Creating a metal nameplate for a slot machine manufacturer

The Challenge

Casino machines often have a metal nameplate on the back made of aluminum. Our client’s products included one made of reflective aluminum. To mount the nameplate, it needs to have four holes, drilled within 0.003 of an inch tolerance between them.

Nameplates aren’t manufactured in quantities high enough to justify the use of matched expensive punch/die tooling because manufacturers need to create a pattern for each hole for various-sized nameplates. The client’s nameplates had hole centers out of tolerance. Our team needed to get them intolerance, all the while considering the broad variety of sizes.

Our Solution

To drill holes reliably for different nameplate sizes, we used a 3000-watt fiber laser of to cut the holes and perimeter of the part. Lasers are programmable and can cut holes in the right places just by programming them in the right way.

Result

Our team of engineers solved the customer’s problem using a cost-effective solution. The use of fiber lasers in nameplate manufacturing represents a novel approach.