Laser, Plasma or Waterjet: Which Is Cheaper?
For sheet thinner than about 12-16 mm, laser cutting is usually the cheapest per part, plasma usually cuts thicker steel for less, and waterjet wins when the material must not be heated or is not a metal. We cut with a laser only: mild steel 1.5–5 mm, stainless steel 3 and 4 mm and PA11 aluminium 4 mm.
Already have a file or dimensions? We will price it in the sheet you choose: Upload a file and see the price.
The three technologies side by side
The figures in the table are orders of magnitude from machine makers' websites, given as "typically". Every maker has an interest in its own technology, and the result depends on the machine, the power source and the material, so read the table as a guide, not a promise.
| Feature | Laser | Plasma | Waterjet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness where it pays off | Thin and medium sheet, below about 12-16 mm of steel | From about 12-16 mm up, to a few tens of mm | Any; makers quote up to about 600 mm for rough cuts |
| Dimensional accuracy | Very high, on the order of tenths of a millimetre or better | Lower, typically about half a millimetre or more | High, on the order of tenths of a millimetre; in thick sheet the edge can tilt slightly |
| Kerf (the strip that disappears when cutting) | About 0.15-0.4 mm | From about 1.5 mm in thin sheet to a few mm in thick plate | About 0.5 mm or more |
| Heat-affected zone at the edge | Small | Larger than with a laser | None, it is a cold cut |
| Edge | Smooth and square in thin sheet; can be rough in thick steel | Can be bevelled, dross often needs cleaning off | No heat marks; striations in the lower part of the edge when cutting fast |
| Materials | Mainly metals (other materials depend on the laser type) | Electrically conductive metals only | Almost anything: metal, glass, stone, composites, rubber |
| Cost per part | Usually lowest in thin and medium sheet | Usually lowest in thick steel | Usually highest because cutting is slower; sometimes the only option |
Where the figures come from
The thickness, accuracy and kerf ranges come from manufacturers' pages: Hypertherm (plasma), OMAX and Flow (waterjet) and Trumpf (laser). Makers quote the upper limit of a laser differently. The plasma and waterjet makers describe the thickness where a laser is economical (a few to a dozen or so mm), while the laser maker gives the technical maximum of powerful machines (several tens of mm). A powerful laser will therefore cut thicker steel, just not always at the lowest price. The ranking by accuracy and the heat-affected zone agree across all of them.
What this means for your part
- Mild steel up to 5 mm, stainless steel up to 4 mm, aluminium up to 4 mm: this is the range where a laser is usually the cheapest and most accurate, and it is exactly what we cut. The cut itself costs €0.64 to €3.78 per metre excl. VAT, depending on the sheet. On top come the sheet, €0.27 per pierce and handling, and an order has a €11.21 minimum excl. VAT.
- Small holes and narrow webs in thin sheet: laser. Our kerf is 0.15 mm and the minimum hole is 1.0 × the sheet thickness.
- Thick steel, a dozen or more mm: a shop with plasma or a high-power laser. Plasma usually wins on price here.
- Glass, stone, rubber, composites, or a part that must not be heated: waterjet.
When not to use us
If your part is outside this list, a quote from us makes no sense and it is better to look for a shop with plasma or waterjet straight away.
- Sheet thicker than 5 mm (mild steel), 4 mm (stainless steel) or 4 mm (aluminium).
- Materials outside the price list: copper, brass, titanium, plastics, wood, plywood, glass, stone.
- Parts larger than 3000 × 1500 mm.
- Bending, welding, tapping and painting: we only laser cut.
- Plasma or waterjet cutting: we do not have those machines.