Laser vs plasma cutting — which is better, and when
Short answer
Laser cutting is more precise — ±0.1mm tolerance and a smooth edge on thin-to-mid metal, up to 10mm in mild steel and 6mm in stainless. Plasma is cheaper and faster on plate thicker than 10-15mm but leaves a rough edge needing grinding. Craftarea cuts with its own fiber laser and routes plasma jobs to a partner workshop. Minimum order is 1 piece, quoted within 24 hours.
Laser and plasma cutting both use focused energy to cut metal, but on different physics: a laser melts and vaporizes material with a beam of light, while plasma cuts with a jet of ionized gas driven by an electric arc. That difference determines a part's precision, its edge quality, the maximum sheet thickness you can cut, and the final price. This page compares both methods across nine concrete parameters — tolerance, kerf width, thickness range, edge quality, heat-affected zone, minimum hole diameter, speed, cost and availability. At Craftarea we cut metal on our own CNC fiber laser; we do not own plasma equipment, so thick-plate orders are spec'd technically and routed to a vetted partner workshop.
Key facts
- Laser tolerance
- ±0.1mm
- Typical plasma tolerance
- ±0.5–1mm (industry figure)
- Kerf width
- 0.1–0.3mm laser / 1.5–4mm plasma
- We cut in-house with laser
- 10mm steel, 6mm stainless, 5mm aluminium, 3mm copper/brass
- Typical industry plasma range
- 3–40mm+
- Threshold where plasma wins
- 10–15mm and thicker plate
- Plasma at Craftarea
- 0 machines in-house — partner workshop only
- Quote turnaround
- 24 hours, minimum order 1 piece
What is the actual difference between laser and plasma cutting?
Laser cutting uses a focused beam of light that melts, burns or vaporizes metal along a narrow line, while an assist gas — oxygen or nitrogen — blows the molten material out of the kerf. Plasma cutting heats a gas to roughly 20,000°C, ionizing it, then uses an electric arc to melt through electrically conductive metal; that means plasma only works on conductive stock and cannot cut glass, wood or plastic. Both run on CNC machines from a vector file (DXF, DWG, AI). The core technical difference is kerf width: a laser kerf is roughly 0.1–0.3mm, a plasma kerf 1.5–4mm — and that single number is where the gap in precision and edge quality comes from.
How thick a metal sheet can each method actually cut?
With our fiber laser we routinely cut mild (carbon) steel up to 10mm, stainless up to 6mm, aluminium up to 5mm, and copper or brass up to 3mm; the full per-material breakdown is on the thickness guide. Industrial plasma cutting typically starts around 3mm and extends to 40mm and beyond. The reason is economic: cutting speed drops sharply as thickness increases, and matching plasma's range would require a far higher-power machine. Above roughly 10–15mm, plasma is almost always the better-justified choice. Unlike laser, plasma is relatively insensitive to metal reflectivity, so it also works on thick aluminium and copper — though edge quality stays at the level typical for plasma.
Which method leaves a cleaner edge?
A laser-cut edge is smooth, the heat-affected zone is narrow and scorching is minimal — on thin-to-mid thickness the part often needs no secondary finishing at all. Plasma leaves a wider heat-affected zone, an angled kerf taper (typically 1–5°) and often dross on the underside that has to be ground or filed off. If a part needs tight fit-up, mounting holes that line up, or a visibly clean edge, laser is practically the only justified choice. That gap also shows up in price: finishing a rough edge is a separate operation and adds to the final per-part cost.
How much do price and turnaround differ?
On steel up to 10mm, laser is faster and cheaper per part — especially on complex contours where speed and precision are both required. On thick plate the picture flips: plasma cuts thicknesses a laser either cannot reach at all or reaches only slowly and expensively. Four factors set the final price — material and thickness, total cut-line length, contour complexity (how many holes and sharp corners), and quantity. Setup cost weighs proportionally heavier on small runs, and that applies equally to both methods. We fix an exact price within 24 hours of receiving your file and thickness; minimum order is 1 piece.
When should you choose laser, and when plasma?
Choose laser if you need ±0.1mm precision, fine detail, small holes on the order of the material thickness, or a clean edge with no secondary finishing — and your thickness sits inside laser's real range. Choose plasma if the sheet is thicker than 10–15mm, the geometry is simple, and further edge finishing is not a problem — typically structural work and heavy steel parts. Concretely: a 3mm stainless sign, a perforated panel or an ornamental partition is a laser job; a 20mm structural steel bracket is a plasma job. A guillotine is not a third option here: it makes straight full-length cuts only and cannot produce contours, holes or ornament.
- Laser — thin to mid thickness (up to 10mm in steel), ±0.1mm precision, clean edge
- Plasma — thick plate (above 10–15mm), simple contours, lower per-part cost on heavy stock
- Guillotine — straight lines only, cannot cut a contour
Which of the two does Craftarea actually do?
We cut metal on our own CNC fiber laser — production is in Tbilisi and we deliver across Georgia. We do not own plasma equipment: for plate thicker than 10–15mm we prepare the technical spec, route the job to a vetted partner workshop, and remain your single point of contact throughout. We also do not perform waterjet cutting, press-brake bending, milling or lathe work — on those we advise and connect you to the right workshop. If you are not sure which method your part needs, send the vector file and material thickness to +995 557 771 979 or info@craftbox.ge and you will have an answer on both options within 24 hours.
Laser vs plasma cutting — 9-point comparison
| Parameter | Fiber laser | Plasma cutting |
|---|---|---|
| Precision (tolerance) | ±0.1mm | ±0.5–1mm |
| Kerf width | 0.1–0.3mm | 1.5–4mm |
| Typical thickness range (steel) | 0.5–10mm | 3–40mm+ |
| Edge quality | Smooth, minimal scorching | Rough, usually needs grinding |
| Heat-affected zone (HAZ) | Narrow | Wide |
| Minimum hole diameter | ≈ equal to thickness | ≈ 1.5× thickness |
| Speed on 3mm steel | High | Low |
| Cost-efficiency above 15mm | Expensive and slow | Cheaper and faster |
| Availability at Craftarea | Own CNC fiber laser | No — partner workshop |
How it works — step by step
- 1
Pin down material and thickness
Note the metal type (mild steel, stainless, aluminium, copper/brass) and sheet thickness in millimetres. Thickness is what decides the method: laser up to 10mm, plasma above 10–15mm.
- 2
Define the precision you need
If the part needs ±0.1mm tolerance, fit-up against another component, or holes on the order of the material thickness, laser is required. ±0.5–1mm is only sufficient on simple structural parts.
- 3
Decide what the edge has to look like
If the edge is visible or goes under paint or coating, choose laser. If the part will be welded or ground afterwards anyway, plasma's rougher edge is not a problem.
- 4
Prepare a vector file
Send DXF, DWG or AI with closed contours, in millimetres. A scan or a photo will not work — a CNC machine reads vectors only.
- 5
Get a side-by-side quote in 24 hours
Within 24 hours of receiving your file and thickness we return pricing on both options — laser with us, plasma via the partner workshop. Minimum order is 1 piece.
Frequently asked questions
Is laser or plasma cutting cheaper?
It depends on thickness: up to 10mm, laser is usually cheaper because it cuts fast and accurately in a single pass. Above 15mm, plasma is more economical, because laser cutting speed falls sharply as thickness increases.
Can a laser cut 20mm steel?
With our fiber laser, the practical limit for mild steel is around 10mm. At 20mm you need a much higher-power machine or plasma cutting, which we arrange through a partner workshop.
Does Craftarea do plasma cutting?
No, we do not own plasma cutting equipment. We cut metal with a fiber laser; for thick plate we prepare the technical spec and route the job to a vetted partner workshop.
Which method is more precise on thin metal?
Laser cutting — its tolerance is ±0.1mm, against a typical ±0.5–1mm for plasma. For thin, detailed or small-hole parts, laser is the only practical choice.
Is a guillotine better than a laser?
A guillotine only makes straight, full-length cuts — splitting a large sheet into strips — and cannot follow a contour. If you need shapes, holes or ornament, a guillotine is not an alternative; you need laser or plasma.
Why is plasma better on thick plate?
A plasma arc cuts heavy thickness far faster than a laser would need for the same section, which lowers per-part cost and processing time. The trade-off is edge quality — grinding is usually required.
What file do I need to send for a quote?
A vector file — DXF, DWG or AI — with closed contours and in millimetres, plus the material type and thickness. Photos and scans will not work. You get an answer within 24 hours.
лазер или плазма — что лучше?
Лазерная резка точнее (допуск ±0.1 мм) и лучше подходит для тонкого и среднего металла — до 10 мм по стали. Плазменная резка выгоднее для толстого листа (от 10–15 мм), но даёт более грубый край. В Craftarea лазерная резка выполняется на собственном оборудовании, а плазменная — через проверенного партнёра.