STAINLESS STEEL

LASER CUTTING

Yes. A suitable fiber laser cutting system can process both grades within its cutting capacity. Choose the grade around the finished product’s corrosion resistance and service environment, then test the exact thickness and design to establish cutting settings.

See our 304 vs. 316 stainless steel cutting guide for a closer comparison.

For the 1500W configuration, the published stainless steel reference is up to 5 mm in the “Cut Through Without Dross” category and up to 6 mm for cut-through only. These describe different results: separating the sheet does not necessarily produce an edge ready for your application.

Confirm capacity for your selected laser power, material grade, assist gas, and required finish. View the AccuMetal Series specifications for configuration details.

Some parts may need little cleanup, while others require deburring, edge rounding, or polishing. The result depends on thickness, geometry, assist gas, and cutting settings.

Check both the cut edge and underside of a sample. Handled products such as bookmarks or accessories may still need edge finishing even when no visible dross remains.

The original sheet face can remain part of the finished product, but scratches, support contact, residue, and handling can affect its appearance. Identify the visible side and assess it after cutting and cleaning.

If protective film is present, confirm that the film and adhesive are suitable for laser cutting; do not assume every film can remain on the sheet during processing.

There is no single minimum size for every stainless steel sheet. Practical limits depend on thickness, piercing behavior, kerf, heat buildup, and the required dimensional fit.

Include your smallest hole, narrowest slot, and thinnest bridge in a test piece. For lettering and stencils, add bridges where needed to retain enclosed areas such as the centers of A, B, and O.

Finished-part accuracy depends on the machine, material, thickness, geometry, thermal effects, and kerf compensation. The machine’s repeat positioning specification is not a guaranteed tolerance for every cut part.

Provide a drawing with critical dimensions and tolerances, especially for mounting holes and mating features, so they can be measured on a representative sample.

Nitrogen is commonly chosen when limiting cut-edge oxidation is important. Compressed air can be an option when the machine supports it and the edge meets your requirements. Oxygen-assisted cutting can leave an oxidized edge and should be assessed against downstream finishing needs.

Compare gas supply, edge appearance, and cleanup costs in our stainless steel cutting gas guide.

Yes. Thin sheets, narrow strips, and densely patterned areas can move or distort as heat builds up. Material flatness, support, clamping, cutting sequence, and settings all affect the result.

Test the actual pattern and layout, since a simple square may not reveal the distortion seen in a detailed panel.

Use our stainless steel fiber laser cutting parameter guide for reference values covering thickness, speed, power, assist gas, pressure, nozzle, and focus.

Match the reference to your laser power and gas setup, then validate it on your material. Do not transfer pressure or speed settings between different configurations without checking the process.

Laser-cut blanks can be prepared for these operations, provided the grade, geometry, edge condition, and dimensions meet the next process’s requirements. Bending, welding, and surface finishing require separate equipment and process planning.

Tell us about planned bends, welds, visible edges, and mating parts before testing so the sample can be assessed as part of the complete workflow.

Send your stainless steel grade, thickness, sheet size, cutting drawing, expected quantity, and required finish. Include critical tolerances, surface protection details, and any planned bending, welding, or assembly.

AccuMetal supports DXF, DWG, and PLT cutting files. If you currently have only a sketch or product photo, share it first so we can discuss what drawing information is needed.

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