Case study: Oakgrove Integrated College

Laser cutters are an exciting and innovative addition to any classroom.

They can introduce students to a new way of learning; taking something from their imagination and turning it into a reality.

However, for a school laser cutter to be effective, it needs to be:

• Highly accurate
• Compatible with the curriculum
• Easy-to-use and maintain
• Able to fit in your classroom

With all that in mind, picking out your next model might be a little tricky. But, don’t worry – we can offer some help with this.

Oakgrove Integrated College in Northern Ireland has just leased a laser cutter and is really pleased with it. Here’s how the school found its perfect laser cutter with a little help from Utility Rentals.

What was Oakgrove Integrated College looking for?

Oakgrove Integrated College recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and it has no signs of slowing down.

This inspiring and inclusive school understands how certain equipment, such as laser cutters and 3D printers, can vastly improve the learning environment. And that’s exactly what it wants to do!

However, with funding for schools being pretty tight, Oakgrove was unsure if it could find a way to get this new device into its classrooms.

Luckily, Utility Rentals introduced the school to the VLS 4.60 60W laser cutter with AD Oracle iQ extraction unit and built-in compressor (try saying that five times quickly).

It ticked all the boxes for Oakgrove Integrated College, so perhaps it could work for you?

What to consider when sourcing school laser cutters

Every school has different priorities, but there are certain things all schools should consider when it comes to finding the right school laser cutter. The device should be:

School safe

Student safety is the top priority for any school. A laser cutter should be completely safe, but still deliver top-quality results. Oakgrove Integrated College chose a model that delivers on both!

Through its non-contact feature, over-temp alarm, laminated safety glass and extraction unit to get rid of fumes, Oakgrove is confident that its students will be safe while using this machine.

And, it fits into the school lifestyle in another important way as it’s completely portable. The wheels allow you to move it around the school as required – great if you don’t have one cutter per classroom!

Accurate and effective

A laser cutter is a big investment and students will rely on it to complete their courses. It will help them achieve the top grades at A-level and GCSEs – something that’s a little harder now the grading system has changed.

So, you need to give your students the best possible start by getting the best equipment. This is exactly what Oakgrove Integrated College did.

The school opted for a freestanding laser platform that can offer maximum laser power levels and has a much larger working space than desktop models.

The students can use almost any Windows-based software with a print function to instruct the laser system, meaning it’s already compatible with the rest of the school!

This laser cutter also benefits from multi-material and multi-process capabilities, meaning the students can use a range of materials and cut, engrave, mark or even produce photos. It’s a versatile piece of kit that opens up many opportunities for students.

It also comes with Rapid Reconfiguration™ tech so you can install, remove and exchange laser sources in seconds – without any tools! Really handy if you’re trying out lots of different things.

The Utility Rentals’ touch

A colleague at another school recommended Utility Rentals to Oakgrove. And we’re happy to say that the school is now “extremely likely” to recommend Utility Rentals to a friend or colleague.

The Oakgrove staff were blown away by the end-to-end support which included delivery, installation, training and a five-year warranty scheme! The school will receive full support from our friendly team throughout the leasing period– how good is that?

The school’s staff also appreciated the fact that Utility Rentals’ leasing method made it possible to spread the cost of the laser cutter. This was important for Oakgrove Integrated College as it had a severe “lack of funds” making it impossible to purchase this equipment outright.

Both students and teachers are now enjoying using this new equipment, perhaps it would be an ideal fit for your school too?

Think a laser cutter might be right for you? Discover your options by talking to our experts today!