moto related things to laser cut

maxer
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I'm an applications engineer for a large company that makes fiber laser machines, press brakes and etc. So I have access to make some cool stuff, need ideas of what though

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BCE
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6/14/2023 9:22am

bok

 

6
Falcon
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6/14/2023 9:41am

The stands are a cool idea. What about shop cabinets? Or maybe a new kind of tool hanger for the garage? 

Does you company mostly work with flat surfaces, or can you do 3D parts? 

1
6/14/2023 9:45am

Exhaust shields might be an easy thing to start with. Most stock ones look cheesy and a lot of aftermarket pipes don’t come with them. 
 

The cut plastics heat shield on the star bikes is pretty cool. FMF makes them but I bet there’s a market for unbranded ones that fit the stock pipe. 
 

43B7539D-4FD8-4366-B8FA-0A1E5F1DAA53.jpeg?VersionId=f4HsD.86D mx3LJwdEF8IOwyXMXWhHY

 

2
part-timer
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6/14/2023 10:04am

The stands definitely look nice.

Try some disc rotors maybe - way back in my racing days my buddy and I used to go thru disc brake rotors quickly and didn't want to pay the expensive OEM Honda prices, so I made a few on our Amada laser. Eventually we learned to not drag the rear brake as much in the mud! lol

 

The Shop

maxer
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6/14/2023 10:48am
Falcon wrote:
The stands are a cool idea. What about shop cabinets? Or maybe a new kind of tool hanger for the garage?  Does you company mostly work...

The stands are a cool idea. What about shop cabinets? Or maybe a new kind of tool hanger for the garage? 

Does you company mostly work with flat surfaces, or can you do 3D parts? 

Tool hangers are a great idea, have already made them for our roller tool carts here actually. And on my side of things everything starts with a sheet metal but can be bent via press brake. Like a skid plate for example, very do-able

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FreshTopEnd
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6/14/2023 1:27pm

Cone pipe sections? 

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Goldmember
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6/14/2023 1:41pm

Virtually nothing on the bike is the answer regarding laser cutting. 

It's expensive compared to stamping in production quantities.

 

10
6/14/2023 1:43pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2023 1:44pm
Goldmember wrote:

Virtually nothing on the bike is the answer regarding laser cutting. 

It's expensive compared to stamping in production quantities.

 

He's not asking about production quantities. He wants to make small run/custom.

4
early
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6/14/2023 1:46pm
Goldmember wrote:

Virtually nothing on the bike is the answer regarding laser cutting. 

It's expensive compared to stamping in production quantities.

 

That wasn't the question.

Custom countershaft guard or chain guide with you name and number would be cool.

7
Falcon
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6/14/2023 2:35pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2023 2:35pm

^ Countershaft guard, bash plates, chain guides, disc protectors. Maybe reservoir guards and brake line guides, too. 

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Goldmember
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6/15/2023 6:40am

He's not asking about production quantities. He wants to make small run/custom.

Same answer really.

Stuff like chain guide carriers, muffler support bands and brackets, maybe exhaust header flanges are possibilities.

Blanks for otherwise pressed or formed parts as well- frame covers and what have you.

1
JM485
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6/15/2023 7:43am Edited Date/Time 6/15/2023 8:50am

Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before being bent into various brackets or have PEM hardware added for threads.  If you have access to bending that will open up your possibilities a lot more (edit: just read further down and saw that you do have access to press breaks, so yes absolutely use those haha).  The latest pieces I've done using laser cut parts have mainly been centered around electric conversions, using them for motor mounts, controller brackets, etc.  Building brackets that allow people to mount various aftermarket accessories to their bikes such as phones, litpros, etc might be a place to start.  

 

Also, for anyone who hasn't heard of them, Sendcutsend.com is a great resource for laser cutting, and they're even starting to offer some simple bending operations.  You just need to upload a DXF (2D line drawing) file of the part you would like cut out, select your material, and you will get instant pricing.  I've had a lot of stuff done by them and it's a huge time saver if you're only doing small quantities of parts.     

3
1
6/15/2023 8:03am

Make the wire guard shown on the PC KX250 in pit bits.

Goldmember
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6/15/2023 8:11am
JM485 wrote:
Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before...

Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before being bent into various brackets or have PEM hardware added for threads.  If you have access to bending that will open up your possibilities a lot more (edit: just read further down and saw that you do have access to press breaks, so yes absolutely use those haha).  The latest pieces I've done using laser cut parts have mainly been centered around electric conversions, using them for motor mounts, controller brackets, etc.  Building brackets that allow people to mount various aftermarket accessories to their bikes such as phones, litpros, etc might be a place to start.  

 

Also, for anyone who hasn't heard of them, Sendcutsend.com is a great resource for laser cutting, and they're even starting to offer some simple bending operations.  You just need to upload a DXF (2D line drawing) file of the part you would like cut out, select your material, and you will get instant pricing.  I've had a lot of stuff done by them and it's a huge time saver if you're only doing small quantities of parts.     

Laser etched?  Laser etching is a low power process used for marking parts.

Laser cutting sheet material is what OP is talking about.

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early
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6/15/2023 8:26am
JM485 wrote:
Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before...

Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before being bent into various brackets or have PEM hardware added for threads.  If you have access to bending that will open up your possibilities a lot more (edit: just read further down and saw that you do have access to press breaks, so yes absolutely use those haha).  The latest pieces I've done using laser cut parts have mainly been centered around electric conversions, using them for motor mounts, controller brackets, etc.  Building brackets that allow people to mount various aftermarket accessories to their bikes such as phones, litpros, etc might be a place to start.  

 

Also, for anyone who hasn't heard of them, Sendcutsend.com is a great resource for laser cutting, and they're even starting to offer some simple bending operations.  You just need to upload a DXF (2D line drawing) file of the part you would like cut out, select your material, and you will get instant pricing.  I've had a lot of stuff done by them and it's a huge time saver if you're only doing small quantities of parts.     

Goldmember wrote:

Laser etched?  Laser etching is a low power process used for marking parts.

Laser cutting sheet material is what OP is talking about.

Without knowing what OP is working with, etching may be a better application for his equipment.  Most of the examples shown here were likely made with water jet, plasma, or milling.

Usually you can etch or cut with a laser depending on the material by adjusting the speed and intensity of the laser.

As was mentioned above, sendcutsend is good at a reasonable price if you don't have your own equipment.

1
JM485
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6/15/2023 8:49am Edited Date/Time 6/15/2023 8:51am
JM485 wrote:
Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before...

Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before being bent into various brackets or have PEM hardware added for threads.  If you have access to bending that will open up your possibilities a lot more (edit: just read further down and saw that you do have access to press breaks, so yes absolutely use those haha).  The latest pieces I've done using laser cut parts have mainly been centered around electric conversions, using them for motor mounts, controller brackets, etc.  Building brackets that allow people to mount various aftermarket accessories to their bikes such as phones, litpros, etc might be a place to start.  

 

Also, for anyone who hasn't heard of them, Sendcutsend.com is a great resource for laser cutting, and they're even starting to offer some simple bending operations.  You just need to upload a DXF (2D line drawing) file of the part you would like cut out, select your material, and you will get instant pricing.  I've had a lot of stuff done by them and it's a huge time saver if you're only doing small quantities of parts.     

Goldmember wrote:

Laser etched?  Laser etching is a low power process used for marking parts.

Laser cutting sheet material is what OP is talking about.

Come on man, that was clearly just a typo. . . 

 

(fixed now)

1
maxer
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6/15/2023 10:52am
JM485 wrote:
Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before...

Strictly laser cut parts are a little bit limited in application since they're only two dimensional, generally they will just serve as the flat pattern before being bent into various brackets or have PEM hardware added for threads.  If you have access to bending that will open up your possibilities a lot more (edit: just read further down and saw that you do have access to press breaks, so yes absolutely use those haha).  The latest pieces I've done using laser cut parts have mainly been centered around electric conversions, using them for motor mounts, controller brackets, etc.  Building brackets that allow people to mount various aftermarket accessories to their bikes such as phones, litpros, etc might be a place to start.  

 

Also, for anyone who hasn't heard of them, Sendcutsend.com is a great resource for laser cutting, and they're even starting to offer some simple bending operations.  You just need to upload a DXF (2D line drawing) file of the part you would like cut out, select your material, and you will get instant pricing.  I've had a lot of stuff done by them and it's a huge time saver if you're only doing small quantities of parts.     

Goldmember wrote:

Laser etched?  Laser etching is a low power process used for marking parts.

Laser cutting sheet material is what OP is talking about.

early wrote:
Without knowing what OP is working with, etching may be a better application for his equipment.  Most of the examples shown here were likely made with...

Without knowing what OP is working with, etching may be a better application for his equipment.  Most of the examples shown here were likely made with water jet, plasma, or milling.

Usually you can etch or cut with a laser depending on the material by adjusting the speed and intensity of the laser.

As was mentioned above, sendcutsend is good at a reasonable price if you don't have your own equipment.

10kw+ fiber lasers. I can cut up to 1 inch steel and various other materials

2
maxer
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6/15/2023 10:53am

Make the wire guard shown on the PC KX250 in pit bits.

could do that forsure 

Jeremy A.K.
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6/15/2023 2:39pm
Goldmember wrote:

Virtually nothing on the bike is the answer regarding laser cutting. 

It's expensive compared to stamping in production quantities.

 

More expensive then the cost of building a stamping die? 

early
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University Heights, OH, USA
6/16/2023 7:38am
Goldmember wrote:

Laser etched?  Laser etching is a low power process used for marking parts.

Laser cutting sheet material is what OP is talking about.

early wrote:
Without knowing what OP is working with, etching may be a better application for his equipment.  Most of the examples shown here were likely made with...

Without knowing what OP is working with, etching may be a better application for his equipment.  Most of the examples shown here were likely made with water jet, plasma, or milling.

Usually you can etch or cut with a laser depending on the material by adjusting the speed and intensity of the laser.

As was mentioned above, sendcutsend is good at a reasonable price if you don't have your own equipment.

maxer wrote:

10kw+ fiber lasers. I can cut up to 1 inch steel and various other materials

Well I guess power isn't much of an issue!

Working with basically 2d materials bike stuff is kind of limited to custom guards and brackets, but you could cut all kinds of custom tool organizers and shop bits.

Goldmember
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Tel Aviv, IL
6/16/2023 7:56am Edited Date/Time 6/16/2023 10:30am

More expensive then the cost of building a stamping die? 

Yes generally.

You very rarely see laser cut flat parts on production motorcycles do you?

2
mxtech1
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Galesburg, IL, USA
6/16/2023 10:07am

Aluminum starting blocks with a nicely punched emboss for foot grip. Would showcase several of your machine tools (cut + punch + form)

 

Can I ask what company you work for?

I spent the first 7 years of my engineering career in sheet metal fab and have all sorts of experience with Trumpf, Bystronic, Cincinnati, Amada machine tools. 

1
maxer
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6/18/2023 6:19pm
mxtech1 wrote:
Aluminum starting blocks with a nicely punched emboss for foot grip. Would showcase several of your machine tools (cut + punch + form)   Can I...

Aluminum starting blocks with a nicely punched emboss for foot grip. Would showcase several of your machine tools (cut + punch + form)

 

Can I ask what company you work for?

I spent the first 7 years of my engineering career in sheet metal fab and have all sorts of experience with Trumpf, Bystronic, Cincinnati, Amada machine tools. 

Great idea! I need to work on modeling that up. I work for that triple diamond company 

Mr. Ted
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6/18/2023 6:59pm

Chain guide with the racers number would be cool. 

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