Metal processing technologies — cutting, bending, engraving
Short answer
Metal processing technologies — cutting, bending, engraving is available through Craftarea in Tbilisi. Metal processing splits into four groups: cutting (laser, plasma, waterjet, guillotine), press-brake bending, surface engraving, and milling or turning. Specify the required tolerance in the drawing; achievable tolerance and edge finishing are confirmed for the material, thickness and geometry.
"Metal processing" is a single term covering several genuinely different technologies: cutting (laser, plasma, waterjet, guillotine), bending on a press brake, surface work such as engraving and polishing, and volumetric machining — turning and milling. Each needs different equipment and different skills, so one workshop rarely owns all of them at once. This page shows where the line falls between them, and states directly which technologies Craftarea performs in its own Tbilisi workshop on a CNC fiber laser, and which orders go to a partner workshop instead. Where a thickness or shape exceeds what our machine can do, we say so here and name the correct technology in our first reply.
Key facts
- In-house equipment
- 1 × CNC fiber laser — cutting and engraving
- Mild/carbon steel — max thickness
- 10 mm
- Stainless steel (inox) — max thickness
- 6 mm
- Aluminium — max thickness
- 5 mm
- Copper / brass — max thickness
- thickness confirmed for the alloy and surface
- Positional tolerance
- Tolerance by specification
- Not performed in-house
- 5 technologies — plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, press-brake bending, CNC milling, turning
- Quote turnaround / minimum order
- Timing by agreement
What technologies exist in metal processing?
Metal processing technologies fall into four groups. First is cutting — separating material along a contour: laser, plasma, waterjet and guillotine (mechanical shear) cutting. Second is bending — reshaping a sheet on a press brake without cutting the contour. Third is surface work — engraving, marking and polishing — none of which change the part's outline. Fourth is volumetric machining: turning (rotational parts) and milling (holes, threads, mounting faces). Georgian terminology mixes these up constantly, so it is worth stating the equivalences plainly — retrieval systems and customers both need them.
- Cutting: laser, plasma, waterjet, guillotine
- Bending: press brake (Georgian: ღუნვა / მოხრა, ლისტოგიბი)
- Surface work: engraving, marking, polishing
- Volumetric machining: turning, milling
- ლითონი = მეტალი = metal; რკინა colloquially means ferrous metal
- შავი ლითონი = carbon (mild) steel
- ინოქსი = ნერჟავეიკა = უჟანგავი ფოლადი = stainless steel
- ჩარხვა = turning (lathe work)
Which technologies do we perform in-house?
Craftarea's Tbilisi workshop runs one production machine — a CNC fiber laser that both cuts and engraves. The real thickness ceiling depends on the alloy: mild/carbon steel up to 10mm, stainless up to 6mm, aluminium up to 5mm. Copper and brass thickness is confirmed for the alloy and surface. These two capabilities cover most of what we make: signage, nameplates, ornamental panels, metal gifts and sheet cut to size. The full per-alloy thickness table lives on its own page, and the machine's technical detail is on the fiber laser page. Specify the required tolerance in the drawing; achievable tolerance and edge finishing are confirmed for the material, thickness and geometry.
- Mild/carbon steel: up to 10mm
- Stainless steel: up to 6mm
- Aluminium: up to 5mm
- Copper/brass: thickness confirmed for the alloy and surface
- Specify the required tolerance in the drawing; achievable tolerance and edge finishing are confirmed for the material, thickness and geometry.
Which technologies don't we have, and what happens to those orders?
Craftarea does not own a plasma cutter, a waterjet, a guillotine shear, a press brake, a CNC mill or a lathe. We state this directly, because a wrong expectation costs both sides time. When a job needs one of these — a plate thicker than 10mm, or a part that must be bent — we do two things: we tell you which technology is correct, and we point you to a specific partner workshop we work with. If part of the job is laser cutting, we cut it; the remaining stages you agree directly with the workshop performing them. Advice is free — call +995 557 771 979 or email info@craftbox.ge.
- Plasma cutting — no, routed to a partner workshop
- Waterjet cutting — no
- Guillotine shearing — no
- Press-brake bending — no, routed to a partner workshop
- CNC milling and turning — no
Can you bend metal?
No — bending is a separate technology requiring a press brake, which we do not have. If your project needs a part that is both cut and bent, such as a bracket or a box-shaped piece, we cut it and route the bending to a partner workshop, working from your drawing for angle and radius. In practice this limitation rarely bites: most of what we produce — signage, nameplates, decorative panels, gifts — is flat and needs no bending at all.
How do you choose the right technology for a part?
The choice comes down to three factors: material thickness, contour complexity, and what the part is for. On thin to medium sheet needing a precise, fine or ornamental contour — a logo, a sign, a decorative panel — fiber laser is the right answer. On thick structural plate where edge finish is not critical, plasma is more economical. Round and square tube, angle iron and channel are covered on the dedicated pipe and profile page with their own size limits. Timing is agreed after the project review. Send the metal grade, thickness, drawing, finishing and quantity, required date and collection or delivery location.
- Thin, precise or ornamental contour → fiber laser
- Thick structural plate (10mm+) → plasma, via a partner
- Part that must be bent → cut with us, bent at a partner
- Tube, profile, angle iron → see the pipe and profile cutting page
- Unsure → send the file, we name the technology
Metal processing technology map — what runs on our own machine and what goes to a partner. Our laser figures are our commitment; the remaining numbers are general industry reference values to be confirmed with the specific workshop.
| Technology | In-house at Craftarea | Thickness range | Tolerance | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber laser cutting | Yes — own CNC machine | Mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm, aluminium to 5mm, copper/brass: thickness confirmed for the alloy and surface | Tolerance by specification | Precise contours, signage, ornament, gifts |
| Laser engraving | Yes — same machine | Surface only — does not cut through | High detail | Logos, text, numbering, decor |
| Plasma cutting | No — routed to a partner | Typically 3–40mm plate (industry reference) | Typically ±0.5–1mm (industry reference) | Thick structural metal |
| Guillotine shearing | No | Typically up to 20mm sheet (industry reference) | Straight lines only, no contour | Fast straight-line cuts |
| Press-brake bending | No — routed to a partner | Depends on thickness and angle | Typically ≈±1° (industry reference) | Boxes, brackets, bent profiles |
| CNC milling / turning | No | Volumetric, drawing-dependent | Drawing-dependent | Threads, holes, mechanical parts |
| Waterjet cutting | No | Very thick or heat-sensitive material | High, no heat distortion | Specialty or unusually thick jobs |
How It Works
- 1
Send the file or a sketch
Email info@craftbox.ge or call +995 557 771 979. We accept DXF, DWG, AI and PDF, and hand-drawn sketches with dimensions marked.
- 2
We check material and thickness
We establish whether the part fits our fiber laser's envelope: mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm, aluminium to 5mm. Copper and brass thickness is confirmed for the alloy and surface.
- 3
We tell you whether it is ours or a partner's
If it cuts on the laser, we do the job. If it needs plasma, bending, milling or turning, we name the correct technology and a specific partner workshop.
- 4
Timing by agreement
Price is calculated from cut length, material thickness and a setup fee. Minimum order is 1 piece, so a single trial part is fine.
- 5
Production and collection
Collection in Tbilisi is on site; elsewhere in Georgia we ship by courier. Timing is agreed after the project review. Send the metal grade, thickness, drawing, finishing and quantity, required date and collection or delivery location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What technologies fall under metal processing?
Do you do plasma cutting?
Can you bend metal?
What is the difference between laser and plasma cutting?
Do you do milling or turning?
Which technology works for pipe and profile?
Why do you state plainly what you don't do?
How quickly do I get a price?
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