Beams of Might

"Virtually all die systems use the same basic lasers, and therefore deliver a laser beam that is essentially the same on any system," affirms Forstrom. "Operator requirements and overhead costs are also essentially the same."

On Forstrom's recommendation, key variables to consider are: processing time, including ease of set-up, kerf adjustment, and moving material on and off the system; ease of operation; rigidity and stability; quality of the servo motors; and kerf control flexibility. Forstrom also advises establishing in-house software support to solidify a software back-up system.