CO2 laser cutting – questions to ask a prospect & why?

1) Is there a current gas company supply contract in place?

We need to know this because some supply contracts are very restrictive with
big penalties if they are broken. (Although we have never known a gas
company to actually take any customer to court, because of the bad publicity).

We also need to make sure the prospect isn’t just using a Parker system
quote as a threat to drive the price of the current supply method down.

2) If there is a contract in place, how long is left to run and what are the
termination conditions?

Generally a gas company will have a 5 year contract period. The notice on the
contract is typically 12 months from the end of the contract on the anniversary
of signing. If this time slot is missed, sometimes the contract will “roll on” for
another 2 years.

Ideally we need to be talking to a prospect when their contract has about 18

months left to run.

3) Contractual obligations dealt with, what information is now needed?

First, how many lasers are going to be in immediate use?

Are there any plans for future expansion or up-grades to higher power
machines?

We need to know the potential overall capacity to allow for.

Will they want us to make allowances for pneumatics clean dry air capacity of
laser(s) as well?

4) What are the laser makes, type and power?

We need to understand this to help in our calculations of flow and pressure.

5) Automatic or manual loading of material?

To use in calculation of “beam on” time and hence diversity of gas flow time.
6) Working pattern and shifts?

How long will the machines(s) actually run for? 24/7 or less? This helps
determine what type of system to propose and to calculate total gas
consumption.

7) “Beam on” time as a % of shift or working pattern.

The laser will only flow gas when the laser beam is on. The beam is off during
traversing across the work-piece, setting up tech tables, re-programming for
different products, loading and un-loading, changing nozzles etc.

Although nozzle flow rates are given as a continuous requirement please note
-. For example if a 50m3/h nozzle is used with a beam on for 60% of an 8 hour
shift then the accumulative gas consumption is 50 x 0.6 x 8 = 240m 3 and not
50 x 8 = 400m3.

8) Type(s) of material and thickness(es) to be cut?

This information is required to calculate flow rates.

9) Diversity of materials cut? For example: 50%, 3mm stainless steel, 20%,
2mm aluminium & 30%, 10mm mild steel.

This is required to calculate instantaneous and accumulative flow rates as

well as gas purity. From the example above we can see the customer will
need N2 assist gas for 70% of their cutting time @ a purity of approx 500ppm.

10) What space is available to site a generator system? What is the location
like? Ventilation, dry, clean, level, access for servicing, away from offices?

Having obtained the details to size a system we now need to know if it will fit
into the prospects factory and if it will be in a good location.

11) Is there spare electrical capacity to run the equipment? How far away
from the electrical distribution board?

Obviously need to know if there is enough energy to run the system and to
reduce cable runs etc locate it near to a suitable fuse board.

12) Current supply costs? Liquid or gas cost, rental, delivery, environmental
levy, administration costs, any own labour costs etc.

Information required for calculating existing costs against generated costs to

obtain pay-back period.
13) Remember – Even if a prospect cuts 100% with oxygen, on certain laser
machines above 3kW we can provide a really economical N2 beam guide-way
purge system.