China’s hi-tech manufacturing sector has achieved a milestone in its foray into international markets, with a Zhejiang-based company exporting an ultra-high-powered laser cutting system to the United States.
Penta Laser, a joint venture between Chutian Laser Group and an Italian company, shipped a 60kW laser cutter – believed to be a first for the American structural steel industry – to an unnamed client, before new Chinese export controls came into effect.
According to the official WeChat account of the Chinese Journal of Lasers, the cutting-edge machine left the company’s factory in Shandong province on November 24. On December 1, China introduced new control measures on laser exports.
In its social media post on Thursday, the journal said the US client was a multinational corporation established in 1903, renowned for its “leading role in the global steel structure sector”.
The machine is capable of slicing 20mm-thick carbon steel (about two-thirds of an inch) at speeds of 11-12 metres (36-39ft) per minute, according to the report. It remains unclear whether the laser cutter or its related technology is subject to the Chinese ban.
Penta Laser, which has its headquarters in Wenzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, unveiled the world’s first 60kW laser cutter in March 2023, according to the company website.
While a 20kW cutter achieves cutting speeds of about 3.5 metres (11.5ft) per minute, the 60kW system operates at four times that speed, with unparalleled efficiency and precision, the company said.
