Hocklynn provides precision laser cutting as part of our complete sheet metal fabrication service. Our CNC fibre laser cuts mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium sheet with speed and accuracy that traditional cutting methods cannot match. Whether you need a single prototype cut from a DXF file or thousands of precision components for an ongoing production run, our laser cutting capability delivers clean, repeatable parts ready for the next stage of your manufacturing process.
As a sub-contract laser cutting supplier, we work with OEMs, product designers, equipment manufacturers and engineering companies who need reliable metal laser cutting without the overhead of running their own machines. You send us your files, we cut your parts, and they arrive ready to fold, weld and assemble. Laser cutting is the starting point for almost everything we produce at Hocklynn, from simple flat profiles and brackets through to complex enclosure panels with hundreds of cut features.
Laser cutting is a process that uses a focused beam of light to cut through sheet metal with extreme precision. The laser beam heats the material to its melting or vaporisation point along a programmed path, while a cutting gas blows the molten material away from the kerf to produce a clean edge. The process is controlled by CNC, which means every cut follows the programmed path exactly, producing identical parts whether you are cutting one or one thousand.
Modern fibre lasers have largely replaced older CO2 laser cutting machines in sheet metal fabrication. Fibre lasers deliver higher cutting speed, better energy efficiency and superior edge quality on thin to medium gauge metals. Our CNC laser handles sheet metal laser cutting across a range of materials and thicknesses, producing parts with tight tolerances and minimal thermal distortion.
The precision of laser cutting eliminates the need for secondary finishing on most cut edges. Parts come off the laser table with clean, square edges that are ready for the next process without grinding or deburring. This is one of the key advantages of laser cutting over mechanical cutting methods such as punching, stamping or guillotining, and it directly reduces your manufacturing cost by removing a process step.
Our laser cutting service handles three core materials that cover the vast majority of sheet metal fabrication applications.
Mild steel laser cutting is our highest volume work. We cut mild steel sheet across a range of thicknesses from thin gauge through to heavier plate. Mild steel is the standard material for enclosures, brackets, panels, guards, chassis components and general fabrication work. The laser produces clean cuts with minimal heat-affected zone, preserving the material properties of the steel adjacent to the cut edge.
Stainless steel laser cutting requires careful control of laser power, cutting speed and cutting gas selection to produce clean, oxide-free edges. We cut 304 and 316 grade stainless steel for food production equipment, pharmaceutical enclosures, marine components, architectural metalwork and any application where corrosion resistance is essential. Nitrogen assist gas produces a bright, clean cut edge on stainless steel that requires no further finishing.
Aluminium laser cutting presents its own technical challenges due to the material’s high reflectivity and thermal conductivity. Our fibre laser handles aluminium sheet cleanly, producing parts for electronics enclosures, transport components, lightweight structural assemblies and heat management applications. We cut common aluminium grades including 5251 and 6082.
Our CNC fibre laser delivers high-quality laser cutting with the speed and repeatability that production fabrication demands. Parts are nested efficiently to optimise material usage and reduce waste across every job.
Cutting accuracy is maintained across the full bed, with positional precision that ensures holes, slots, notches and profiles are located exactly where your design requires them. This level of precision is critical when laser cut parts proceed to CNC press brake folding, where the position of cut features determines the accuracy of the finished bent component.
We handle sheet metal laser cutting from single components to high-volume production runs. Our nesting and programming setup means that repeat orders run efficiently from stored CNC programmes with no re-engineering. First-off inspection confirms dimensional accuracy before production quantities are released, and in-process checks maintain quality throughout the run.
For customers who need a complete metal fabrication service rather than laser cutting only, our in-house capability covers CNC folding, welding, assembly and finishing. Parts move seamlessly from the laser to the next process without leaving our facility, which reduces lead time, transport cost and the risk of damage or loss between suppliers.
Many of our laser cutting customers are manufacturers and engineering companies who use us as a sub-contract laser cutting partner within their own supply chain. This arrangement gives you access to high-quality laser cutting capacity without the capital investment, maintenance overhead and staffing commitment of running your own laser cutting machines.
As a sub-contract supplier, we understand the importance of consistent quality, reliable delivery and clear communication. We work to your specifications, your quality standards and your delivery schedule. Parts are inspected against your drawings before dispatch, and certificates of conformity are provided where required. If your production schedule changes, we have the flexibility to adjust our priorities to keep your line running.
Sub-contract laser cutting also makes sense when your own laser cutting capacity is fully loaded or when a job requires capabilities outside your existing equipment range. Whether you need overflow capacity to handle a spike in demand, or access to materials and thicknesses your own machine cannot handle, our laser cutting service gives you the flexibility to take on work without turning it away.
We accept design files in DXF, DWG and STEP formats. If you have a 3D model in SolidWorks or another CAD package, we can extract the flat development for laser cutting as part of our design for manufacture review. If your parts require bending after laser cutting, our engineering team will check that bend allowances, grain direction and feature clearances are correct before we cut, avoiding costly rework.
If you have a sketch, a sample part or even just dimensions and a description, our CAD team can draw up the parts for you and produce laser-ready files. This design support is part of our standard service and is particularly useful for customers who need replacement parts for existing equipment where original drawings are not available.
Every laser cut part is produced to a standard of quality and precision that our customers rely on for their own products and assemblies. Our quality control process includes first-off inspection against your drawing or CAD model, in-process dimensional checks during production runs, and final inspection before dispatch.
We hold ISO 9001 certification, which provides a framework for consistent quality management across all our laser cutting and fabrication processes. Traceability of materials and processes is maintained throughout production, and we can provide material certificates, inspection reports and certificates of conformity as required by your quality system.
Our laser cutting service supports manufacturing and engineering across a wide range of sectors and applications. We cut precision components for electrical enclosures and control panels, brackets and mounting hardware for equipment manufacturers, panels and fascias for electronics and instrumentation, guards and covers for industrial machinery, chassis and structural components for vehicle and transport applications, architectural metalwork and building services components, and prototype parts for product development and design validation.
Whether your application involves high-volume production of identical parts or short runs of varied components, our laser cutting process handles both with equal efficiency. The flexibility of CNC laser cutting means that changing from one part to another requires only a programme change, with no tooling costs or setup charges for new designs.
Laser cutting uses a CNC-controlled fibre laser to cut through sheet metal by focusing a high-energy beam along a programmed path. A cutting gas assists the process by removing molten material from the cut, producing clean, precise edges. The CNC control ensures that every part is cut to the same dimensions, making laser cutting ideal for both prototypes and production quantities.
The cost of laser cutting depends on the material, thickness, complexity of the cut profile, and the quantity required. Simple parts in thin gauge mild steel cost less per part than complex profiles in thick stainless steel. We provide quotes based on your specific files and requirements. For repeat production, stored CNC programmes reduce setup time and keep unit costs competitive.
We laser cut mild steel, stainless steel (304 and 316 grades) and aluminium (5251 and 6082 grades). These three materials cover the vast majority of sheet metal fabrication applications. If you need a different material, contact us to discuss your requirements.
If you need a reliable laser cutting service for sheet metal components, contact our team for a quote. Send us your DXF, DWG or STEP files and we will come back to you with pricing, lead time and any design for manufacture recommendations to get the best results from your parts.
Call 0117 951 7572 or email sales@hocklynn.co.uk
