Four Laser Cutting Applications For the Roofing Sector
Laser cutters are used in many manufacturing and fabrication applications today, cutting everything from greeting cards to tubular steel. One often-overlooked industry that makes extensive use of laser cutting processes is construction, specifically the roofing and cladding sub-sectors. If you would like to find out more about why modern roofing companies often turn to laser cutter specialists to fabricate roofing parts for them, then read on.
Customised Metal Roof Panels
To begin with, forming bespoke roofing panels is not always easy, especially when the building doesn't have a conventional pitched roof. A key application for laser cutting firms that serve the roofing sector lies in their ability to handle irregular building designs with a high degree of precision. Such structures often necessitate the fabrication of unique roofing panels in different shapes and sizes. Laser cutters provide fast results in spite of the necessary level of precision, enabling the creation of bespoke roofing panels within set deadlines that will still fit perfectly once they've been transported to the site. This is particularly beneficial for large and complex roofing designs where traditional on-site cutting methods may take too long or require extensive reworking to get right.
Decorative Roofing Elements
Secondly, laser cutters tend to be used to create ornate or decorative parts of the roofing. Patterned roof edges or trim can be part of the design and need sections to be cut out to create the desired effect. Metal cornices with one-off designs can significantly enhance the architectural appeal of a building. Metal laser cutting techniques are the go-to option for builders nowadays when the architect has demanded such ornate features in the roof. They allow highly intricate detailing and the desired consistency with such decorative elements that can be repeated time and again with the same high-quality results.
Roof Accessory Formation
Bear in mind that the creation of roofing accessories is also possible with laser cutters. Features like chimney caps, snow guards and vent flashings can all be formed in this way. These types of roofing accessories often require exact dimensions to be adhered to whether they're replacing existing features or being fabricated for new builds. Either way, laser cutting facilitates the creation of roofing components to match the intended roofing layout design. Ultimately, making use of laser cutters will help to eliminate problems like leakage or structural instability that can arise from hand-crafted roofing accessories.
Shingle Manufacturing
Finally, laser cutters are sometimes also used to manufacture roofing shingles. If shingles of a non-standard design are needed, then a laser cut short-run production of them is often the most cost-effective option. Typically, laser cutters are used to form shingles from metals, such as aluminium, steel or copper, but non-metal shingles can also be produced this way.
Contact a local company to learn more about laser cutting.
Share