Two of the most common techniques used in metal fabrication are laser cutting and turret punch pressing. In this article, we are going to examine both of these techniques and the differences between them.
Lasers vs. Turrets
There are many differences between laser cutting and turret punch pressing in metal fabrication. Here are some of the key differences between the two:
- Laser Cutting: Cutting head moves, ability to cut infinite shapes, only able to cut mettalic material, very low setup time, uses a highly focused beam of light to cut, can only cut 2D
- Turret Punch Pressing: Material moves, shape punching limited by tooling, can punch metallic and some non-metallic material, higher set up time due to tooling, uses mechanical stroke to punch, can add 3D features to parts.
Turret at the Ready
If your metal fabrication company doesn’t utilize a vendor who employs a turret punch I would strongly recommend finding one (we can help you out there). Without the ability to quote parts with a turret house, cost reductions may take more effort. They are not the solution for everything but should not be overlooked.
No Turret, No Problem
There are many companies who are not even aware of turret punches let alone their amazing capabilities. If you work at one of these companies I invite you to come take a tour of our facility where we employ 2 turrets (and a laser), not to mention equipment to handle all your other sheet metal capability needs. We are more than happy to simply quote parts, as well as dive into them for a DFMA analysis on your behalf.
