Tuesday, March 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Earlier in his life, Gregg Giuffria cut 16 record albums.
Now, he cuts whatever he wants with Las Vegas' first precision industrial laser.
Giuffria, president of American Laser Cutting Inc., which will open its laser and waterjet machining process in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse facility this week, gave up a performance career as a rock singer and keyboard player to develop software in the gaming industry.
When onstage with the bands Angel, Giuffria and House of Lords performing hits like "Call to Your Heart" and "Can't Find My Way Home," laser lights danced around the arena and enhanced the entertainment experience. Now, he sees the industrial side of lasers, "cutting at the speed of light."
Late last year, Giuffria left as vice president of corporate development for Casino Data Systems Inc. where he was overseeing the transition of patent licensing rights to a computerized progressive jackpot slot machine system he had to that company.
He became interested in the assembly of precision parts for slot machines and the precision cutting needed for the city's detailed electric signs. Giuffria discovered there wasn't an industrial laser cutting machine in Southern Nevada and most of that type of work was shipped out of state.
Enter Ron Malinowski, the North American trainer for Mitsubishi, the manufacturer of the laser. He was being encouraged to move to Las Vegas by family members who had found opportunity and homes here.
Malinowski was considering establishing a cutting business in Las Vegas and met up with Giuffria who had the same idea. Instead of competing, the two became partners and Malinowski is now vice president of operations for the company and will oversee what they hope will become a 24-hour business with up to nine employees.
Giuffria formed the privately held company and acquired the 17 tons of support equipment worth an estimated $1 million. Installation and calibration were being completed last week at 3720 Oquendo St. Suite 104, near Valley View Boulevard just south of Russell Road.
The writer of 280 songs, Giuffria uses musical metaphor to describe how the laser cutting process is like well-written harmony, blending computer programming, gases and light to develop a machine capable of precision cuts within a thousandth of an inch.
The laser can cut intricate patterns, bore holes through all types of metal and acrylic and leave strands that can be used as the guts of a microchip. The machine is capble of drilling a hole so fine that a human hair could not pass through it.
The head of the laser is mounted on a 5-by-10-foot platform that serves as a pallette. Cutting patterns are preprogrammed in a process that can take several hours, depending on the amount of detail in the pattern. The cutting itself takes only a few seconds as a 3,000-watt cutting beam vaporizes metal just like it's done in the science-fiction movies. With most metals, there are no burred edges or scratches left after the cut.
Giuffria and Malinowski are banking on the rarity of lasers to build a local client base. While there are about 3,000 industrial lasers in Japan, the United States is home to only 600, with American Laser Cutting's machine the third in the West. Local manufacturers needing precision cuts have sent their jobs to Arizona and California.
"We know that we're a service business," said Malinowski. "We're going to be able to deliver precision and speed. Once we're on line, we'll offer same-day or next-day service. Now, it can take several weeks, shipping materials back and forth."
The cost of a cut depends on the intricacy of the pattern. Since the cut itself takes little time, it's the set-up that customers pay for. As a result, the price goes down drastically if there are multiple cuts using the same pattern. But a single cut with two hours of preparation can run about $200.
"We'll encourage people to come in and talk through their needs," said Malinowski. "It's best just to cut with scissors, but if a customer needs precision and speed, this is a process that will have all sorts of applications."
Giuffria already has a few companies ready to bring him business. Sign companies often need custom cuts for their work and Mirage Resorts likely will bring materials it needs to cut to build a special water stage for Cirque du Soleil's new show at Bellagio. Giuffria said the volume of that job could take two months to complete.
As work picks up for the company, Giuffria expects to add another laser as well as a waterjet cutting machine. A waterjet forces 100,000 pounds of pressure at supersonic speeds to make a cut.
Giuffria said the final inspections are being made this week on his shop. Even though the industrial laser is new to Las Vegas, inspectors have been assured that the operation is safe. The gases used in the process keep dust off the cutting slots.
Giuffria and Malinowski laughed at how the perception of the laser has changed over the years since its introduction in the late 1960s.
"When it was first developed in Southern California, the press reported that a 'death ray' had finally been invented," said Malinowski.
"It's truly a remarkable piece of equipment," added Giuffria. "Just don't call me Darth Vader."
archive
