Over the last few years, plasma users have begun to explore a cleaner, faster, and more efficient method of shedding new light onto traditional metal processes. Plasma cutting kerf is huge and what is not in the kerf is now dust. This is bad for the environment and workers health as dust is harder to capture on large tables.  

 

The implementation of Fiber Lasers, with a dramatic drop in price and increased access to solid state diodes, has finally come within reach of plasma machine users. An entirely new market segment of HVAC manufacturers, along with Structural & Architectural, are now focused on the transition away from plasma.  

 

Some reasons for this transition include: 

• Plasma machines eat up expensive consumables. 
• A Laser can cut smaller features and holes and sharper corners. 
• Electrical consumption is lower on a Laser.  

• Gas consumption is lower, especially for oxygen.  
• Since cutting speeds are higher, the running cost per cut length is dramatically less on a laser. 

 

Top manufacturers of Laser cutting systems have observed this movement over the last five years and started offering small format tables at lower prices for fiber lasers. Still, many large format tables remain too expensive and out of reach for the typical job shop in North America. Large format tables often exceed $1 Million. 

 

Lead Engineers at PRC Laser took note of this and were inspired to create another option for Plasma users to make the switch to a large fiber table. At 12,000 Watts, the PRC Orca 26-foot dual shuttle table cutting system is a powerful contender to offer plasma-based shops new technology along with “Horizontal Automation.” 

 

“PRC Orca is one answer if you are looking for a bigger boat.” (have a gif of  “you’re gonna need a bigger boat” https://images.app.goo.gl/vSXLBmY8KgYjRuqr8) 

 

Long sheets can be processed for everything from bridges to high-rise HVAC and Ship hulls. Instead of buying automation, standard metal sheets can be placed side by side to equal a 10-shelf tower, without the fear of going down. Different materials? No issue. 

 

The concept of horizontal automation is based on the ability to process different metal materials and thicknesses on the same table from sheet to sheet. With so much space and ease of dual shuttle tables, a user can cut parts while picking finished parts and even reload fresh sheets before average cycle times.  

 

Whether you need one part over 20 feet or a multitude of nested parts, a large format fiber is the ideal replacement for your old “slug boat.”  If you are one of many fabricators concerned with unreliable “lights out” automation, then consider this case of using your open space for peace of mind and on-time part delivery. 

 

PULL QUOTES 

 Whether you need one part over 20 feet or a multitude of nested parts, a large format fiber is the ideal replacement for your old “slug boat.” 

 “The PRC Orca has a crazy 200m/min max speed per axis. That is like 10 times faster than a typical plasma. If the machine is 8m long, it does not take a full minute to have it go from one corner to the opposite.” – Jan Muys |C.T.O.  

  (gif of spinning Orca https://images.app.goo.gl/oyzynCCnD4m6cani7) 

 

An entirely new market segment of HVAC manufacturers, along with Structural & Architectural, are now focused on the transition away from plasma.