Laser Cutting (CO2)

CO2 laser cutting profiles sheet metal with a focused infrared beam, delivering fast, accurate 2D cuts with minimal tooling and small heat-affected zones.

Overview

CO2 laser cutting uses an infrared laser (typically 10.6 µm) and assist gas to melt/vaporize material and blow the kerf clear, producing precise 2D profiles in sheet and plate. It excels at intricate contours, small holes, tight nests, and rapid iteration because there’s no hard tooling—just a program change.

Choose it for thin-to-medium thickness carbon steel, stainless, and many nonmetals, when edge quality and dimensional control matter. Tradeoffs: a heat-affected zone and potential edge oxidation/dross depending on gas and thickness; thick plate gets slower and more expensive. Highly reflective metals (especially copper/brass) can be less laser-friendly for CO2 than other laser types, and some polymers/composites may fume or char and need special ventilation and process controls.

Common Materials

  • Mild steel
  • Stainless steel 304
  • Stainless steel 316
  • Aluminum 5052
  • Acrylic (PMMA)
  • MDF

Tolerances

±0.005"

Applications

  • Sheet metal brackets and gussets
  • Electrical enclosure panels and knockouts
  • Machine guards and covers
  • Gaskets and shims
  • Signage and decorative panels
  • Prototype flat patterns for formed parts

When to Choose Laser Cutting (CO2)

Pick CO2 laser cutting for 2D sheet/plate parts with complex profiles, tight nests, and frequent design changes. It fits prototyping through mid-volume production where per-part cost needs to stay low without tooling. It’s strongest when you want clean, repeatable edges in thin-to-medium gauges.

vs Laser Cutting (Fiber)

Choose CO2 laser cutting when your mix includes nonmetals (e.g., acrylic/wood) or when an existing CO2 shop can hit your lead time and edge-quality requirements at lower overall cost. CO2 can be very competitive on common steels and stainless in thinner gauges, especially for high-quality edge finish expectations.

vs Plasma Cutting

Choose CO2 laser cutting when you need tighter tolerances, smaller kerf, cleaner holes/slots, and better edge finish on thinner material. Plasma tends to win on thicker plate and rougher structural work, but CO2 is the better fit for precision sheet metal parts.

vs Waterjet Cutting

Choose CO2 laser cutting when speed and cost on sheet metal matter and a small heat-affected zone is acceptable. Waterjet is preferred when you must avoid any thermal effects or you’re cutting thick stacks/materials sensitive to heat; CO2 is typically faster for most thin-to-mid sheet profiles.

vs Shearing

Choose CO2 laser cutting when parts need internal cutouts, complex outlines, or many unique shapes without dedicated tooling. Shearing is limited to straight cuts but can be extremely fast and low-cost for simple blanks; CO2 wins on geometry flexibility and nesting.

Design Considerations

  • Keep minimum hole diameter at least equal to material thickness (preferably 1.5×) to maintain roundness and reduce dross
  • Avoid extremely sharp internal corners; add small radii to improve cut quality and reduce heat concentration
  • Hold narrow webs and fine features above the shop’s minimum (often 1–2× thickness) to prevent warping and tip-up
  • Define critical edge condition and burr direction on the print (e.g., cosmetic side, max dross) so the shop can set cut parameters
  • Call out material, thickness, and any protective film requirements explicitly; ambiguous specs drive quote padding
  • Add micro-tabs only where acceptable (or specify “no tabs” if parts must fall free), and indicate downstream forming/welding needs