Laser cutting

March 6, 2025

Laser cutting is a technology designed for precise material cutting and engraving. Its high accuracy and cut quality make it a popular choice for custom laser cutting, whether it is for prototype or mass production. Laser cutting is also affordable and allows for quick realization of your requirements. The laser beam can handle a wide range of materials and is used in various industries.

Want to learn more about laser cutting?

Laser Cutting Parameters
How Does Laser Metal Cutting Work?
Advantages of CO2 Laser Cutting
Wide Possibilities of Laser Cutting
Where is Laser Cutting Suitable?
What Materials Are Suitable for Laser Burning?
Laser Engraving
Factors Affecting Laser Cutting
Types of Laser Metal Cutting
CNC Laser Programming
What Machine Do We Use for Laser Cutting at Pro Tool Solutions?
Laser Cutting Quality Control
Laser Cutting Price List

Laser cutting parameters

Machine power: 3,000 – 12,000W
Maximum workpiece dimensions: 1,500 × 3,000 mm
Travel speed: 140 m/min
Maximum acceleration: 1.5G
Material thickness range:
Steel: 0.5 – 20 mm
Stainless steel: 0.5 – 12 mm
Aluminum: 0.5 – 8 mm
Cutting accuracy: +/- 0.02 mm

How does laser cutting work?

The laser beam is focused on a small spot less than half a millimeter in diameter, where it generates extreme temperatures that melt or vaporize the material. This process of separating both metallic and non-metallic materials involves three key steps:

Pre-cutting or burning through the material
Melting the material
Removing the burnout with the help of an assist gas

Main advantages of CO2 laser cutting

Maximum precision and cutting quality
Smooth and sharp edges without burrs
Minimal material waste
Ability to process both thin and thick materials
Laser allows you to create complex shapes and details
Effective for both small and large batch production

Wide range of uses for laser cutting

The CO2 laser is able to burn materials with minimal thermal impact. The cutting edges are high quality, smooth and free of burrs or melt. Therefore, further processing is usually not necessary.

Unlike mechanical methods, laser cutting does not require physical contact with the machine, which allows for the creation of complex shapes, and there is no mechanical deformation of the workpiece or wear on the cutting machine. After laser cutting, the blanks are suitable for further processing, such as CNC bending, machining, welding, etc.

Where laser cutting comes in handy

Thanks to its high precision, the technology is used in various sectors:
Electrical industry
Mechanical engineering
Automotive sector
Medical industry
Energy and nuclear industry
Defense industry
Telecommunications
Artistic creation

What materials can be cut with a laser?

Our SWING VII 3015 Laser Cutting Machine can safely and efficiently burn various types of materials for industrial processing, with an accuracy of 0.02 mm. The laser can handle both metals and non-metallic materials. The most common include:

Stainless Steel
Steel
Aluminum

Laser engraving

In addition to laser cutting of metal, this technology can also burn a certain pattern, brand, logo or text into the material. The laser beam does not pass through the material completely, but removes only a part of it by melting and evaporation, creating a depression with various structures on the surface – the so-called engraving. Laser engraving creates a depression usually from 10 to 50 μm and is U-shaped. CNC laser engraving allows for high precision, which is ideal for industrial use and the production of design elements.

The main advantages of laser engraving include:

High precision and fine details
Long engraving life
Minimal thermal impact
Speed and efficiency

Factors affecting the process of laser cutting

Laser focus

CNC lasers use lens and mirror optics to focus the laser beam onto a specific machining point (so-called spot). This defines the beam diameter, cutting gap shape, and power density, which directly affects the quality of the laser cutting.

Laser power

In order to achieve effective laser cutting, the material melting point must be exceeded. The laser power determines the amount of energy incident on the workpiece surface, with the following equation: energy per surface = power density × time of exposure to the material. Laser cutting of metal therefore requires an optimal power setting for the material type.

Laser beam

The beam heats the material on the cutting surface until it begins to melt or vaporize. The CNC laser machine allows you to choose between continuous and pulsed burning modes, which affects not only the speed but also the accuracy of laser burning.

Cutting (process) gas

For efficient laser cutting, process gases such as oxygen or nitrogen are used to remove the melt from the cutting gap under high pressure. Laser cutting with nitrogen ensures a clean cut without oxidation, while oxygen allows for a higher laser burn rate and improves beam penetration through the material.

Laser cutting speed

The optimal CO2 laser cutting speed depends on the type and thickness of the material, the power of the CNC laser, and the complexity of the cut. Too slow a speed causes excessive overheating and burrs, while too high a speed can lead to incomplete cuts and poor edge quality.

Laser cutting direction

Laser cutting can be performed in simple straight lines as well as complex geometric shapes such as circles or rectangles. In addition to moving the laser beam, the cutting gap can also be adjusted by moving the workpiece itself.

Nozzle

The size and shape of the nozzle fundamentally affect the quality of custom laser cutting. The diameter of the nozzle determines not only the dispersion of the laser beam, but also the amount of cutting gas that hits the workpiece. The correct nozzle selection is key to minimizing burrs and achieving smooth edges.

Degree of polarization

The polarization of the laser beam has a direct effect on the quality of the cut. If the CO2 laser light is polarized parallel to the cutting direction, the resulting edge is smooth. However, if it is polarized perpendicularly, burrs may occur. Therefore, circularly polarized light is often used in laser cutting to minimize unwanted irregularities.

Types of laser metal cutting

Oxidation cutting

It is mainly used when cutting materials with greater thickness and high thermal conductivity, such as black steel or copper. Oxygen is used as a cutting gas, which supports combustion and thus increases the temperature in the cutting area. This method allows the laser to pass through the material faster, but can lead to the formation of an oxide layer on the edges of the cut.

Melt cutting

It is suitable for materials such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum or brass. These metals are not suitable for laser cutting with oxygen due to their reactivity, which is why nitrogen is used. This cutting gas prevents oxidation and allows clean and smooth edges to be achieved without further processing.

CNC laser programming

One of the main benefits of CNC laser is the fast preparation for production, which contributes to lower costs for the entire laser cutting process. Thanks to the experienced CNC machine programmers, whose expertise we rely on at Pro Tool Solutions, we can efficiently process both individual prototypes and large series orders.

Documentation for CNC laser:

We accept documents for custom laser cutting in both printed and electronic form. We support the following formats:

Based on these files, our experts optimize the design for laser cutting, minimizing material waste and increasing the efficiency of laser burning. This contributes to more favorable prices – more information can be found below in the laser cutting price list.

What machine do we recommend at Pro Tool Solutions?

SWING VII 3015 Laser Cutting Machine

The ideal choice for laser cutting in industrial and mechanical manufacturing, the SWING VII 3015 series is a highly efficient machine with optimal performance, stability and precision.

Technical specifications:

Working area: 1500 × 3000 mm
Cutting accuracy: 0.06 mm
Repeatability: 0.02 mm
Travel speed: 140 m/min
Maximum acceleration: 1.5G
Laser power options: 3,000 – 12,000W

Laser cutting quality control

Precision quality control is essential in industrial metal fabrication. We verify the accuracy of laser cutting using optical measuring equipment, which allows us to confidently meet even the most demanding requirements of our customers for custom laser cutting.

Laser cutting price list

The price of laser cutting depends on the type of material, its thickness, the complexity of the cut and the number of cuts. Due to the high productivity and efficiency of CNC laser machines, this technology is beneficial for both small and large companies. For a specific price quote for custom laser cutting, please contact us.