Laser Cutting Aluminium.

Evening,

I have drawn in CAD a machine (gold mining) that I want to build with my son.

I was going to 3D Print it, but it needs to be more rigid than trials have been (admitedly haven´t used G/F nylon etc), so I´m going for Laser Cutting. Stainless gives the best finish, but to get my son to drill / tap 30 holes in stainless would put him off for life!

So I´m considering mild steel or aluminium, I´m wondering what sort of taper and finish these have on the cut edge? I´ve only had stainless laser cut before.

Thanks.

Very little difference in finish or taper in my experience. Obviously varies with thickness and what the finished part is (ie depending on what you are making it may not even matter) but on 3mm ali a few strokes of draw filing is all I do (sometimes)

I would say that in general on thicker material (say 12mm) ali has a slightly better edge.

Speak to the company as they can alter the quality by changing the cutting speed and other parameters, better is slightly more expensive.

Ian P

Thanks, I´ve had aluminium water jet cut before, which was a very bad finish and bad taper.

It is all 6mm and 12mm thickness, I´m hoping to not have to machine edges on parts that fit together at 90 degree´s.

Find another waterjet cutting company!

I have just picked up a part cut from 2" thick 6082T6 and the taper was less than 1 degree. Over the 2" the taper size difference was about 0.5mm. It being anodised now otherwise would measure it.

Ian P

This is the part I had waterjet cut before I sent it for anodising. I cleaned up the bore with a flap wheel (cylindrical type) but apart where I have machined the mounting surfaces its more or less as I received it.

The ovoid shaped bore is about 220mm wide

That´s way better than mine was, it has almost 1mm of taper on a 15mm thick part!

Who´s anodising it our of interest?

Company is Anodisers Runcorn Ltd

Unsurprisingly its located in Runcorn, Cheshire

Chris 123 your location/county added to your profile is a great help for folk suggesting places to get work done.

Here in the Midlands we have a good choice.

Hi, location should be showing now - Manchester.

Do you know what the minimum charge at Runcorn Anodising is?

What is the place in the Midlands please?

Use laser cut mild steel all the time on vintage cars. I run a flap disc on the edges to take the scale off then draw file them. You would never know they were laser cut.

No profile showing.

Did you save it before leaving that area? Did you make it private or public?

Should be ok now - I´d missed something.