SMT

Coil-Fed vs.Sheet-Fed: Choosing the Best Approach

Coil-fed laser cutting is ideal for high-volume manufacturing, it allows us to cut directly from continuous coil stock with high accuracy and efficiency.
coil fed laser cutting

At Datum, our goal is to make manufacturing fast, precise, and adaptable – especially for battery connectors and other critical components where precision and speed matter. One of the core technologies we rely on is coil-fed laser cutting, which allows us to cut directly from continuous coil stock with high accuracy and efficiency.

But not every job needs a coil-fed setup. For smaller runs, prototypes, or specialty applications, we also use sheet-fed laser cutting. Both methods play an important role in how we support our customers from early design stages to full-scale production.

Here’s a closer look at how coil-fed laser cutting benefits the manufacturing process, and when sheet-fed might be the better option.

1. Coil Fed: Increased Efficiency and Speed

Coil-fed laser cutting is ideal for high-volume manufacturing. Coils feed directly into the laser system, allowing for continuous operation with minimal downtime. There’s no need to stop for reloading individual sheets, which significantly increases throughput on longer runs.
Our bespoke coil-fed systems are automated for precision. Material is guided smoothly and consistently through the machine, reducing ongoing manual assistance.
Another key advantage is that no prior slitting is needed. With sheet-fed methods, coil stock usually needs to be slit into sheet format before processing. Coil-fed systems eliminate this extra step, streamlining the entire workflow and reducing material prep time.

2. Coil Fed: Cost Savings

The speed and automation of coil-fed production contribute directly to cost efficiency, particularly on larger volumes.
  • No slitting required: Cutting directly from coil avoids the cost and time associated with slitting operations.
  • Lower labour input: Continuous feeding reduces manual loading and unloading, which lowers labour needs and allows operators to focus on quality control.
  • Better material use: Coil-fed systems support highly efficient nesting, reducing offcut waste.

These factors all combine to keep production costs competitive-especially when scaling up.

3. Coil Fed: Improved Material Utilisation

One of the benefits of coil-fed production is material efficiency. Since we’re not limited by fixed sheet dimensions, we can optimise part layouts more effectively across the entire length of the coil. This allows us to:
  • Place parts closer together
  • Avoid unused border areas
  • Maximise every strip of material
The result is more usable parts per coil, and better overall material yield-an important consideration in any precision-driven manufacturing process.

4. Flexibility for Every Stage of Production

While coil-fed systems offer clear advantages for volume production, sheet-fed laser cutting is a valuable part of our workflow too.

We regularly use sheet-fed laser cutting for:

  • Prototypes and low-volume production
  • Quick-turn jobs
  • Specialty or non-standard material sizes
  • Less common materials that aren’t easily available in coil form

Sheet-fed systems allow us to get you from design to part quickly-without waiting on coil material sourcing or additional coil setup. And because all our laser systems are digital and tooling-free, you get the same level of accuracy and clean-cut quality whether we’re working from coil or sheet.

In short: if your job is better suited to sheet, we’ll use it. We choose the right approach based on your needs-not just on what’s available on the shop floor.

Coil-Fed vs. Sheet-Fed: What’s the Right Choice for Your Project?

At Datum, we use both coil-fed and sheet-fed laser cutting-and we’re set up to handle each with the same level of precision, quality, and care. Here’s how that benefits you:

  • Coil-fed cutting offers faster throughput, lower costs, and improved material efficiency for large-scale production.
  • Sheet-fed cutting is ideal for smaller batches, prototyping, and flexible project timelines.

 

By offering both, we can support you from early design validation to full production-without compromise.

If you’re planning a new project or need support scaling an existing design, we can help you choose the most efficient, cost-effective manufacturing route. Whether that’s coil-fed, sheet-fed, or a combination of both, we’ll guide you through the process and deliver parts that meet your exact requirements.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your laser cutting and battery connector needs.

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