Introduction:
Aluminum is a prevalent option in many applications. This material is unique because it is lightweight and robust. Besides, it is widely available and comparatively cheaper. This material is critical in many industries, including the construction and automotive sectors. Now, with regard to the fabrication of aluminum, it is important to understand how to cut aluminum sheet metal.
You might be working on a small DIY project or a large-scale production. In either case, the method you choose greatly affects both quality and speed.
You can cut aluminum sheets in several ways. Some people use hand tools, plasma, or waterjet. However, if you want a much faster and more efficient result, laser cutting is a good option. It’s highly precise. You can achieve tolerances of up to 0.001 mm.
Laser cutting also has the ability to cut on various thicknesses. Therefore, if you are looking to learn how to cut aluminum sheets for professional results, laser cutting is the answer.
This article explains why laser cutting could be the best solution for your project. Each element is crucial to assuring the quality of the final product. No matter the complexity of the aluminum piece, laser cutting is always hard to beat.
How to Cut Aluminum Sheet Metal?
Cutting metal sheets is a common task. You may often see it in nearby workshops. However, doing it the right way makes all the difference. In the following part of the article, you will learn about several efficient ways to cut aluminum sheets. It depends on your available tools and project needs.
Hand Tools
Cutting metal sheets with hand tools is the easiest way to do it. It takes much work, but it is the easiest and least expensive way. You can use this method for thin sheets or small jobs. However, the precision is terrible, and it later needs additional machining. When cutting aluminum sheets, you can use tin snips, metal shears, or a hack saw.
Plasma cutting
When you need something quicker and more precise than hand tools, plasma cutting is a solid choice. A plasma cutter is a device that utilizes an electrically conducting gas to cut metals. It may sound fancy, but it is easy to use. But be very careful when using the plasma torch.
While plasma cutting is well suited to aluminum, its thickness is still not ideal for cutting thin sheets. Plasma shears are mostly used to cut through tough metals like SS304 and SS316. This method is less expensive than laser cutting, but it’s not exact or effective. Also, plasma cutting requires skilled hands to do it correctly.
Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutting offers a cleaner cut than plasma cutters. This method uses a high-pressure stream of water to slice through aluminum sheets. Sometimes, abrasion may also be mixed with water to ensure a more powerful cut. The best thing about this cutting is that this method doesn’t produce any heat.
Waterjet cutting can handle aluminum of any thickness. It is also good for intricate designs but not very good for thin aluminum sheets. It is difficult to work with thin aluminum sheets with intricate designs using waterjet cutting. Waterjet cutting is a complex process that requires high maintenance.
CNC Aluminum Sheet Cutting
CNC cutting is all about precision. You can combine all the techniques mentioned with CNC aluminum sheet cutting. Whether you’re using plasma cutting, water jet cutting, or laser cutting, CNC machining can easily be employed.
CNC means Computer Numerical Control. This means a CNC cutting machine generally cuts aluminum sheets according to a computer program. Since there is no risk of human errors, you can get high-quality cuts of up to 0.01 tolerances.
This method is great for mass production. It’s also extremely accurate, with clean edges every time.
Laser Cut Aluminum Sheet
In today’s world, the best way to cut aluminum is laser cutting. You will know why in the next section. This method uses a laser beam to melt, burn, or vaporize the aluminum. This consecutive process precisely cuts aluminum quickly.
This process is incredibly fast and accurate. Nevertheless, it may take more time if the metal’s thickness is considerable. Or you might need more than one pass to cut the entire aluminum piece. In this case, some high-power laser cutters might do the job in just a single pass.
Fiber lasers are often suitable for cutting aluminum sheets. CO2 lasers can not cut through metals, while diode lasers are limited to a few projects.
Because of this versatility, laser cutting is widely prevalent in many industries. Some of the common fields are electronics, automotive, and aerospace. Note that these industries heavily depend on accuracy. The best way to meet their needs is to use laser cutting. However, it’s fast, efficient, and leaves smooth edges. For thinner aluminum, you don’t even need finishing.
Overall, laser cutting is better than CNC and waterjet cutting. In the following section, you will know the common reasons why laser cutting is the most suitable option in the metal fabrication industry.
Why is laser cutting the best for aluminum sheet metal?
In this “How to cut aluminum sheets” guide, we focus mainly on the best method. Laser cutting wins the trophy for various reasons. Here’s why.
No Material Warping
Warping is the biggest issue when working with metals, especially thin metal sheets. Plasma cutting or possibly even some computer numerically controlled (CNC) processes can produce a great amount of heat, which can distort the aluminum. Laser cutting, in this case, gives you a better solution.
The highly focused laser beam only hits the area it is programmed to do. Besides, to ensure less HAZ area, you can also control the laser settings. This flexibility most often makes laser cutting the better option.
Custom Cut Aluminum Sheet
If you’ve ever needed a custom-cut aluminum sheet, you know how important precision is. It’s hard to get the exact shapes and sizes you want with hand tools, and designs that are too complicated for CNC or waterjet cutting can be difficult to cut.
With laser cutting, you can make any changes you want. It can adapt to any design, be it simple or complex or small or large. A very focused laser beam and controlled movement follow your design exactly, making sure that every cut is perfect.
No Consumables Required for Thin Aluminum Sheet Cutting
Another reason laser cutting is the best is efficiency. Unlike other methods, like waterjet or plasma cutting, it doesn’t need consumables, which reduces production costs.
Laser cutting, especially for thin aluminum sheet cutting, doesn’t require any consumables. The laser does all the work. That is why laser cutting is not only fast but also cheaper in the long run than other types of cutting.
Nonetheless, some laser cutting, especially in metals thicker than those normally used, may require additional gases. Typical gases used in this case are argon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
Ability to Create Intricate Designs
Have you ever used hand tools to cut a complex design? It’s almost impossible. Even with plasma cutting, you may struggle with delicate details. But laser cutting is the best way to do this.
Laser cutting cuts metal pieces with a laser beam. There is no touch at all during the process. In this way, you can make shapes with a lot of small details. On aluminum sheets, you can make any pattern you want, whether it’s a piece of art, an industrial part, or something else.
If you are wondering how to cut aluminum sheet metal into detailed and custom shapes, laser cutting is the best option.
Clean Edges
When cutting aluminum, jagged or rough edges are a common problem. Hand tools or plasma cutting results in rough edges that require further work to smoothen. In this case, laser cutting can give you smooth and clean edges. This is especially necessary when small, thin-walled aluminum parts have to be maintained with great accuracy.
High-Speed Cutting
Laser cutting also performs a great job in small or large-scale production lines. This process offers repeatable features. All you need is a simple click on your computer. However, if you need a faster operation, you could use automated laser cutting.
On the other hand, cutting aluminum with traditional methods is time-consuming. Hand tools are especially slow, and this may also include hand-held plasma cutting.
Cost-effective Solution for Mass Production
Since laser cutting offers repetitive features, it can create many items at a time. Because of this, you can increase your production, resulting in less cost per part.
Also, laser cutting usually doesn’t need consumables. It may require auxiliary gases to cut textured thicker metals. The laser-cutting machine also requires less maintenance. These two benefits also save a significant amount on production costs.
Versatility of Aluminum Thicknesses
Laser cutting is highly versatile. It can work with all types of metal thicknesses. Thin sheets? No Problem. Thick, sturdy sheets? Laser cutting handles those, too.
This versatility typically makes laser cutting ideal for a wide range of productions. You can create lightweight aluminum panels for thicker and more durable machine parts—all in one machine. There is no need to switch methods based on the thickness of your aluminum.
Conclusion
Need more information on how to cut aluminum sheet metal using laser devices? Stay tuned with ZLTECH Laser and navigate our blogs to learn about different How-Tos. If you are looking for laser-cutting solutions, feel free to contact our customer support. ZLTECH produces all types of laser devices for metal fabrication. You are always welcome to our customer service portal.