Just-In-Time and Lean Manufacturing makes outsourcing common place. Small, medium and large manufacturing firms constantly hire contract work on an as-needed basis. For many reasons, outsourcing laser cutting jobs in manufacturing and industrial settings make good sense.
Which Industrial Laser Cutting Type Are You?
Industrial laser cutting outsourcing generally falls into a few types, including:
* Factories or shops needing custom-made laser-cut parts, but they don’t have their own laser equipment
* Manufacturing companies making their own laser-cut parts (on their own equipment)
These case studies will examine why laser cutting outsourcing is important and beneficial in several scenarios.
Innovative Laser Cutting Outsourcing Solution #1: Factory or Shop With No Laser
The scenario: You’re the owner or manager at a product-focused factory or shop. You need custom-made laser-cut parts, but don’t have your own laser equipment.
What’s your solution? Fortunately, you know of a small, lean laser cutting company. Their CO2 equipment is reliable, accurate, and you know their quality control is excellent. Because they’re not a big company, you know the owner will find a way to take care of your needs, even if you need industrial laser cut parts quickly.
More importantly, the company can cut the small- and medium-sized runs you need and still be cost-effective. You give them a call.
“You want them when? How many do you need? Okay. We can do that for you!“
You breathe a sigh of relief. Problem solved.
(Here’s an actual case study, including video, with Cam Vizion. This laser cutting outsourcing example explains how we helped Cam Vizion design, laser cut, engrave and form adjustable brackets and switch covers for their patented camera-cleaning system.)
Custom-Cut Parts for Manufacturers With Laser Centers: Innovative Laser Outsourcing Solution #2
The scenario: Production at your manufacturing company is humming along. Parts are being made at an appropriate rate off of your laser center(s). Everything is flowing as it should.
Then, disaster strikes. One of your lasers goes down. Your techs tell you it will be out of commission for a couple of days (usually more!) And your other lasers are already running at full capacity. (Murphy’s Law: When you lose your extra capacity, that’s when bad things typically happen!)
Or perhaps these similar parts scenarios fit:
* You need help in meeting your parts quota
* You need to cover a workload surge
* Emergency parts need to be delivered to a customer ASAP, but they take too much time to produce without a laser
* You discover you need parts that are difficult to make without a laser, resulting in high loss rates
What are some solutions? You don’t want to slow down or shut down your line because you don’t have the part. You ask the big laser-cutting firms, but their capacity is already maxed out. Besides, they have order minimums. The numbers you need immediately make it cost-prohibitive to have them run your part.
Your best solution? Because you’ve run into this before, you contact a smaller industrial laser cutting outsourcing firm. They may not have the most technologically advanced CNC laser centers (*with the attached higher price.) But their CO2 laser systems are sturdy and reliable. They are cost effective. The laser system operators have decades of experience cutting precise parts. And they’ll adjust their schedule to match your needs, even if it means running late at night.
In addition, these laser cutting outsourcing operations can efficiently and accurately handle small runs. You know from experience that their mistake / loss rate is next to nothing. Plus they use the best-in-business software so they can laser cut parts quickly and efficiently, maximizing sheet yields (saving you even more.) So you give them a call.
“How many parts do you need, by when?” You calculate how many pieces you need immediately, to keep your production line going. They tell you that they can deliver that small amount in your time frame. And when they quote you the price … you are amazed. It’s more than fair. Why? Because they don’t have the huge cost overhead from the newer laser centers.
You’re back in business.
We’ll Help You Design Your Best Laser-Cut Solutions
Better yet, the experts at Innovative Laser Cutting & Design are experts in helping companies just like yours come up with the best solution for you. Come to us with your metal part design — even if it’s just a mock-up from spare parts, or a rough design drawn out on a napkin.
We’ll take the time to work with you, asking questions and getting to know your business, your system and your part, such as:
- What do you want this laser cut piece to do?
- What will this metal piece (or other material piece) be used for?
- How will it be installed, moved, or replaced?
- Will it need to have additional machining done to it?
- Will it need to be formed or bent to be installed?
- What tolerances must the piece meet?
- How rigid or flexible does the metal need to be?
- What tools will be used on it?
- Would engraving on it help advertise your business?
“I had made a mock-up of a patented camera bracket system, but I really didn’t know exactly the type of part I needed. Scott helped me figure it out.”
Rick Cooper, President & Owner, Cam Vizion
By asking these questions and doing root cause, bottom line analysis with you, we’ll help you come up with the best solution for your needs.
STOP! Don’t Buy That Laser Yet!
You’ve been thinking about getting your own laser unit. Wouldn’t that be more effective than continually contacting an industrial laser cutting company (which may have minimum runs and time issues)? And you recently came across a company that is selling their industrial laser cutting equipment for what seems to be a really inexpensive price.
Surprisingly, your ROI and cost basis may not be as inexpensive as just the cost of the laser system. A case study on getting even an inexpensive industrial laser installed and working correctly shows that the total cost may be as much as 10 times more than the cost of just the laser center.
Not to mention: Industrial CNC Laser Centers completely change your factory layout. They are the elephant in the room. It may be able to physically fit in your space, but what about loading, unloading, scrap removal, and overall impact to your work flow?
Laser Cutting Outsourcing: Who To Contact?
Do any of these scenarios sound like you? If so, keep this contact information handy, for when you need a high-quality, quick turn-around, small- or medium-size industrial laser cutting outsourcing solution:
Contact Innovative Laser & Design’s owner and Chief Technology Consultant Scott Kiser at 423-593-7206, or email lasersolutions@comcast.net.
