AP Precision Metals Offers Brass Laser Cutting Services

AP Precision Metals Inc., a company based in San Diego, CA, has announced that they are offering brass laser cutting as part of the different manufacturing services that they provide. There are an increasing number of industries that require brass laser cutting to process their products. For example, lighting designers, interior designers, crafts people, and jewelry artisans have been discovering that laser cut brass can be utilized to cost-effectively manufacture high-end looking products. Examples are brass house number signs, furniture accents, pendants, and more, all at an affordable price. Commercial and traditional musical instrument makers are also taking advantage of laser cutting as a way to get more accurate results while allowing more time for design and polishing.

Brass laser cutting has an endless list of applications in various industries, such as computing, bicycle fabrication, sign-making, jewelry production, architecture, and medical device production. However, only a few advanced metal working shops are capable of providing this kind of laser cutting because of its unique and sometimes demanding nature.

They want to point out that although the basic principles used for conventional laser cutting and brass laser cutting are the same, there are some slight differences because of the specific material characteristics of brass and brass alloys. For instance, brass is more reflective than steel, which means that it responds differently to the laser beam employed in laser cutting. Advanced metal fabrication shops solve this issue by using a shorter wavelength laser beam, which results into less reflectivity and a more accurate cut. In addition, they use nitrogen gas, instead of oxygen or carbon dioxide, to the assist the cut. The nitrogen gas reacts optimally with the brass resulting in less drag and a more efficient cut. And when laser cutting brass, a skilled metal fabricator will apply a different laser angle and speed.

AP Precision Metals makes use of state-of-the-art fiber-laser technology for cutting a broad range of metals. Fiber lasers have been found to be work so well with metal cutting because of the enhanced power provided by the glass fiber, which acts like a multifaceted mirror. This fiber also contains rare earth elements that act as a medium to help the fiber in absorbing the laser photons. Around the fiber is mirror cladding, which reflects any errant laser photons back into the fiber, with the result that the strength of the laser is increased.

Thus, this fiber-laser technology offers a high-powered and incredibly accurate cutting technique, with a cutting tolerance of plus or minus .003” to .007”, depending on the material being cut. It can be used to quickly cut material as thin as 0.015” or as thick as 1”, while enabling excellent quality control. Furthermore, fiber-laser is not just for cutting, it can also be used for engraving, cleaning, welding, and drilling. It is the preferred laser technology at AP Precision Metals because it is more energy efficient and produces less noise compared to other methods of metal fabrication. Some of the materials that they specialize in laser cutting are aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and steel.

The company has years of experience in fiber-laser metal fabrication in San Diego. Their facility is capable of serving high volume industrial projects. Nevertheless, they are also open to working with local customers that might have a single project in mind. Those who are capable of CAD/CNC design are welcome to provide AP Precision Metals with a completed vector graphic. But they can also help in the design for those who are completely new to metal fabrication and require help in fleshing out their idea.

AP Precision Metals Inc. was established in 1998 by Victor Miller and Lane Litke because of their need for reliable metal products for their growing robotics company, Arc Products. AP Precision Metals has now grown and significantly expanded its customer based due to its focus on reliability and quality.

Those who are interested in brass laser cutting and other manufacturing services may want to check out the AP Precision Metals website, or contact them on the phone or through email.