Metal cutting — frequently asked questions
Short answer
Common metal-cutting questions cover thickness, turnaround, edge colour and safety. Our fiber laser cuts mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm and aluminium to 5mm at ±0.1mm tolerance; quotes arrive within 24 hours, production takes 2-5 working days, minimum order is 1 piece, and the dark cut edge is natural oxide, not a defect.
Craftarea has run laser metal cutting in Tbilisi for 7+ years across 500+ completed projects, from shopfront signage to decorative panels. The same handful of questions comes up every time: how thick a sheet we can cut, why the cut edge darkens, how long an order takes, whether a part needs finishing, and whether the process is safe. This page answers each with a number — in millimetres, hours and working days — and states plainly which processes we do not run in-house, so nobody wastes a week waiting on work we were never going to do. Fuller detail on thickness, pricing and file prep sits on dedicated pages linked below.
Key facts
- Thickness ceiling
- 10mm mild steel, 6mm stainless, 5mm aluminium, 3mm brass/copper
- Cutting accuracy
- ±0.1mm positional tolerance
- Minimum order
- 1 piece, no extra conditions
- Quote turnaround
- Within 24 hours of receiving the file
- Production time
- 2-5 working days after approval
- File format
- DXF, DWG or AI with closed contours
- Edge colour
- Dark edge = oxide layer, not a defect
- Not done in-house
- No plasma, waterjet, bending, milling or lathe
How is metal cut with a laser?
Fiber laser cutting is a CNC-controlled, automated process. A vector file — DXF, DWG or AI — is loaded first and checked for closed contours, then the metal sheet is placed on the bed and clamped. The machine tracks a focused beam along the drawing's lines: the beam melts or vaporises metal at the cut point while an assist gas — oxygen or nitrogen, depending on the material — blows the molten metal out of the kerf. Power, cutting speed and gas pressure all shift with thickness. The system holds geometric accuracy within ±0.1mm on its own, so there is no manual intervention mid-cut; the operator runs the job from the control panel.
Why does the metal edge darken after cutting?
The dark or blue-violet tint left on a cut edge is a product of the assist gas reaction, not a defect. When cutting with oxygen — standard practice for mild steel — the metal reacts with oxygen at high temperature and a thin oxide layer stays on the edge. It comes off easily with mechanical cleaning and is removed as a matter of course before painting. Switching to nitrogen, common on stainless and aluminium, leaves a noticeably cleaner, lighter edge, though gas consumption makes the cut more expensive. If your project needs an oxide-free edge, say so when you order.
How long does laser cutting take?
Cutting time itself — machine time per part — runs from a few seconds to a few minutes, driven by contour length and material thickness: a thin part with short contours cuts in seconds, a thick one with intricate ornament takes considerably longer. What matters to the customer is total turnaround: we calculate price and timeline within 24 hours of receiving the file, and production, once approved, averages 2-5 working days depending on volume and thickness. Large runs and complex geometry get an individual timeline, fixed in writing when the order is agreed.
Does cut metal need extra finishing?
After laser cutting a part normally needs only deburring — cleaning sharp residue off the edge — which is part of the standard process and ensures nothing on the edge can cut you. If the raw metal surface suits the purpose, such as a decorative interior element or a technical part, no further work is needed at all. Painting, powder coating, anodizing and polishing are not done in our workshop: vetted partner workshops handle them, they are not included in the cutting price, and we tell you so upfront when quoting.
Is laser cutting safe?
Laser cutting runs on a CNC machine under full program control — the operator supervises from the control panel, never handles the working beam, and the work zone stays closed during the cut. The finished part is safe: no toxic residue remains on the surface beyond the natural oxide layer described above, which is cleaned off as needed. Laser has a narrow heat-affected zone and minimal vibration, which lowers the risk of warping compared with other thermal methods — a full method-by-method comparison lives on its own page.
What don't you do in-house?
Our workshop runs a fiber laser: it cuts sheet metal up to the thicknesses listed above and it engraves. Plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, press-brake bending, milling and lathe work are outside our capability — we say this directly so an order doesn't sit waiting on equipment we don't own. When a job needs one of them, we either advise which method is actually right or route you to a vetted partner workshop. The same applies above our thickness ceiling: mild steel over 10mm or stainless over 6mm goes through a partner.
Metal cutting quick reference — the numbers behind the most common questions
| Topic | Short answer | Number/detail |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness ceiling | Depends on material | Mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm, aluminium to 5mm, brass/copper to 3mm |
| Accuracy | Positional tolerance | ±0.1mm |
| Edge colour | Natural with oxygen assist gas | Dark tint = oxide layer, not a defect |
| Post-processing | Deburring included as standard | Paint/anodizing via partner workshops |
| Order turnaround | Fast quote, short production | Quote in 24h, production 2-5 working days |
| Minimum order | Single pieces welcome | MOQ: 1 piece |
| File needed | Vector file, closed contours | DXF, DWG or AI |
| Not in-house | Not run on our own equipment | Plasma, waterjet, bending, milling, lathe |
How it works — step by step
- 1
File preparation
A vector file (DXF, DWG or AI) is loaded into the cutting control software and contours are checked for accuracy and closure.
- 2
Clamping the material
The metal sheet is placed on the bed and clamped flat so it cannot shift during the cut.
- 3
Setting power and gas
Laser power, cutting speed and assist gas — oxygen or nitrogen — are configured for the specific material and thickness.
- 4
Cutting
The laser beam follows the drawing's lines, melting or vaporising the metal at ±0.1mm accuracy.
- 5
Part separation
Finished parts are separated from the remaining sheet and given an initial visual check.
- 6
Deburring and handover
Deburring cleans sharp residue off the edges, then parts are prepared for pickup, delivery, or onward processing at a partner workshop.
Frequently asked questions
How is metal cut with a laser?
A focused fiber laser beam melts or vaporises metal along a computer-controlled drawing path, while an assist gas — oxygen or nitrogen — blows the molten metal out of the kerf. The process is automated and holds ±0.1mm accuracy.
Why does the metal edge darken after cutting?
The dark tint on a cut edge is a thin oxide layer formed when oxygen is the assist gas, and it is not a defect. Switching to nitrogen, common on stainless and aluminium, leaves a noticeably cleaner, lighter edge, though the cut costs more.
How long does laser cutting take?
The cut itself runs from seconds to a few minutes depending on part complexity. We calculate price and timeline within 24 hours of receiving the file, and production averages 2-5 working days after approval.
Does cut metal need finishing?
Standard finishing is deburring only, so no sharp edges remain. Painting, anodizing and polishing are not done in our workshop and are carried out through partner workshops at separate cost.
Is laser cutting safe?
Yes — the process runs on a CNC machine controlled from a panel, and the operator never handles the working beam. The finished part carries no residual hazard beyond the natural oxide layer, which is cleaned off as needed.
Can I order just a single piece?
Yes, the minimum order is 1 piece — no extra condition applies to a one-off prototype, gift or interior part. Per-piece pricing drops on larger runs.
What if the metal is thicker than 10mm?
Our in-house fiber laser cuts mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm, aluminium to 5mm and brass or copper to 3mm. Anything thicker will not cut on our machine — we route that order to a vetted partner workshop and tell you as soon as we review the file.
How is metal cutting priced?
Price is built from three parts: total cut contour length, the material and its thickness, plus a one-off setup fee. We don't publish a fixed price list because the same-sized part costs differently depending on its ornament — you get an exact figure within 24 hours of sending the file.