Making the Most of Metal-Cutting Machines and Supplies

Making the most of metal-cutting machines and supplies can put money in your pocket

By Denise Brown

Metal cutting machines are expensive investments, so it’s only natural that you want to get the most use out of them. While your employees may have training on the machines, any time you see new metal cutting machines for sale you should know that new technology may be available. That doesn’t mean you necessarily need to constantly buy new machines. It simply means you need to learn how to do new things with your older metal cutting equipment.

It’s also important that you buy top-of-the-line metal cutting supplies. Your reputation as a business depends on making quality products from those supplies. To get the most from your metal cutting supplies you should:

1. Find metal cutting supplies from reliable dealers.

2. Maintain a working relationship with these dealers that enables you to gather knowledge, not only about metal cutting supplies, but also about metal cutting machines.

3. Develop ways to get more value from your metal cutting supplies, such as through recycling waste cuttings.

Know how your metal cutting equipment operates

Making the most of metal-cutting machines and supplies means getting every bit of value from each machine in your shop, as well as using every supply wisely. Know what your machines are capable of doing.
Try: View the videos from American GFM to learn more about new technologies in metal cutting equipment, as well as ways to improve the usage of your existing metal cutting machinery. Kern Electronics & Lasers also has videos that can give you ideas on how to improve your metal cutting machines, especially if you use a metal laser cutting machine in your shop. Visit KMT Waterjet Systems to gain a better understanding of how a waterjet metal cutter machine operates.

Promote safety around your metal cutting equipment

Make sure any metal cutting machine in your shop has the proper safeguards in place. This not only protects the workers, it also enables you to get better usage from your metal cutting supplies and machines.
Try: Find safety techniques for steel cutting machines at ESAB. Read the machine guard guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Keep reference material and operator's manuals close to your metal cutting equipment

An operator's manual can help you extend the life of one of these precision machines. Make sure you follow all guidelines for routine maintenance.
Try: Haas Saw & Supply has an extensive library of ideas and documents for making the most of metal-cutting machines and supplies. Applied Robotics has an extensive reference library on its Torchmate website. You can print the information, laminate it and post it for easy access near your steel cutting equipment.

Make a photocopy of the operator's manual for each piece of metal cutting equipment on the shop floor. Put the pages of the copy into clear plastic sleeves and bind them in a three-ring notebook. Put that near the machine and store the original operator's manual in a file in the office.

Making the Most of Metal-Cutting Machines and Supplies