company’s wise and reliable solution to surge efficiency, improve quality, and expand business. The company also acquired an air compressor to reduce the costs from assist gases required by the plasma cutter, and a smoke purifier to guarantee a clean working plant.
Improved Efficiency, Reduced Costs, and Intelligent BodorThinker Cutting System
Three times faster cutting speed effectively boosts the company’s production efficiency. Steel plates processed by the C3 model have narrow kerf and heat-affected zones and do not need second grinding. This not only improves the fabrication quality but also saves labor costs. With the high rate of finished products, it has a larger capacity to handle more orders.
The manufacturer saves five-fold on running costs by using laser technology with the air cutting method. It now employs clean air to achieve smooth cuts, reducing the costs of auxiliary gases. Its electricity bills are reduced as well because laser cutting can transfer more power to effective laser light.
Bodor’s self-developed intelligent cutting system, BodorThinker helps the company solve the complicated cutting drawings layout problem. The system supports real-time drawing editing and can be customized for different cutting needs. Bodor’s engineers set the cutting parameters for the company’s main processing materials, and its operators only need to adjust a few numbers to run the machine smoothly.
