Laser Cut Metal Signs
What Machine Do You Need to Cut Metal Signs?
If you want to do the business of metal signs cutting, metal cutting tools are very important.
So, which metal cutting machine is the best for metal signs cutting? Water jet, Plasma, Sawing machine? Absolutely not, the best metal signs cutting machine is a metal laser cutting machine, which uses the fiber laser source mainly for different kinds of metal sheet or metal tubes.
Compare with other metal cutting machines, the fiber laser cutting machine cutting result is excellent, it is a non-touch cutting method, so no press to distort the metal materials during the production. As the laser beam is only 0.01mm there is no limit on cutting design. You can draw any letters, pictures into the software, set the right laser cutting parameter according to your metal materials and thickness. Then start a metal laser cutting machine, you will get what you design in a few seconds.
How Thick Can a Laser Cutter Cut?
The cutting thickness on metal materials depend on 2 facts:
1. The fiber laser power, more high power will more easy to cut the same thickness metal materials. Such as 3KW fiber laser cutting ability will be better than 2KW fiber laser.
2. Metal materials, different metals like carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, their absorbability is different for same laser power, so the cutting thickness will different. Carbon steel is the easiest to cut metal material, Aluminum is the hardest to cut metal in three of them. Because Aluminum, brass, and copper are all high reflecting metal materials, it will reduce the laser power during the cutting.
What are the Metal Laser Cutting Parameters?
Fiber Laser Source Power | Gas Type | 1.5KW Fiber Laser | 2KW Fiber Laser | 3KW Fiber Laser |
Mild Steel Sheet | Oxygen | 14 mm | 0.551″ | 16 mm | 0.629″ | 22 mm | 0.866″ |
Stainless Steel | Nitrogen | 6 mm | 0.236″ | 8 mm | 0.314″ | 12 mm | 0.472″ |
Aluminum Sheet | Air | 5 mm | 0.197″ | 6 mm | 0.236″ | 10 mm | 0.393″ |
Brass Sheet | Nitrogen | 5 mm | 0.197″ | 6 mm | 0.236″ | 8 mm | 0.314″ |
Copper Sheet | Oxygen | 4 mm | 0.157″ | 4 mm | 0.157″ | 6 mm | 0.236″ |
Galvanized Sheet | Air | 6 mm | 0.236″ | 7 mm | 0.275″ | 10 mm | 0.393″ |
What is Needed to Make Metal Signs?
To start a business about metal sign cutting, firstly you need to own a suitable power fiber laser cutting machine for metal cutting. As the metal sign materials are thin, mainly under 5mm, so 1500W fiber laser cutter will be a good start investment, the machine price is around USD30000.00 for a standard 1.5*3m area metal laser cutting machine.
Secondly, you need to prepare some different kinds of metal sheets, mild plates, stainless steel sheets, aluminum sheets, brass sheets,s and so on.
Thirdly, the signs design ability, as metal cutting becomes easy and fast, the design ability will more important for sign metal business. It is simple if you choose a fiber laser cutting machine to make metal signs.
How Much Does it Cost to Make a Metal Sign?
Traditional steel signs usually cost between $25 to $35 per sq. ft. , if cut brass and copper, the price will be higher. If you cut wood, or plastic signs costs around $15 to $25 per sq.Because the machine cost and materials cost will be much cheaper than the metal laser cutting machine.
Different type signs will help you earn more metal processing fees, especially Custom metal signs for business, single layer signs with one finish, or multiple layering metal signs will make a unique look.
What kind of Metal Signs You can Cut by Laser Cutter?
Park Signs, Monument Signs, Business Signs, Office Signs, Trail Signs, City Signs, Rustic Signs, Cemetery Signs, Outdoor Signs, Estate Signs, Name Signs