Laser
GEM has a large heavy-duty laser that can cut material up to three quarter inch thick. It processes sheets and plates up to five feet wide and ten feet long. Metal cutting lasers use a beam of light to melt the material from the cut. Movement of the cutting head is directed by the unit's computer using a program based on Computer Aided Design information to determine the shape of the cut. Overall, accuracy of parts produced varies no more than two thousandths of one inch. The big savings are achieved by designed equipment to take advantage of the laser's ability to rapidly and accurately cut parts of most any shape. The laser allowed the number of parts in a rabbit ear conveyor head section weldment to be reduced from twelve or fourteen, to five. It also made it possible to develop a slider bed conveyor design that is approximately ten percent less costly to manufacture than conventional design.
