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Laser Cutting

Laser cutting technology has been widely adopted in industrial manufacturing since the 1970s, when lasers were first introduced for material cutting. Today, laser cutting has become one of the most important precision machining processes, offering high flexibility, accuracy, and efficiency across a wide range of materials and industries.

By focusing a high-energy laser beam onto the material surface, laser cutting rapidly heats the material to the point of melting, vaporization, or ablation, creating precise and clean cutting edges. Assisted by process gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, or compressed air, molten or vaporized material is efficiently removed from the kerf, ensuring consistent cutting quality.

What Is Laser Cutting?

Laser cutting is a non-contact thermal cutting process in which a focused laser beam is used to separate materials without physical tool engagement. Unlike conventional mechanical cutting, laser cutting does not rely on cutting tools or molds, eliminating tool wear and reducing maintenance costs.

Depending on the laser source and processing requirements, laser cutting can operate in:

Pulsed laser mode, offering high peak power and fast material interaction
Continuous wave (CW) laser mode, suitable for stable, high-throughput production

This non-contact approach enables narrow kerf widths, minimal heat-affected zones (HAZ), and excellent dimensional accuracy, making laser cutting ideal for high-precision manufacturing.

Types of Laser Cutting Processes

Laser cutting can be categorized based on the cutting mechanism and material interaction:

Non-Contact Laser Cutting

In non-contact laser cutting, the laser beam directly interacts with the workpiece without mechanical contact. Material removal occurs through melting, vaporization, or oxidation, depending on process parameters and assist gas selection.

Assisted Thermal Cutting

In assisted thermal cutting, the laser heats the material locally, while a high-pressure gas jet removes molten material from the cutting zone. Oxygen-assisted cutting is commonly used for carbon steel, while nitrogen-assisted cutting is preferred for stainless steel and aluminum to achieve oxide-free edges.

Materials Suitable for Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is compatible with a broad range of materials, including:

Metals: Stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, copper, brass, titanium, and titanium alloys

Non-metals: Plastics, glass, ceramics, textiles, wood, paper, and composite materials

Advanced materials: Semiconductor substrates, thin films, technical ceramics, and battery tabs (battery tab cutting)

Among metallic materials, stainless steel and carbon steel remain the most widely processed, with laser cutting playing a critical role in achieving consistent quality and production efficiency.