Are you keen to get something laser cut but want to know about the costs? Here are some details to consider:
Material Factors affecting how much is it to get something to laser cut?
Material generally makes up around 50% of the cost of laser cutting for simple jobs. At GF Laser we laser cut many materials including mild steel (normal and galvanised), stainless steel and aluminium. We do also cut brass from time to time but not as often as the major metals.
A basic comparison of steel costs is shown below, this is based on cost per sheet rather than weight.
2500mm x 1250mm x 3mm CR4 mild steel: £64.60*
2500mm x 1250mm x 3mm 1050 grade aluminium: £82.44*
2500mm x 1250mm x 3mm 304 stainless steel: £224.40*
*Approximate prices December 2023
If you would like to know how much a sheet weighs please look a this sheet metal weight calculator.
Each steel has it’s own properties, for example Aluminium is very light, but if you are new to the concept of laser cutting hopefully this gives you an idea of the relevant material costings.
Size and complexity of parts.
The next area to consider is the size and complexity and thickness of the part, a laser cut component with lots of holes and features will be more expensive than a square blank. This is simply because of the time taken to cut each part and we work out quotations on an hourly rate. Again, if you are new to the concept of laser cutting and are designing a part this is something to bear in mind. You may also be able to reduce costs by specifying a thinner material. Not only will the material cost be lower it will also be quicker to cut.
Assist Gas and affecting how much is costs to get something laser cut.
When laser cutting we use an assist gas which is generally Nitrogen for Aluminium & Stainless Steel and Oxygen for mild steel. We can also use compressed air on all varieties of thinner material. Nitrogen is much more expensive to buy than Oxygen and we need more of it when laser cutting.
When do you need it?
The final area to consider is time, if you are in a hurry for your laser cut parts we do keep spare capacity for quick turnaround laser cutting but this does cost more and the delivery costs may also increase ( We can offer next day delivery UK wide if shipped by 4.30pm).
To get a quotation please use our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.