For over two decades, Serra Laser & Waterjet has been supplying industrial precision 2D cutting, 5-Axis tube/shape and structural beam cutting, waterjet and computer numerical control (CNC) milling services to OEMs, steel suppliers, sheet metal fabricators, and more. With facilities in Anaheim and Sun Valley, we have established ourselves as Southern California’s go-to laser cutting provider for those in need of a quality product with a quick turnaround.
Our California facilities are outfitted with the latest in laser cutting technology and offer both 2D and 3D laser cutting services, capable of achieving a position tolerance and repeatability tolerance of 0.00039 in. and 0.00019 in., respectively. Depending on your needs, we can laser cut pre-punched / stamped parts or work with you to design a custom project.
Advantages of Laser-Cut Designs & Parts
Laser cutting is a precise fabrication process that uses a tightly focused laser to cut shapes, designs, and patterns into virtually any material. By intensely focusing a beam of single-wavelength light into a point using mirrors and lenses, laser cutters can perform intricate and elaborate cutting operations at a rapid pace with minimal waste. The material being cut is quickly melted or vaporized using the laser, resulting in the production of highly repeatable parts with a minimum of scrap, as a multitude of shapes can be intricately cut out of a single piece of materia
More benefits of laser cutting include:
- Minimizing waste: Narrow kerf widths of .004 inch combined with exceptional precision and accuracy allow for the production of parts that only have to be cut once. The likelihood of having to scrap a laser-cut part is low because the heat produced by the laser is focused into a tiny point, which helps to prevent both mechanical and thermal distortion.
- Saving space: Space in a facility or factory also can be saved since one laser cutting machine can perform the work of several other cutting machines. Laser cutting machines require less maintenance than other cutting machines, and the cost to repair them is typically lower, too.
- Being versatile: When utilizing CNC, laser cutting can create intricately complicated parts, designs, and patterns, the edges of which are unlikely to need further processing, such as cleaning or finishing, due to the extreme focus of the laser. From the aesthetic appeal of a custom-made balustrade to the exact replication of a dinosaur skeleton, laser-cut pieces can serve widely diverse functions, especially because laser cutting can be performed on virtually any material that can fit in the machine.
Machinery & Equipment
Laser cutting machines are categorized into different types by active laser medium (such as gas, liquid, and solid). Of these different types, the two most commonly used lasers are CO2 and fiber.
CO2 Lasers
In a CO2 laser resonator, mirrors guide an infrared beam of light through a tube filled with a mixture of carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen gases, intensifying the beam by reflecting it back and forth until it becomes concentrated enough to breach the output coupler, reflects off a series of external bend mirrors until it hits the focus lens. The beam is then concentrated down to .004 – .008 inch. This concentrated beam can cut thin metals all the way up to 1 inch steel. CO2 lasers are some of the most useful lasers available, capable of cutting both thin materials, like paper, cloth, and glass, and thick materials, like wood and steel.
Fiber Lasers
Fiber lasers cut by passing a beam through a series of laser diodes, amplifying the beam through optical fibers, and focusing it onto the material being cut. The focused beam brings the material to a melting or vaporizing point while pressurized assist gas removes the microscopic pieces of material that have been burned away. Fiber lasers are highly accurate and controllable via CNC, while also producing repeatable cuts with no burrs or deformation.
Contact Us
When done correctly, laser cutting is a quick, cost-effective process that achieves highly repeatable and accurate results. At Serra Laser & Waterjet, we have 11 state-of-the-art laser cutting machines ready for your next project! For an instant quote, send us your specifications, and we will get back to you within the hour. For anything else, including information on our 2D, Tube and 3D laser cutting services, please contact us.