Laser cutting

How it works

A laser beam is focused on the sheet surface, melting or vaporising the material locally while a gas stream blows it clear. Nothing touches the workpiece, so no forces are introduced that could distort the sheet.

Where it fits

Laser cutting is the natural first operation for flat parts that are then bent, welded or assembled. It works for one-offs as much as for series, and a complex contour costs no more tooling than a straight cut.

What we cut

Material	Maximum thickness
Steel	30 mm
Stainless steel	30 mm
Aluminium	15 mm
High-strength and wear-resistant steel	30 mm

These are the limits of the machines. What is achievable in your case also depends on the shape of the part and on what happens to it afterwards; raise it with your enquiry.

Which steel grades we cut

Structural steel

To EN 10025.

Grade	Material no.
S235JR	1.0038
S235J2	1.0117
S275J0	1.0143
S355JR	1.0045
S355J2	1.0577

High-strength steel

Thermomechanically rolled to EN 10149-2, intended to be cold formed.

Grade	Material no.
S355MC	1.0976
S700MC	1.8974

Thin plate

DD11 is hot-rolled (EN 10111), DC01 and DC04 cold-rolled (EN 10130). ZINCOR DC01 is electrolytically galvanised (EN 10152).

Grade	Material no.
DD11	1.0332
DC01	1.0330
DC04	1.0338
ZINCOR DC01	1.0330+ZE

Wear-resistant and weathering

400 HB is wear plate, X120Mn12 is manganese steel. COR-TEN A and B are weathering steels.

Grade	Material no.
400 HB	1.8714
X120Mn12	1.3401
42MnV7	1.5223
COR-TEN A	1.8962
COR-TEN B	1.8963

Spring steel

Cold-rolled narrow strip to EN 10132-4.

Grade	Material no.
C75S	1.1248

We also hold C45 (1.0503) and 42CrMoS4 (1.7227) under EN 10083, and 11SMn30 (1.0715), 11SMnPb30 (1.0718), S235JRC (1.0122) and S355J2C (1.0579) under EN 10277. Those are quenched and tempered and free-machining grades that come as drawn bar; they belong with machining rather than laser cutting.

What we cut with

There are three TRUMPF laser cutting machines. Two have a working area of 3000 × 1500 mm: a TruLaser 5030 of 10 kW and a TruLaser 3030 of 6 kW. The third is a TruLaser 5040 with a working area of 4000 × 2000 mm, also 10 kW, so parts up to 4000 mm long can come out of a single sheet.

The sheet store is fully automated and production runs 24 hours a day. That is not a promise about lead times, but it does mean cutting capacity is rarely the bottleneck in a schedule.

Bending and laser cutting online

For bending and laser cutting you can also calculate a price directly online through Plaatweb.

Frequently asked questions

How thick can you laser cut?

The machine limits are 30 mm for steel, stainless steel and high-strength and wear-resistant steel, and 15 mm for aluminium. What is feasible for your part also depends on its shape and on the operations that follow. Please include that in your enquiry.

How large can a laser-cut part be?

The largest machine, a TRUMPF TruLaser 5040 of 10 kW, has a working area of 4000 × 2000 mm, so parts up to 4000 mm long can come from a single sheet. The TruLaser 5030 of 10 kW and the TruLaser 3030 of 6 kW each have a working area of 3000 × 1500 mm.

Is laser cutting suitable for one-offs and small series?

Yes, laser cutting works for one-offs and for series. No tool touches the workpiece, so complex contours and small holes need no more tooling than a straight cut. That is why it is often the first operation for flat parts that are bent, welded or assembled afterwards.

Can I calculate the price of laser cutting online?

Yes. For laser cutting and press brake bending you can calculate a price online through Plaatweb. If the part is welded, machined or finished afterwards, or if you are unsure about material or thickness, send your drawing to Baas Metaal for a quotation.