As a business owner, with so many decisions to make on a daily basis, it’s no wonder convenience and quick turnaround are desirable when you need a service provider to perform a job for you. But you must not sacrifice quality for convenience and fast results, especially since they don’t always go hand in hand. Projects that involve metals like aluminum, steel or brass, for example, often mean you need parts that will ultimately contribute to the integrity, durability and lifespan of whatever it is you are constructing—think in the long term, not in the short term.
With this in mind, there is a decision to be made in order for you to move forward on your metal project. Should you go with laser cutting or water jet metal cutting in San Francisco, CA? Here are some important things to consider before commissioning just anyone to handle the cutting of your metal parts.
Metal part design considerations
Designing your metal part is the first step to any project. You should know what it is you are going for, and the business you hire needs to know the task. Any cutting, whether made by a laser or water jet machine, requires thought—especially when the cut is very small or of an unusual size that could destroy the material. You may have to look around for a skilled shop to do it.
Next, make sure the shop accepts the type of files you’ve created. The software you use to draw your metal part is best saved as a DWG or DXF file for cross-software compatibility. The shop you choose may also offer on-site design services. When drawing your part, don’t fret over the small cut details, because the business has their own software to figure out the technical stuff. Know that a professional will try hard to accommodate extremely small cuts and openings.
Preparing files to give to the shop
Still not sure whether laser or water jet cutting is the right process for your project? Either way, when preparing a file with your metal part design, make sure you don’t make the drawing complicated. Avoid over-thinking the process, and remember that the shop you decide to work with will likely know the best way to interpret your vision. Make the files easy to understand for problem free cutting.
Include in your files a dimension right on your drawing. The shop can use the dimensions to make sure your drawing file imports correctly. As mentioned earlier, you will need to export your file to a DWG or DXF format (or save in both formats). Additionally, exporting a PDF file will give the shop a clear reference of how you are seeing your metal parts, as well as act as a back up should the shop’s software reject the other formats.
Do you think water jet cutting services are right for you and your metal project? No matter the type of project you are working on, if you can benefit from professional water jet metal cutting in San Francisco, CA, then call the experts at Mach 1 Waterjet, Inc. today. We are here to help!