Glossary
Laser cutting — definition
Cutting flat parts from sheet with a laser — the first step in the most common competitor to a cast bracket.
The contour is cut straight from a file, with no tooling cost. Combined with press braking and possibly welding, this is the fastest route from drawing to physical bracket, and it clearly beats casting at low volume.
The limit is the geometry. Sheet has constant thickness and bends along straight lines. If you need varying wall thickness, double curvature, integrated ribs or features in three planes, the part must either be welded up from several pieces — with heat-affected zones where the load is highest — or cast in one piece.