Laser Cutting Services, Custom Laser Cutting

Epoxy Preforms, Bonding Films, Tapes, and Shim Stock

Laser Cutting Machine

At NEDC, we provide precision laser cutting services for high-performance tapes, frozen epoxy preforms, kraft papers, and other materials. Laser cutting services are a core part of our capabilities, with a strong focus on material-specific solutions. These include plastic shim stock, certain elastomeric products, frozen epoxy preforms, tapes, and kraft papers. We use laser cutting because it often produces custom parts with exceptional accuracy. While die cutting has its place, tooling costs can be a concern—precision laser cutting offers a flexible alternative, especially for low-quantity runs. The unique benefits of material-efficient laser cutting include:

LCD Gaskets, Touchscreen gaskets

Benefits of Laser Cutting

-No tooling cost

With conventional die cutting, unique shapes can be expensive in tooling cost. With laser cutting no tooling cost is required, because there is no tool, except the laser machine itself!

-Simple DXF allows for easy cutting

Laser Cutting requires only an electronic file such as a DXF to function. These files give the machine instructions of how to cut, when to cut, and where to cut. Customers will ask us if there is an NRE for DXFs when laser cutting parts, however there is not.

-Highly precise tolerancing

With conventional die cutting, meeting certain tolerance expectations on highly complex parts can be a challenge. However, tolerancing has never been tighter on laser cutting machines. Our machines can provide some dimensions as tight as +/- .002” depending on the material.

-High material utilization

Part of offering laser cutting services is also to attempt to give the customer the best price possible. We can nest parts in different directions, and orientations to make the best possible use of the material we have. Some materials can be expensive, so material utilization becomes very important.

-Lots of room for adjustments because of no tooling

One of the downsides of using conventional die cutting is that once the tool is made it can be difficult to adjust. For example, if a diameter is the wrong size, we may be able to fix it but sometimes we cannot. With laser cutting you can easily adjust things to make them smaller, bigger, longer, or wider. Nothing is set in stone with laser cutting software. This can be a huge benefit when cutting prototypes, or even when doing revision changes of parts.

-Low quantity runs

We would not say laser cutting machines do not move fast. However, laser cutting oftentimes hits it stride at lower quantity runs. With lower quantities, the mix of no tooling cost, room for adjustment, and high material utilization produces a large value proposition.

Drawbacks of CO2 Laser Cutting

-Some materials just don’t cut.

At some point I want to do a blog on this, however SILICONE RUBBER does not laser cut. Let me repeat that again for emphasize. Laser cutting is not good for SILICONE RUBBER MATERIALS. They cannot be laser cut. There are some people that will tell you it can be done. However, while it can be theortically done, its going look awful. Its going look like residue from cooking something way too much.

In addition, there are other materials that cannot cut too well, especially thicker rubbers/materials.

-Quanities of Parts can be a challenge

With larger quanities of parts, laser cutting can become a challenge because its very difficult to cut large quantities of parts when each feature is required to be cut one by one. Die-Cutting for example can cut hundreds of holes simultaneously.

How About Laser-Cut Gaskets? 

Customers ask a lot about laser-cut gaskets. Heres the thing. Most gaskets we cut, are done by waterjet cutting machines, or high precision die-cutting options. It is true we laser-cut gaskets, however it is not our preferred method. We have a lot more tools in the toolshed when it comes to fabricating gaskets into different custom shapes. 

Products & Materials:

High-Performance 3M Tapes

At NEDC, we are an authorized converter for the 3M Company. We have access to procure many tapes such as VHB Tapes, Transfer Tapes, Double Sided Tapes, and other unique tape configurations. We utilize our laser cutting services to cut these tapes for our customers. Oftentimes, we use our laser cutting machines to be able to kiss-cut parts. We cut parts to liners to make them easy for our customers to remove off during assembly.

Some common 3M tapes we cut on our laser include:

-VHB Tapes such as 3M 5952, 4941, 5906, 5909, 5907 and others

-Transfer Tapes 3M 9472, 467MP, 9469PC, 9485PC, 9471LE, 9472LE and others

-Double Sided Tapes 3M 7945MP, 415, and others

laser-cut ablefilm preforms

Epoxy Film Bonding Adhesives

One of the materials that utilizes our laser cutting services fairly often is Ablefilm®. Ablefilm® and other frozen epoxy film adhesives can be laser cut with these machines. Laser Cutting is one of the only to cut these film adhesives. To produce the small diameters, and interesting, dynamic curves that some circuit boards provide, laser cutting may be necessary.  These adhesive bonding films are normally on the thinner side- going as low as .002”. Laser Cutting enables a wide amount of latitude on what is possible to be cut. These can include:

-Tight Tolerancing

-Small Diameters

-Small Preforms

-Many Diameters

-Unique Cutouts

These Ablefilm® products may include 5025E, ECF561E, CF3350, 5020K, and 550K.

Kraft Papers/Pressboard

Paper products traditionally do very well during the laser cutting process. Kraft Paper is also a great candidate for our laser cutting machine. We can cut Kraft Paper, Fishpaper, and Vulcanized Fiber. These materials come in different densities, weights, and specifications.

Plastic Shim Stock/Mylar Polyester

We use laser cutting services to cut many thin plastic like materials. One of the more popular materials is thin polyester(PET, or PETG). These materials are usually color coded to designate thickness. In addition, some other materials besides polyester can be used as shim stock. Not all plastics can be cut on our laser cutting machine but many can be.

More Information on Laser Cutting Services/Machines

NEDC owns and operates several precision laser cutting machines designed for custom laser cutting services. As part of our capabilities, we handle demanding requirements for custom parts with exceptional accuracy, achieving tolerances as tight as +/- 0.002”. While laser machines have limitations in material thickness, our material-efficient cutting process ensures optimal results for the materials we specialize in—such as tapes, frozen epoxy preforms, kraft papers, and plastic shim stock.

It’s important to note that while precision laser cutting excels with these materials, it has limitations with metals, thicker plastics, and other specialized materials. For low-quantity runs or custom applications, our custom laser cutting solutions provide flexibility without the tooling costs associated with die cutting. If you believe your part could benefit from precision laser cutting, please contact sales@nedc.com for more information.