is ordering laser-cut steel as easy as ordering PCBs?

[WayOutWest]

Hi, I would like to modify some of the liteplacer's metal plates... add a few extra holes for running cables, mountpoints for lasers, a PCB, and more cameras, and extend the mounting-post for the X-dragchain to provide support (the plastic dragchains aren't meant to hold themselves in the air, the joints are not strong enough and mine have buckled backwards). Most of these require enlarging the plates rather than drilling additional holes, and I'd like to keep the original parts in case I screw up.

Can laser-cut metal parts like those in the liteplacer be ordered in small quantities easily, like PCBs, or do you need to buy 100 of them in order to get a supplier's attention?

If so, can anybody recommend a good supplier for a very small run?

Thanks,

[dampfboot]

Hello WayOut West,

in Germany it is mostly not a problem of quantities - more that such companies don't like to deal with private customers because of the high labor costs for communicating and bill writing - That might be different in the US?

At work we get all week individual one piece orders from our laser cut supplier - In general the price is calculated for set up cost, laser time - and some money for the material plus packaging and handling.

You have to find someone who is processing the material you need - with this they don'T have to handle some sheet metal plates just for you and can cut it as a job with other jobs. As long as you send your drawings as dxf or so they might have no big set up time.

Rainer

[JuKu]

Easier, as it is a much simpler product. Everyone who cuts steel with laser will have 2mm (or the equivalent in imperial) in stock. You just need to find the supplier, and again, I would think it is easier than finding a good PCB supplier. Let me know if you need original files for a starting point and what you actually did.

[WayOutWest]

in Germany it is mostly not a problem of quantities - more that such companies don't like to deal with private customers because of the high labor costs for communicating and bill writing - That might be different in the US?

Right, the PCB industry solved this problem by standardizing on GERBER files. So companies like OSHPark can afford to sell 625mm^2 printed circuit boards in quantity=3 for $1.60 each and still make a profit (without Chinese labor!) because no humans are involved in handling individual orders -- humans only deal with the big panelized multi-customer order.

The modern microchip industry is similar, using GDS files. In that case the designs are so complex that human handling/setup is impossible anyways.

My question could be phrased differently: has the laser-cut steel industry accomplished this feat?

At work we get all week individual one piece orders from our laser cut supplier - In general the price is calculated for set up cost, laser time - and some money for the material plus packaging and handling.

Hrm, if the setup cost is nonzero then they probably still have humans involved in handling individual orders

[JuKu]

> My question could be phrased differently: has the laser-cut steel industry accomplished this feat?

Yes, with DXF files.

[IvesPhillips]

As per my experience the companies all week individual one piece orders from our laser cut supplier.Also the price is calculated for set up cost, laser time - and some money for the material plus packaging and handling.
You must look for someone who is processing the material you need with this they don'T have to handle some sheet metal plates just for you and can cut it as a job with other jobs.

[mucek]

http://lowpowerlab.com/blog/2013/02/11/ ... -tutorial/

May come handy, when you need stencil immediatly