Materials the BySmart Fiber Can Cut

One of the defining strengths of the BySmart Fiber is its broad material compatibility. Unlike CO2 lasers — which struggle with highly reflective metals like copper and brass — fiber laser technology efficiently processes virtually all common industrial metals. The BySmart Fiber handles the following materials with first-class cutting quality:

• Mild Steel (Carbon Steel) — High-speed cuts from thin gauge through thick plate, with clean edges using nitrogen, oxygen, or Bystronic’s proprietary MixGas.
• Stainless Steel — Precise, burr-free cuts ideal for food processing equipment, architectural components, and industrial parts. Excellent edge finish on thin to medium gauges.
• Aluminum — Highly reflective material that fiber lasers handle efficiently. Clean cuts across a wide thickness range, critical for aerospace, automotive, and fabrication applications.
• Copper — Processed with precision thanks to the fiber laser’s short wavelength, which is far better absorbed by copper than CO2 laser light.
• Brass — Similar to copper in behavior, brass is cut cleanly and efficiently with the BySmart Fiber’s fiber laser source.
• Other Non-Ferrous Metals — Including titanium, Inconel, and specialty alloys used in aerospace, medical, and defense manufacturing.

This material versatility means that a single BySmart Fiber installation can serve an enormous range of production needs — from HVAC components and ductwork parts to decorative architectural panels, structural fabrication, and precision industrial parts — all on one machine, without the need for equipment changes or major process adjustments.

Advanced Technology and Intelligent Features

ByVision Cutting & BySoft Cell Control Cut Software

The BySmart Fiber is operated via Bystronic’s intuitive ByVision Cutting interface — or the newer BySoft Cell Control Cut (BCCC) on SE variants — displayed on a large 21.5″ to 22″ touch screen that makes controlling the entire cutting process as straightforward as using a modern smartphone. The interface provides a real-time overview of all relevant machine data, including the current cutting plan, the position of the cutting head, machine status, and active alarms.

BySoft Cell Control Cut uses a large built-in database of cutting parameters optimized for a wide range of common plate materials. As laser power, material type, plate thickness, and workpiece geometry change, the software automatically selects and applies the correct parameters — removing guesswork from the cutting process and ensuring consistent, high-quality results even for less experienced operators.

Parameter Wizard

The Parameter Wizard is an intelligent built-in tool that determines the correct cutting parameters for a given job in just a few minutes. Rather than requiring operators to manually research and input settings for every new material or thickness combination, the Parameter Wizard queries the machine’s knowledge base and recommends the optimal laser power, cutting speed, gas type, and focal position. This dramatically reduces setup time and helps ensure that every cut — whether the first or the ten-thousandth — meets the same quality standard.

Detection Eye — Automatic Sheet Position Detection

Accurate cutting begins with knowing exactly where the material is on the cutting table. The Detection Eye function on the BySmart Fiber locates the position of the sheet on the cutting table within seconds, automatically compensating for any misalignment or skew in the material placement. This eliminates the need for manual measurement and repositioning, saving setup time and reducing the risk of parts being cut out of position.

BeamShaper — Heavy Plate Cutting Capability

For applications requiring the cutting of thicker plate, the optional BeamShaper feature modifies the beam profile of the laser to optimize cutting performance on heavy material. The BeamShaper enables the BySmart Fiber to process metals of up to 30 millimeters thickness with improved cut quality, straighter sidewalls, and reduced dross formation compared to standard beam cutting. This capability significantly extends the BySmart Fiber’s usefulness in heavy fabrication environments.

Automatic Nozzle Changer

Different cutting applications require different nozzle types and sizes — a nozzle optimized for thin stainless steel will not perform optimally on thick mild steel. The optional automatic nozzle changer on the BySmart Fiber handles these changes without operator intervention, automatically selecting the correct nozzle from a magazine of stored options and installing it on the cutting head in seconds. This capability reduces downtime between jobs and frees operators to focus on other production tasks.

MixGas Technology

Bystronic’s proprietary MixGas option — available as an add-on — delivers a unique blend of nitrogen and oxygen as the assist gas during cutting. This blend combines the clean, oxide-free cuts produced by nitrogen cutting with the higher speeds achievable with oxygen cutting, providing a distinct advantage over conventional fusion cutting and flame cutting processes. On mild steel in particular, MixGas delivers clean cut edges at elevated speeds, reducing operating gas costs and improving part quality simultaneously.

Automation Integration — Maximizing Productivity

One of the defining design principles of the BySmart Fiber is that it is automation-ready from the ground up. Bystronic offers a comprehensive suite of loading, unloading, sorting, and storage automation solutions that integrate seamlessly with the BySmart Fiber, enabling shops to increase throughput, reduce labor requirements, and approach unmanned or lights-out production:

• ByLoader — A simplified sheet loading system that allows operators to further streamline laser cutting operations, reducing the time spent manually handling raw material.
• ByTrans — Bystronic’s intelligent full and semi-automatic loading and unloading system. The ByTrans organizes material flow according to the active job queue, maximizing cutting table utilization and providing free space for manual small-order processing alongside automated production.
• ByTrans Extended — An enhanced version of the ByTrans that delivers even greater machine utilization and material throughput for high-volume production environments.
• BySort — An automated part sorting system that takes finished cut parts from the cutting table and organizes them by job, material, or customer, eliminating the time-consuming manual sorting work that follows high-volume cutting.
• ByTower / ByTower Compact — Sheet metal storage towers that store raw material and feed it to the BySmart Fiber on demand. The ByTower Compact is particularly notable for combining a storage system with loading and unloading capability in a space-saving footprint ideal for shops with limited floor space.

Together, these automation options enable BySmart Fiber operators to configure a level of automation precisely matched to their production volume, budget, and floor space — from a simple loader to a fully automated lights-out manufacturing cell.

Operating Costs, Efficiency, and Return on Investment

A key selling point of the BySmart Fiber is its combination of high performance with comparatively low operating costs. Fiber laser technology is inherently more energy-efficient than CO2 laser technology — the fiber laser converts electrical energy into laser light with significantly higher efficiency, reducing electricity consumption per part. The fiber laser source itself requires no laser gas (CO2 lasers require a consumable gas mixture to generate the beam) and has a much longer service life than CO2 laser tubes, which must be replaced periodically at significant expense.

Maintenance requirements on the BySmart Fiber are also lower than on comparable CO2 systems. The solid-state fiber laser source has no fragile glass optics or high-voltage power supplies associated with gas laser excitation, reducing the number of components that require regular service or replacement. The intelligent software monitoring built into the machine also provides early warning of maintenance needs, reducing unplanned downtime and allowing service to be scheduled during non-production windows.

For shops producing a broad mix of thin to medium sheet metal parts, the BySmart Fiber’s speed advantage over CO2 lasers on thin material is particularly significant. Fiber lasers cut thin sheet metal dramatically faster than CO2 lasers at equivalent power levels, directly translating into more parts per shift, lower cost per part, and faster customer turnaround times.

PRECISION METAL LASER CUTTING SERVICES
Herman Reeves
Professional Metal Fabrication & Laser Cutting

Herman Reeves — Your Local Metal Laser Cutting Expert

When it comes to metal laser cutting, having access to the right equipment operated by experienced professionals makes all the difference between parts that merely meet specifications and parts that exceed them. Herman Reeves offers professional metal laser cutting services powered by high-performance fiber laser technology — bringing the precision and capability of industrial-grade laser cutting to customers across the region.

Whether you need a single prototype part or a high-volume production run, Herman Reeves delivers the accuracy, speed, and material flexibility that modern fabrication demands. With fiber laser cutting technology capable of processing a broad range of metals and thicknesses, Herman Reeves is equipped to handle everything from delicate decorative components to heavy structural parts.

Materials We Cut

Herman Reeves provides precision laser cutting across all common industrial metals, including:

• Mild Steel / Carbon Steel — From 20 gauge sheet through heavy plate
• Stainless Steel — Grades 304, 316, and others for food service, industrial, and architectural applications
• Aluminum — All common alloys; clean, precise cuts for aerospace, automotive, and general fabrication
• Copper and Brass — Precision cutting of these challenging reflective metals
• Other Specialty Metals — Available upon request; contact us to discuss your specific material requirements

Applications We Serve

Herman Reeves serves customers in a wide range of industries and application areas, including:

• HVAC and Ductwork Fabrication — Precision-cut components for duct systems, plenums, transitions, and custom fittings
• Structural Steel and Miscellaneous Metals — Gussets, brackets, flanges, plates, and custom structural components
• Architectural and Decorative Metalwork — Screens, panels, signage, and artistic elements
• Industrial Equipment and Machinery — Custom machine guards, housings, frames, and enclosures
• Food Service and Pharmaceutical Equipment — Stainless steel components requiring precise cuts and clean edges
• Agricultural and Heavy Equipment — Heavy gauge parts for farm equipment, trailers, and material handling
• Prototype and Custom One-Off Parts — Fast turnaround for engineering development and one-of-a-kind fabrication needs

Why Choose Herman Reeves for Laser Cutting?

Choosing Herman Reeves for your laser cutting needs means choosing a partner who understands both the capabilities of the equipment and the real-world demands of fabrication work. Here is what sets Herman Reeves apart:

• High-Performance Fiber Laser Technology — State-of-the-art fiber laser cutting delivering the speed, precision, and material versatility that modern fabrication requires.
• Tight Tolerances — Laser cutting accuracy to fractions of a millimeter, ensuring parts fit and function as designed without secondary machining.
• Broad Material Range — One source for all your metal cutting needs, from thin sheet to heavy plate, in steel, stainless, aluminum, and more.
• Fast Turnaround — High cutting speeds and efficient production workflows mean your parts are ready when you need them.
• Experienced Craftsmanship — Deep knowledge of metal fabrication ensures that your parts are not just cut but cut correctly, with attention to grain direction, heat-affected zones, and edge quality.
• Custom Quoting — Contact Herman Reeves directly to discuss your project requirements and receive a competitive, detailed quote.

Get a Quote Today

If you have a metal cutting project — large or small, simple or complex — Herman Reeves wants to hear from you. Bring your drawings, DXF files, or simply a description of what you need, and Herman Reeves will work with you to deliver precision-cut metal parts that meet your specifications and your schedule.

Contact Herman Reeves today to discuss your metal laser cutting needs and discover why customers throughout the region trust Herman Reeves for precision, quality, and reliability in metal fabrication.

BySmart Fiber is a product of Bystronic AG — bystronic.com
Article prepared for Herman Reeves Metal Fabrication Services