Where can I find a laser cutting service?

[antknee]

I need to find a laser cutting service. I have phoned quite a few but they tend not to go down below 0.5mm in any material. I need 0.3mm stainless steel cut. I'd have thought that smaller thicknesses would make finding the right company easier. Not so, any suggestions welcome.

Thanks,

Ant.

 

[HenryRollins]

Where are you located?

-HR

 

[antknee]

I'm in the UK. Thanks, Ant.

 

[HenryRollins]

I won't be any help to you. I have googled "laser cutting service in the UK" and there are way too many to put in here. Sorry.

 

[antknee]

Yes there are lots. But the ones I've phone do >0.5mm or it is a sideline to something else, or they don't do steel, or they prefer large customers/orders, or they are very expensive.

A recommend is helpful in cases like this. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Rofin]

Try ES Technology in Kingston Bagpuize, near Oxford. They offer a commercial laser marking service but have just introduced small scale fine cutting.

 

[antknee]

Hi Rofin,

Thanks for the link, I will call them tomorrow and see if they can do it. It would be better if the term "laser cutting" was split up into more specialised words because it is quite a big field.

I'd consider buying a machine if it were cheap enough but I figure even a low power laser machine that can cut through up to 0.5mm of steel would be expensive.

 

[kendalsimon]

I dont know where abouts in the UK you are, but as an ex Amada service Engineer, there are a couple I can think of with bags of experience that are really helpful, Colin at E Teq near Dumfries will bend over backwards for you, further South, John Dent Engineering in Isleworth are very good, but their website seems to have gone awry so I wont post a link

http://www.e-teq.co.uk/output/contacts.asp?ShowMap=1

 

[antknee]

I phoned up half a dozen today and got one quote which was more pricey than I'd hoped. The rest couldn't do it. I will try some more tomorrow including E Teq. At a guess I'd say John Dent Engineering didn't survive the recession or they can no longer afford to put coins in the internet meter.

Thanks,

Ant.

 

[Mario428]

Quote "Yes there are lots. But the ones I've phone do >0.5mm or it is a sideline to something else, or they don't do steel, or they prefer large customers/orders, or they are ""very expensive."" "


I have the only laser around my parts and I get a lot of inquires for odd parts with very low quantities.
Don't know if anybody else who does lasercutting finds the sam but most who come see me expect the laser cutting to be about the same price as some turning on a manual lathe.
Lasers are expensive machines and as such command a high hourly rate plus the programming and setup of some small low quantity parts.
My minimum is $150.00 for a one time customer.

 

[antknee]

The quote I got was £2 ($3) per part for 140 discs. The total area of sheet metal is less than an A4 piece of paper. Is that a good price? I'd say it was on the high side so I would like to get another quote but haven't had time to look this week.

 

[ajack1]

Not exactly laser cutting but this could be just what you are looking for; they specialise in thin metal parts and are very good.