Metal processing technologies — cutting, bending, engraving
Short answer
Metal processing splits into four groups: cutting (laser, plasma, waterjet, guillotine), press-brake bending, surface engraving, and milling or turning. Craftarea's Tbilisi workshop performs only fiber laser cutting and engraving in-house, at ±0.1mm tolerance, up to 10mm mild steel and 6mm stainless; plasma, bending and machining are routed to partner workshops.
"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
- 3 mm
- Positional tolerance
- ±0.1 mm
- Not performed in-house
- 5 technologies — plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, press-brake bending, CNC milling, turning
- Quote turnaround / minimum order
- 24 hours / 1 piece
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 up to 3mm. Positional tolerance is ±0.1mm. 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.
- Mild/carbon steel: up to 10mm
- Stainless steel: up to 6mm
- Aluminium: up to 5mm
- Copper / brass: up to 3mm
- Positional tolerance: ±0.1mm
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. If you are unsure, send the file or a sketch — we name the technology in our first reply and quote within 24 hours.
- 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 to 3mm | ±0.1mm (our commitment) | 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 — step by step
- 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 to 3mm.
- 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
You get a quote within 24 hours
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
After approval, typical lead time is 2–5 working days depending on volume. Collection in Tbilisi is on site; elsewhere in Georgia we ship by courier.
Frequently asked questions
What technologies fall under metal processing?
Metal processing covers cutting (laser, plasma, waterjet, guillotine), bending on a press brake, surface work (engraving, polishing) and volumetric machining (turning, milling). Each requires its own equipment and its own skill set, which is why one workshop rarely owns all of them.
Do you do plasma cutting?
No, we do not own plasma equipment — our fiber laser ceiling is 10mm in mild steel. For thicker plate we will tell you plasma is the right process and point you to a partner workshop we work with. The advice costs nothing.
Can you bend metal?
We do not own a press brake, so we do not perform bending ourselves — we route that stage to a partner workshop alongside delivery of the cut part. Flat items such as signage, nameplates and panels need no bending at all.
What is the difference between laser and plasma cutting?
Laser cutting is more precise at ±0.1mm and gives the best result on thin to medium sheet up to 10mm. Plasma handles thicker plate but with lower precision and a rougher edge. The full comparison is on its own page.
Do you do milling or turning?
No, CNC milling and turning are not performed in our workshop — that is volumetric machining and requires entirely different equipment. We can name a partner workshop if you need it.
Which technology works for pipe and profile?
Round and square tube, angle iron and channel are cut on our fiber laser, within its profile-size and wall-thickness limits. The specific accepted dimensions are listed on the pipe and profile cutting page.
Why do you state plainly what you don't do?
Because an honest answer beats a promise we cannot keep. If a job exceeds our machine's envelope we say so in the first conversation and name the right technology instead — which saves time and money on both sides.
How quickly do I get a price?
Within 24 hours of receiving your file or sketch. Price is calculated from cut length, material thickness and a setup fee, and the minimum order is 1 piece. Typical production time is 2–5 working days.