Southern Coating & Nameplate, Inc. (www.southerncoating.com), a global ID-graphics manufacturer located in North Little Rock, AR, launches into tool-free cutting with its newly acquired Spartanics Finecut laser-cutting system (www.spartan ics.com).

The equipment lets Southern Coating create both small and large intricate die-cut parts without the costs or delays involved in tooling fabrication or the extensive hand labor that was previously required to remove webbing from the smallest die-cut parts, the converter says.

Bob Osborne, president and founder of Southern Coating, explains that the user-friendly software of the Spartanics Finecut makes laser cutting newly attractive as a way to speed turnaround times and expand product lines. “We had looked into several other laser-cutting systems, but when we saw the capabilities of the software in the Spartanics system, it made our purchasing decision very easy,” he says. “Job setup is extremely easy—we can take computer artwork and transfer it over to the Finecut and be off and running in five mins. We've both eliminated tooling costs and have quicker delivery. Now, we can even ship jobs within the day they are ordered, which is unprece-dented for our company.”