Minimize Burrs and Streamline Finishing in Metal Cutting

Izumi Kotobuki Co., Ltd

Japan

Mr. Yoshinobu Koizumi, President and CEO of Izumi Kotobuki Co., Ltd., has adopted the GCC LaserPro FMC280 laser cutting machine. He graciously shared with us the reasons for introducing the laser machine, how it is used in laser cutting, and the benefits they have experienced from its implementation.

Company Name: Izumi Kotobuki Co., Ltd
Major Business Items: Manufacturing and sales of metal cut letter accessories
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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GCC Products: GCC LaserPro FMC 280 1.5kW Fiber Laser Cutter

What prompted you to introduce the GCC LaserPro laser machine?

We were looking for a metal laser cutting machine that could fit in the limited space within our store. However, most machines designed for metal processing were large and typically used in big factories, requiring additional peripherals, which significantly increased costs. As a result, we struggled to find the right machine for us.

The FMC 280 was perfect because of its compact size, which didn’t take up much space. Despite its small size, the laser cutting quality was solid. We were able to introduce the machine at a reduced cost while we thought it was exactly the right machine for our company.

What are you using the laser cutting machine for?

We use FMC 280 laser cutting machine to manufacture and sell original metal cut-out products with kanji (Chinese characters) motifs. The laser cutting machine is used to cut metal sheets.

Compared to shearing or press machines, the laser process produces fewer burrs on the cut edges, which allows us to shorten the post-processing of chamfering.

Additionally, the advantages of the laser cutting machine include the ability to cut without needing a mold, even for a single piece, and the capability to cut intricate and complex shapes.

What results follow laser machine installation?

When we outsourced, it was difficult to manage lead times and costs. However, by bringing the process in-house with the FMC 280, we were able to improve our response to customer requests and offer products at more reasonable prices.

Additionally, since we can output directly from CorelDRAW to the laser cutter, the workflow from design to processing is very smooth. While our main business is online sales, receiving orders from Hokkaido to Okinawa, we’ve also seen an increase in repeat customers and inquiries through word of mouth. Orders for pet tags and name tags are also on the rise.

Stainless steel cut-out letter accessories: Azanafuda

Azanafuda (letter tags) is a service where you can freely choose and cut out characters—kanji, hiragana, katakana, English, or numbers—to create personalized stainless steel cut-out letter accessories.

We receive a wide range of orders for items such as fight tags, prayer tags, bottle keep tags, golf accessories, pet products, and goods for car enthusiasts.

Among the orders, those from foreign customers are especially popular. The service where we create original kanji names based on the customer’s preferred name and turn them into cut-out letter accessories has been well-received. Along with the cut-out letter accessory, we also issue and present a 'Kanji Name Certificate.

What are your prospects for the laser business?

We aim to get our project for creating and selling accessories featuring Japanese kanji motifs for overseas customers, an idea we’ve had for some time, fully up and running. We also want to focus more on developing pet-related items, which remain consistently popular as original products.