Help, Newbie to lasers . tell me what to buy

[qnet2]

Hello all
I supervise the machine shop here at work. we are a helicopter completion site
my shop is but part of the whole picture.

anyway they want to buy a water jet for some aluminum sheet metal work and some plastics/formica up to .5 thick. i am trying to persuade them a laser would be the thing to get. Can anybody give me some knowledge/ammo to shoot at them? I am also gonna need to get a quote for a laser that can work with a 4'x8' sheet of material. who makes a good machine?

Thank you

[Rodney Gold]

You gonna need serious power - maybe 1500-3kw = uberexpensive to cut aluminium and 1/2" formica , rather buy a waterjet.

[Exsecratio]

I'm with Rodney, a waterjet is a far better bet if you intend cutting aluminium.

My 3600 watt machines struggle with ally of any fair thickness.

best wishes

Dave

[OmarMourad]

While lasers are faster at mild steel and stainless steel cutting applications, in your situation a waterjet would be better. As previous people have said, cutting aluminum at that thickness requires a powerful, read: expensive, laser. Thicker aluminum also typically cuts with a fine dross formed on the bottom of the cut, requiring additional finishing.

But, waterjets are very handy. You'd be able to cut pretty much anything. Can't go wrong with a waterjet in my opinion