Outsourcing
Variety is the reality of any job shop, and the same goes for those that operate a tube laser. It’s not unusual to see parts of various sizes come from one tube. The machine must be able to unload laser-cut parts that may be as small as 2 in. and as long as 15 ft., one right after the other. It also must be able to unload those parts without damaging them, which can be a challenge with softer metals such as aluminum.
Perhaps you have noticed that we haven’t yet discussed cutting speed. Although it is possible to cut 500 inches per minute with a tube, this is not always feasible. Laser tube cutting should not be about how long it takes for a tube to be loaded, indexed so that it is in the right place for cutting, pierce it and then unload it. Laser tube cutting machines are more concerned with part-processing times than cutting speed.