Laser Cutting Services: what it costs and who makes it

How laser cutting is quoted

1. Cut length and thickness set the time. The beam has to travel the whole outline of every part and every hole. Thicker material means slower travel, so doubling thickness usually more than doubles the cutting time.
2. Nesting sets the material cost. You pay for the sheet your parts come out of, not the parts. Geometry that nests tightly against itself uses less sheet, and quantity almost always improves the nest.
3. Secondary work is a separate question. Bending, tapping, welding and finishing are priced after the cut. A part that is only cut is a different quote from a part that is cut, formed and powder coated.

What changes the price, and what does not

What moves the number: total cut length, material and thickness, how well the parts nest, and quantity. What moves it less: the outline's complexity on its own, since the beam does not care whether a curve is elegant.

Common questions

Capacity data by state