The company said the laser will enable them to cut steel plate up to five times faster than traditional plasma systems. Its tolerances will be as tight as +/-0.005 inch on plate parts up to 1 inch thick and +/-1/32 of an inch or better on materials up to 4 inches thick. It also can process smaller internal features and holes as small as a quarter of the material thickness. 

"[Our customers] need a partner who can augment their business with ready-to-fabricate parts. Our investment in the 50 kW laser is a direct response to that evolving market demand. By providing greater precision and expanded capabilities, we are simplifying our customers' supply chain and deepening the partnerships that are essential to both of our successes,” said Denton Nordhues, president and chief executive officer of Leeco Steel. 

The new system will be installed later this year. In the meantime, the company said it will be making additional upgrades at the Alvarado facility to ensure seamless integration and efficiency. They said the changes will support faster turnaround times and improved quality across a wider range of applications.