# Calculate laser-cutting costs from the contour, not a rate card.
URL: https://arcnm.io/manufacturing/laser-cutting
Language: en

A laser-cut part costs what its contour, its pierces and its blank cost. ARCNM reads the contour and holes from the STEP file. It times the cut for the material and thickness on your machine. Every hole counts as a pierce. It prices the blank with margin and web. Then it returns the cost per part for every lot size. It works the same way for fibre laser, CNC plasma and abrasive waterjet. So you can compare the three on one part.

## At a glance
- Inputs: STEP model (contour and holes) or a sheet part from the sheet-metal route
- Machine classes: fibre laser · CNC plasma · abrasive waterjet — compared on the same blank
- Standards applied: ISO 9013 cut quality vocabulary · DIN 8580
- DfM checks: hole diameter below thickness, hole too close to edge
- You get: cutting time and pierce count per part, blank size, unit cost per lot size, cutting class chosen per quantity

## What do you get for a laser-cut part?
ARCNM times the cut for its material and thickness. Steel, stainless and aluminium are each timed on their own terms. Every closed contour and hole counts as a pierce. Plasma is priced with its longer pierce, waterjet for the edge quality you need. Your own machine's cutting table takes over as soon as you enter it. Every line on the cost sheet names the contour it came from.

## What makes a laser part expensive?
Thickness first: thick sheet cuts far slower than thin. Then hole count: each hole is a pierce. Fine contours also slow the cut. Material grade and the blank footprint set the material line. On thin parts, that line is often larger than the cutting time. Deburring is priced in-house on every part. A thermally cut blank gets a brush or slat pass. Coatings from the drawing (powder coating, galvanising) are added as subcontract steps with their order minimums.

## Laser, plasma or waterjet — which is cheaper?
It depends on thickness, material and the edge quality you need. ARCNM prices the same blank on each cutting class in your fleet. It shows which class is chosen at each lot size. Laser wins on thin steel with many holes. Plasma wins on thick mild steel. Waterjet wins where heat-affected zones or reflective materials rule the others out. The comparison is per lot size, because pierce time and setup amortise differently.

## Laser, plasma or waterjet — the comparison in one table
|  | Fibre laser | CNC plasma | Abrasive waterjet |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Thickness sweet spot | thin to medium sheet | thick mild steel | any, incl. very thick |
| Cutting speed on 3 mm steel | highest | high, coarser edge | lowest |
| Pierce | short | longer, larger start hole | slowest, with abrasive |
| Heat-affected zone | small | largest | none |
| Materials | steel, stainless, aluminium; reflective with care | conductive metals only | metal, stone, glass, composites |
| Cost driver | pierces and fine contours | thickness only | time — every metre is slow |

## FAQ
**Can I calculate laser-cut part prices online from a STEP file?**
Yes. Upload the STEP file and choose machines and rates that include a laser cutter. ARCNM returns the cost per part across the lot-size grid. It breaks out the cutting time, pierce count and blank material.

**How much does laser cutting cost per metre?**
Far more for thick sheet than for thin. Per metre, a 12 mm steel contour costs several times a 3 mm one. The cost also shifts with the number of pierces and the share of setup. ARCNM shows the effective cost per metre for your part rather than a flat tariff.

**What about tubes and profiles?**
Tubes and closed profiles are recognised as tube parts. ARCNM prices them as a purchased tube with rotary-draw bends and drilled holes. It uses the tube bender in your fleet.