Gunner Asch on Tue, 29 Nov 2016 22:37:20 -0800
typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

*Can handle prototypes to larger production runs
*Minimize costs in small to medium production as compared to laser
cutting, water jet, and hard tooled stamping
*Easily implement Engineering Changes without large tooling modification
costs
*Faster than laser cutting
*Suitable for a wide variety of materials

Which one do you guys prefer to work? What about the running costof
both methods?

Punch presses are dirt cheap to run. CNC punch presses are nearly as
dirt cheap to run.

Punch presses require punches. Those can get spendy to make and
replace. The time needed to make one needs to be added to any
"production time" when costing out a project.


Lasers on the other hand..can be moderately to very expensive to run.

But lasers do not need dies to make the holes. So there is that
savings. OTOH, how long does it take to program a hole like one the
punch press can knock out'?

Which is the issue: complexity of the hole, vs the number to
produce, and the total time to make up a run.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."