Does anyone know a good, cheap laser cutting (or even turret punching) service that can handle metals (eg. 5-10mm stainless) and has instant online quotes? (I have in the past used a few good Chinese shops but they have manual quoting which is a PITA for being able to gauge costs on the fly).
TIA.
I've had 10mm cut before - they didn't bat an eyelid. But yes, plasma or water jet is fine too.
There are many laser cutters around, depends where you are based. Regarding online quoting, not sure about this. Turret punching is more effective with thinner sheets.
The new fibre optic laser cutters are pushing 32mm thick stainless plate, with a really good edge. 5-10mm is routine work, no issues at all.
Both plasma and water-jet cutting will do the job (waterjet with a better edge finish) but at slower speeds.
Source: I work in the industry
Sheesh. We have lasers that cut 32mm stainless plate?!
Stainless is one of the harder metals to machine, and oddly that makes it one of the easiest to laser.
Lasers cutting 32mm of copper would be very impressive.
Comes down to heat conductivity, stainless does this poorly in comparison, so when lasering the energy tends to stays where you are trying to cut, rather that getting sucked out into the rest of the part.
No one will be cutting 10mm stainless cheaply.
I also doubt anyone local will have automated quoting. Emachineshop I think will do auto pricing for laser cutting.
I also doubt anyone local will have automated quoting.
I'd prefer a Chinese / other Asian mob, just knowing how much cheaper it will be. I've had parts quoted here that I ended up getting 10 of made in China and delivered for less. The few times I've received quotes from the States they've been exy too.
Definately, labour costs are nuts. Tried star rapid? Based in china but from memory they have English speaking people covering different regions, were very helpful when I dealt with them years ago.
I think I asked them some while ago and remember them having great service but being on the expensive end.
@afoveht: Any of the ones that are decent to deal with are more expensive. I had some parts cast from a cheaper place, specified that there had to be absolutely no porosity, they were porous as hell.
No cheap places will have auto quoting either, the places that do that are more expensive, as they always assume on the high side. Prices also vary wildly depending on quantity, and only a person really knows how much setup time is saved doing a large lot as opposed to a small one.
then why are you wasting peoples time, get them sent from overseas.
I'm hoping someone knows one with an automated quoting system.
I think you'll find most are manual, as not all designs are the same, as the price will vary depending on the amount of work needed to cut out your design.
This doesn't make sense to me. I can get PCBs made in lots of configurations with an auto quote - why not cut sheets? (I often use PCB makers for aluminium or fibreglass parts in limited thicknesses - I just specify the outline and leave the track layers blank - very cheap, and often good enough to test a concept before moving to steel).
Laser cutting is pretty simple to quote, dunno why more people don't do it.
I wrote a macro years ago to calculate cutting which is basically the length of curve x cutting speed, plus the rapids. Came in close enough for most things (doesn't take into account acceleration which is minimal). Not rocket science.
5-10mm stainless?? That's a serious laser! Would plasma cutting or water jet work? Following , I'd be interested if you find anywhere.