Two materials our laser cutting service sees often are Kapton and PEEK. Both cut very nicely on the UV laser cutting systems and both are used for highly technical appications in a wide variety of industries. For our purposes, we know that both Kapton and PEEK laser cut with very little carbon residue, hold tolerances very well, and laser cut with very clean edges. I am curious if anyone out there wants to debate the features and benefits of thermoset vs thermoplastic films such as Kapton and PEEK. Our laser cutting service works with a wide range of engineers, so it would be very interesting to hear input from the various industries.
Archive for October, 2009
Kapton (Polyimide) and PEEK (polyetheretherketone)
Friday, October 30th, 2009laser micromachining thin film ceramic substrates
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Laser micromachining ceramic materials can be tough for any laser cutting service. For instance, we can’t work with ceramic materials thicker than about 25 mil. Many laser cutting systems apply too much power and cause microfractures that destroy the material. This is not a major market for us yet, but due to shrinking part profiles, ceramic substrates are seen in our thickness range more often. Our processes provide very clean and accurate cuts, without microfracturing. This means material savings you won’t see from many laser cutting services.
Laser cutting service micromachining dimensions
Monday, October 26th, 2009Our laser cutting service can micromachine to incredibly tight tolerances, as we’ve mentioned before. An item we’ve touched on less is the detail we are able to achieve. We can UV laser drill a hole less than 20 microns in diameter and we can laser cut slots that are 2 mil. Few, if any, laser cutting services can match these dimensional capabilities, making A-laser the only choice for complex demands in today’s market.
Laser cutting at MD&M
Friday, October 23rd, 2009A-lasers laser cutting expertise was on display at the MD&M Minneapolis tradeshow this week. We saw a wide variety of laser applications, from the familiar kapton and stainless steel applications to those wanting sapphire and lead infused silicone. As always, we are amazed at the creative ideas our customers come to us to work out. As we say regularly, our laser cutting service must maintian a culture of curiosity to remain at the forefront of challenging laser cutting applications. We look forward to the upcoming challenges as we sort through material samples and do our best problem solving work. It is interesting to see the variety of laser cutting services that are out there and get a better perspective on where our laser cutting service fits in the wide range of applications. Thank you to all of the wonderful engineers that stopped in to see us.
A-laser adds new laser cutting service sales position
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009A-laser is lucky to add Jimmy Cusack to the laser cutting service team. He brings a wealth of sales and customer service knowledge while providing technical expertise as well. A-laser has a reputation for combining cutting edge laser equipment with technical expertise. Mr. Cusack has the tools needed to enhance the culture of the company and provide the service our customers have come to expect. A-laser is the leading laser cutting service in the area and will continue to enhance our reputation through this growth in the sales force.
Laser cutting foam gaskets
Monday, October 19th, 2009As we’ve mentioned before, A-laser always looks to expand our laser cutting service knowledge base. Dense foam materials used in aerospace and avionics are now being used in thicknesses that are laser machineable. We have a variety of customers testing applications that involve laser cutting foam products and expect to see more as tolerances tighten. Our ability to hold 12 micron tolerances enables our customers products to hold a tight seal improving the product quality. Laser micromaching applications are growing and A-laser, laser cutting service, will remain at the forefront of these applications.
laser cutting kapton spacers
Friday, October 16th, 2009Our laser cutting service is perhaps most accustomed to laser cutting DuPont Kapton films. We’ve talked about the flexible circuit applications for laser cutting kapton, but there is also a large demand for kapton spacers to be laser cut. This material is very UV laser friendly and due to the properties of these lasers, we provide a very clean cut not seen from other cutting methods. Spacers are often used in test socket applications, where part profiles seem to be shrinking. Therefore our ability to process a high quality part for this ultra thin material using laser cutting methods, sets us apart from other laser cutting services as well as stamp and etch houses. A-laser’s laser cutting service is always on the cutting edge of the precision parts market.
A-laser at MD&M Minneapolis
Thursday, October 15th, 2009A-Laser to Exhibit Laser Cut Parts at MD&M Minneapolis 2009
BEAVERTON, OR — October 2009 —A-Laser, a division of FCT Assembly and a premier laser cutting service specializing in the ablation of ultra-thin metals and plastics, announces it will exhibit its laser cut parts in booth 1240 at the upcoming MD&M Minneapolis, scheduled to take place October 21-22, 2009 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, MN.
Laser cutting technology has taken the precision parts industry to new levels, enabling increased complexity in design, higher cut quality and the ability to maintain tighter tolerances. A-Laser is accustomed to providing tight tolerance laser cutting solutions for a wide range of industries, fulfilling both prototype and production needs.
A-Laser provides high cutting edge precision and position accuracy (±0005″), fine contours and virtually radius-free internal edges (<20 µm beam), and contact-free material processing to prevent material distortion. Same day quotes and 24-hour turnaround also are available.
For more information, stop by booth 1240 at the show or visit www.a-laser.com.
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About A-Laser
A-Laser is the precision parts division of FCT Assembly. The company began in 1994 to serve the northwest stencil and precision parts market. In 2006, A-Laser was brought into the FCT Assembly family of companies to focus specifically on the precision parts industry, but now at a national and international level.
Laser cutting services for Universities
Monday, October 12th, 2009A-laser has become a preferred laser cutting service of a number of university engineering departments. Our equipment sets us apart initially, but our customer service is found to be at least as valuable. The laser operators are cutting specialists and are used to problem solving tough jobs. We take a teamwork approach to protoype jobs regardless of the size or nature of the work. In some cases we’ve brought the customer into the shop to work with our engineers and understand our process. Each of these characteristics makes us a valuable partner for higher education. A-laser is a unique laser cutting service in many aspects, first and foremost because of our commitment to learning all we can about the wide range of applications for our laser cutting equipment.
Laser cutting service cost savings
Friday, October 9th, 2009Laser cutting is often seen as a good prototyping method, but mistakenly thought to be expensive for production. Companies that require precise micromachined parts should keep in mind the areas that laser cutting allows them to save money. Laser cut parts can be spaced tighter than other methods, generating material savings. Laser cutting doesn’t require the purchase of hard tooling every time there is a design change. Lasers do not get dull over time, therefore you don’t see product fall out as the hard tools deteriorate. These costs add up, but often aren’t accounted for when looking at pricing. Our laser cutting service provides numerous advantages and we work hard to make sure our customers recieve fair pricing for every part number.