How to Buy a Right Metal Laser Cutting Machine

Buying a right metal laser cutting machine is the first guarantee of your investment, and the process can be tearing for most metal fabricators. Therefore, it is important to make reasonable analysis before buying the machine. This post intends to help you sort out your ideas by 3 questions. Let’s dive into the details.

Why do you buy a metal laser cutting machine?

For most metal fabricators, the ultimate goal that they turn to a laser solution for their metal cutting job is ROI.

To achieve the goal, let’s do a simple analysis.

The average payback period of a metal laser cutting machine is around 2-3 years and the life span of the machine 8-10 years.

If you’re outsourcing the cutting work, and need to pay 10,000 USD per month to the outsourcing center. The average rate of profit of laser cutting service is between 50% and 60% (according to data from the China market). Then if you bring a metal laser cutting machine in-house, you can save about 5000USD per month and 60,000USD a year. If you need to cut metal with a thickness of 4-6mm, a 1000W metal laser cutting machine is good enough to handle the job. And If you buy a metal laser cutting machine from China, and manage to conclude the deal at around 60, 000 USD-70,000USD. That means you will get your money back in 1 year. And for the next 7-9 years, you will keep all the profits. Because the service life of a metal laser cutting machine can last 8-10 years. What a cost-effective investment! This is the idea we want to share with you.

If you’re an end-user, what’s your blanking cost per month? Here by blanking cost, we refer to just cutting cost which does not include the costs of material or follow up bending, folding, welding, painting. Some customers did not calculate the cost separately. It doesn’t matter. The cutting cost is normally half of the processing fee. It has been proved that a 50%-60% average rate of profit is an accurate algorithm. Therefore, you can calculate the payback period according to your machine cost. Make sure to keep the period within 2 years.

Since 2-year ROI is our standard, all choices about the machine are made to realize that goal. Therefore, choosing the right metal laser cutting machine is of great importance.

It should not only meet your current production requirements but also lay the foundation for the next 6-8 years.

What kind of metal laser cutting machine do you need?

When choosing the metal laser cutting machine, many buyers easily fall into some traps and ended with the wrong machine. Here are some questions to help you to make it clear.

  Are you willing to spend extra money on 10% orders?

Lots of buyers pay too much attention to the maximum cutting thickness and ignore the maximum percentage of cutting thickness.

For example, one buyer said he’s going to cut 12mm-16mm stainless steel and ask for advice on the power. We’re about to recommend 6000W laser, and before that, we asked one question: what’s the metal thickness that takes up the largest proportion of your cutting? He told us 4-8mm. Since this thickness can go with 2000W. Then we asked him the proportion of 12mm-16mm metal cutting. Does it exceed 10%? Because the price of a 6000W metal laser cutting machine is at least double that of 3000W. If to cut 4mm to 8mm stainless steel, 2000W-3000W laser cutting machine is enough, but we generally leave a margin for laser power attenuation, so we recommend 3000W. That is to say, if you didn’t make it clear, you have to spend tens of thousands of dollars for 10% products. It turns out that you originally can get a payback in 2-3 years, now you have to wait for extra many years. Are you ok with that?

Are you clear about the differences between quality cutting thickness and maximum cutting thickness?

Another thing we want you to know is that quality cutting thickness is different from the maximum cutting thickness.

We define Quality Cutting as Continuous and Stable Cutting. Let’s take a 500W laser as an example, if you want to achieve smooth cuts, you’d better keep the cutting thickness of the carbon steel under 3mm. When you use the 500W laser to cut 4mm carbon steel, it may be resulted in a less smooth cutting section. Therefore, when choosing the power, you should also consider the requirements of the quality of your finished products.

Continuous, Stable Cutting Thickness and Power

Maximum Cutting Thickness and Power

Is the brand of the laser generator that determines the cutting thickness and speed?

Another point that is easy to be confused about is whether the brand of the laser generator determines the cutting thickness and speed. The answer is definitely no.

Then what determines the cutting thickness and speed? The cutting thickness and speed are determined by the power of the laser generator. It has nothing to do with the brand of the generator.

Furthermore, is the power attenuation of an imported laser generator slower than a domestic one?

Let’s see another customer case. There are two 500W metal laser cutting machines sold to two different customers. The purchase time of the two machines is close. One machine is equipped with an IPG laser generator, and the other one has a Raycus laser generator (Top laser generator brand made in China). The machine with an IPG laser source is used for cutting stainless steel and the other with Raycus is used for carbon steel. After 3 years of cutting. the machine which was used for stainless steel cutting has the power of the only 380W left and the other is 450W. It is the power weaken or attenuation we want to tell you.

 Cutting sheet or tube or both?

On choosing the metal laser cutting machine, you should also confirm whether you’re going to cut sheet or tube, or both. If you only cut sheets, then choose the sheet metal laser cutting machine. If you only cut tubes, then choose a tube laser cutting machine. If you’re going to cut both metal sheet and tube, then we recommend the dual-use sheet and tube laser cutting machine, which is very cost-effective. However, we advise you to take into consideration the cutting proportion of sheet and tube respectively.

Who should you buy a metal laser cutting machine from?

Whether you buy a metal laser cutting machine from a local or foreign supplier, we advise you to focus on the cost-effectiveness of the machine. Unless you don’t care about the ROI. In this case, a metal laser cutting machine supplier with professional service is pretty important to you. To some extent, professional service means more added value.

Laser equipment suppliers with professional service fully consider your needs and benefits, help you avoid unnecessary investment. Apart from providing fast response and quality laser machine, professional metal laser cutting machine vendors have specialized knowledge about the whole metal cutting industry, know well about your current and possible future processing requirements, offers professional solutions, and stand in your shoes to recommend the most suitable machine instead of managing to sell the one with highest configuration or cost.

This is what MORN LASER has been doing from the very beginning of the establishment. As a factory, we’re not only committed to providing quality machines but also are responsible for the customers. Before recommending a laser machine, we usually analyze your cutting method and cutting cost.

The questions normally start like this:

• What is the cutting method in your factory? Shearing machine, punching machine, plasma, wire cutting, water jet, or laser?
• Which kind of metal sheet do you cut? What’s the maximum metal thickness of your cutting? And what is the thickness of the metal sheet which accounts for 90% of your cutting? What is the accuracy requirement?
• Do you know the outsourcing cost for this kind of metal? and the fabrication cost per month (excluding the material cost)?

Why do we ask those questions? In fact, all we do is to calculate your ROI

Experience MORN LASER service by sending an inquiry now

For most fabricators, purchasing a metal laser cutting machine is a major investment. It’s not only about the initial price you pay but the fact that the purchase will have a great impact on the whole fabrication process. If the wrong machine is chosen, you have to live with the decision for quite a long time. MORN LASR, as a professional manufacturer, can provide you quality machines as well as professional solutions. You can experience our service by sending us an email or talking with our online sales representatives. Or check our product pages on our website for more info:https: www.morntech.com/fiber-cutting/.