Punch laser combination machining · Grand Prairie, Texas · ISO 9001:2015
Punch laser combination machining in Dallas–Fort Worth.
AST Manufacturing combines turret punching, forming, and tapping with 3 kW fiber laser cutting on one platform, the Amada EML 2515 AJ. As a result, the CNC punching Dallas and Fort Worth manufacturers send to Grand Prairie comes back with fewer setups, fewer secondary operations, and a lower cost per part. Send a print and get a number back.
Punching
500 hits/min · 33-ton
Laser
3 kW fiber
Accuracy
±0.0027″
Automation
24/7 — ASR tower
One platform, two processes
Punch laser combination machining: punch, form, tap and laser cut in one setup
The Amada EML 2515 AJ pairs a 33-ton CNC turret punch with an integrated 3 kW fiber laser. In practice, that means punched holes, formed features (louvers, embossments, extrusions, flanges, and lances), in-line tapped threads, and laser-cut complex contours all happen on one machine, in one setup, from one program.
Because the turret handles the repetitive hits and forms while the laser handles the profiles, each process only does the work it is best at. Consequently, a part that would otherwise visit a punch press, a laser cell, and a tapping station comes off the combination platform finished.
Fewer setups and fewer secondary operations mean a lower cost per part and a shorter lead time. Then the part moves straight to press brake forming or assembly under the same roof, on the same quote.
Punch press vs. laser vs. both
Why CNC punching Dallas shops send out belongs on a combination platform
A fiber laser alone cuts any profile but cannot form a louver or tap a hole. A turret punch alone forms and taps but struggles with large, intricate contours. In other words, most sheet metal parts need both, and the combination platform removes the handoff between them.
Fewer setups
One sheet is loaded once. Every hole, form, thread, and contour is done before it leaves the table, so there is no second fixture and no second chance for error.
Formed features a laser can’t make
Louvers, embossments, extrusions, countersinks, and lances come straight off the turret. Otherwise, each of those is a separate press operation.
Hardware-ready holes
In-line thread forming and tapping mean the holes arrive finished. Meanwhile, laser-cut holes still need a drill press or a tapping station afterward.
Lower cost per part at volume
At 500 hits per minute, repetitive hole patterns punch far faster than they cut. Above all, on production runs that speed shows up directly on the quote.
Specifications
Amada EML 2515 AJ specifications
| Punching | 500 hits/min on 1″ centers · 33-ton turret |
| Laser | 3 kW fiber, complex contours |
| Punching work area | 120″ × 60″ |
| Laser work area | 100″ × 60″ |
| Maximum thickness | 0.250″ |
| Processing accuracy | ±0.0027″ |
| Forming & tapping | Louvers, embossments, extrusions, lances · in-line tapping |
| Automation | ASR 3015 NTK material tower — 24/7 capable |
Lights-out
Automated punch laser combination machining, around the clock
The ASR 3015 NTK tower loads and unloads material automatically, so the platform runs unattended. At the same time, intelligent process monitoring keeps quality consistent whether it’s 2 pm or 2 am. For your job, that means production capacity without production lead times.
Every run is covered by AST’s ISO 9001:2015 quality system, and every job is programmed in-house by our CAD/CAM team, which nests punch and laser work on the same sheet to cut scrap as well as cycle time.
CNC punching Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, Austin, Mineral Wells and Houston can have delivered
Ask about delivery when you request your quote and we will price it into the job.
Keep the job in one building
Related metal fabrication services
The combination platform covers sheet work end to end. Everything else, however, runs under the same roof in Grand Prairie, on the same quote.
Precision laser cutting
Thicker plate on the 9 kW Regius fiber laser, up to 1″ in steel, stainless, and aluminum.
Press brake forming
Big bends the turret can’t form, on parts up to 120″.
CNC machining & milling
Machined features beyond sheet work.
Custom metal assembly
Punched and formed parts built into finished assemblies.
Band saw cutting
Bar, tube, and structural stock cut to length.
CAD/CAM programming
One program drives both processes.
Common questions
Punch laser combination machining FAQs
Parts, features, and materials
What parts benefit from punch laser combination machining?
Sheet metal parts that mix punched holes, formed features, tapped threads, and complex cut profiles, such as enclosures, panels, brackets, and chassis. Combining the operations on one platform removes the setups and secondary operations that add cost on separate machines.
What is the difference between CNC punching and laser cutting?
CNC punching uses a turret of hardened tools to shear or form the sheet, so it is fastest for repeated holes and the only way to produce louvers, embossments, and tapped threads in-line. Laser cutting, by contrast, melts a narrow kerf along any path, so it wins on intricate contours and one-off geometry. The combination platform uses each where it is faster.
What formed features can the turret produce?
Louvers, embossments, extrusions, flanges, and lances, plus in-line thread forming and tapping, so hardware-ready holes come off the machine finished.
How thick can it process?
Up to 0.250″ sheet, at ±0.0027″ processing accuracy, across a 120″ × 60″ punching area and a 100″ × 60″ laser area. For thicker plate, the job moves to our 9 kW fiber laser, which cuts up to 1″ in steel, stainless, and aluminum.
Production, quoting, and delivery
Does it really run unattended?
Yes. The ASR 3015 NTK automation tower feeds and unloads material for 24/7 lights-out production, while intelligent monitoring watches the process.
What do you need to quote a punch laser job?
A DXF, STEP, or dimensioned PDF, plus material, thickness, and quantity. If the part suits the combination platform, the quote will show the savings against separate punch and laser operations.
Do you deliver?
Yes. AST delivers the CNC punching Dallas and Fort Worth customers order, as well as jobs for Waco, Austin, Mineral Wells, and Houston. Mention delivery on your quote request.
Send your prints for punch laser combination machining
DXF, STEP, or dimensioned PDF with material and quantity. If the part suits the combination platform, the quote will show the savings.
1000 Avenue N, Grand Prairie TX 75050 · (972) 554-0383 · ast@astmfg.com