The problem was that "laser processing would be prohibitively expensive."
I once received a request from a designer in charge of interior design for a store who wanted to create metal curtains. They wanted to reproduce their graphic design on metal panels and install them inside the store.
Initially, the client considered using laser processing to create the patterned holes. However, after obtaining an actual quote, they realized it would exceed their budget.
The more complex the design, the longer the laser processing takes.
While laser processing can handle intricate patterns and large areas, the cost increases proportionally to the length and time required for cutting.
When incorporating a design created by an illustrator into a large panel set measuring 2800mm in height and 8000mm in length, as in this case, the total length of the lines in the design becomes quite long. Since each line is traced with a laser, it is unavoidable that the processing time and cost will increase proportionally due to the nature of the processing.
If you decide on the processing method based solely on budget before making a decision, it will be very difficult to go back and change it.
When the estimate exceeds the budget, we sometimes resort to simplifying the design itself to reduce costs. However, if we later remove patterns that were created with specific meaning in the store's interior design, the overall aesthetic we initially wanted to convey will be diminished.
In projects with fixed deadlines, there's often no time to reconsider the processing methods, leading to compromises and having to proceed with unsuitable specifications.
There are several methods for drilling holes besides lasers.
Lasers aren't the only way to create patterned holes in metal panels. The method we're proposing is called "design punching." It applies the technology of punching metal, which uses a die to punch holes in one go. Based on design data from Illustrator, we create a die to punch out the pattern.
Once the mold is made, the subsequent punching process takes very little time. Since the cost mainly comes from mold production rather than the total length of the lines, the cost difference compared to laser punching becomes more pronounced for projects with complex patterns and large areas.
Of course, for small-volume, one-off processing, mold costs can be higher, and laser cutting may be a more suitable option. We determine which is more appropriate by considering the quantity and complexity of the design.
It was made from 1.5mm thick aluminum, finished with a combination of R-bending and painting.
For this project, we created a pattern on 1.5mm thick aluminum panels using design punching, and then added R-bending to create a wavy, curtain-like effect. Due to the large size, we added an extra step to ensure the pattern didn't shift at the joints between the panels.
The finish is baked enamel paint. We mixed the color from a color sample to match the interior color of the store, created a sample, and compared it with the actual color on site before proceeding with the final production. The mounting hardware was manufactured using a lathe and installed at the store. The construction period was one month.
You can start by asking, "Can this be done with a laser?" and we'll discuss it with you.
MACHICOCO is a company based in Higashi-Osaka that provides project management services to bring products and equipment to life in collaboration with engineers at local factories. They do not own large-scale facilities themselves, instead handling everything from combining processing methods to match the design intent, to manufacturing, finishing, and on-site delivery.
You are welcome to contact us with a specific processing method in mind. After discussing your design intentions, quantities, and project timeline, we will propose a suitable method from among several options, including laser cutting, punching, and sheet metal processing.
If you have illustration data, hand-drawn sketches, or reference photos, we can start the process based on those.
