Established by Charles Day in 1977 providing a flame cutting service, Charles Day Steels Ltd has since grown into one of the largest and most diverse family run profile cutting companies in the UK with the next generation now joining the ranks.
Here at Charles Day (Steels) Ltd. we supply to any and every industry. Not only do we supply to fabricators and various manufacturers across the UK, we supply to artists and the like too.
We recently laser cut several integral parts for Sheffield University’s formula racing team, used in the construction of the team’s fastest and most advanced racing car to date. The parts, made from mild steel, stainless and aluminium were used in construction of the chassis (mild steel), chain guard (stainless), fuel tank and wheels (aluminium).
We were delighted to see the end result of a project to produce this aluminium curtain or dart wall, which is being used in an office environment. We cut the aluminium with water jet for our customer A W Jeffreys, who fabricated the dart wall from a number of separate panels. The material is 3mm anodized grade aluminium.
Put aside the industrial images that are conjured up when thinking of the steel profiling industry because we’ve donned our gladrags and have taken to the catwalk!
Okay, so we haven’t literally gone to the catwalk but some of our laser cut profiles have. Earlier in the year we were approached by fashion design student Eleanor O’Connor to become a sponsor of her final collection as part of her final year of studies. Of course we were extremely excited to get involved with an industry that we don’t usually deal with.
There are many factors that can affect laser cutting quality; the machine, the operator and material can all have a bearing on quality of the cut edge. However, the most critical parameters to laser cut quality are material thickness and material type.
Earlier this year, we were approached by Jewellery and Object student Rebecca Waterfall who required a number of laser cut stainless steel parts to form part of her final project.
Cut from 2mm 304 grade stainless steel, the 190 metal squares each measured 100 x 100mm and featured slots allowing the squares to be interconnected together.
We took time to speak with Rebecca to uncover the inspiration behind her sculpture, as well as understanding how these seemingly regular parts can come together to form a visually striking sculpture.
The two pictures above may seem similar, but they are of two different laser cutting technologies.
When searching for a firm that provides “laser cutting services”, you might not be aware that not all companies will be offering the same service.
CE Marking and the CE logo will probably be familiar to most as it has been a requirement for many years on certain products sold within the European Union, such as toys and electrical goods.
However, as of 1st July 2013, requirements for all structural steelwork to bear the CE mark and be covered by a harmonised European standard or conforming to a European Technical Assessment (ETA) became mandatory.
