Plasma cutting on metal — what it is and when it wins
Short answer
Plasma cutting on metal melts steel with a jet of ionized gas produced by an electric arc reaching about 20,000°C. Industrial machines cut steel from 1mm to 150mm but hold only ±0.5-1mm tolerance, roughly five times coarser than fiber laser at ±0.1mm. Craftarea owns no plasma equipment: we cut with fiber laser up to 10mm and route thicker plate to partner workshops.
Plasma cutting appears constantly in metal-cutting searches, yet how it differs from laser, and where each one actually stops working, is rarely explained with numbers. Plasma is not a Craftarea technology — our shop runs a fiber laser CNC machine that cuts mild steel to 10mm at ±0.1mm positional accuracy. This page sets out how plasma cutting works, the thickness and tolerance it delivers, why a laser cannot simply replace it above roughly 15-20mm of steel, and how we route thick-plate enquiries to partner workshops rather than claiming equipment we do not own. Minimum order on our own work is one piece.
Key facts
- Arc temperature
- ~20,000°C
- Plasma thickness range (industrial CNC)
- 1-150mm on steel
- Plasma typical tolerance
- ±0.5-1mm
- Plasma kerf width
- 1-3mm
- Craftarea fiber laser accuracy
- ±0.1mm — 5-10× tighter than plasma
- Our maximum thickness
- 10mm mild steel, 6mm stainless, 5mm aluminium, 3mm copper/brass
- Craftarea plasma equipment
- 0 — we own none
- Quote turnaround
- 24 hours — +995 557 771 979
What is plasma cutting on metal and how does it work?
Plasma cutting removes metal with a jet of compressed, ionized gas. An electric arc is struck between the torch electrode and the workpiece, heating the gas to roughly 20,000°C — at that temperature the gas becomes plasma, an electrically conductive state. The jet melts the metal along the cut line and blows the molten material out, leaving the kerf behind. The process works only on electrically conductive material: any metal — steel, stainless, aluminium, copper — but not plastic, wood or glass. Industrial machines are CNC-controlled exactly like laser cutters, so the torch follows a programmed vector path and the same part repeats reliably across a batch.
- Works only on electrically conductive metals — steel, stainless, aluminium, copper, brass
- Gas is compressed air, nitrogen or oxygen depending on the machine
- CNC control gives a repeatable, programmed cutting path
- Cannot cut plastic, wood, glass or any other dielectric
What thickness can plasma cut, and how precise is it?
Industrial CNC plasma machines cut steel from about 1mm up to 150mm, depending on machine power — far beyond what a standard fiber laser handles. Precision is the trade-off: typical tolerance is ±0.5-1mm, the kerf runs 1-3mm wide, and the heat-affected zone at the edge is broader. The result is a darkened, slightly rounded edge carrying dross — solidified molten residue. By comparison, the fiber laser Craftarea runs holds ±0.1mm positional accuracy with a far narrower kerf. On thick structural plate that gap matters little; on thin sheet and fine detail it decides whether the part is usable at all.
- Thickness: ~1-150mm on steel, depending on machine power
- Tolerance ±0.5-1mm; kerf width 1-3mm
- For comparison, Craftarea's fiber laser: ±0.1mm
- Edges almost always need grinding before painting or welding
Why does thick metal need plasma rather than laser?
Cutting thick metal is a physically different problem. A fiber laser concentrates energy into a very small spot, which is ideal on thin sheet, but as thickness rises the beam has to drive through a far greater volume, and above roughly 15-20mm of steel the process slows sharply or stops working. The plasma jet is coarser but far more powerful: it melts large volumes of metal quickly. That is why structural steelwork, heavy frames, flanges and parts over 10mm are normally cut with plasma or oxy-fuel. In Tbilisi those jobs are handled by specialist metalworking shops. A full parameter-by-parameter comparison of laser and plasma — precision, thickness, edge quality, cost — is on a dedicated page.
Does Craftarea have plasma cutting equipment?
No. Craftarea owns no plasma cutting equipment and never claims otherwise. Our shop runs a fiber laser CNC machine cutting mild steel to 10mm, stainless to 6mm, aluminium to 5mm, and copper or brass to 3mm, at ±0.1mm positional accuracy. Minimum order is one piece. If your part falls outside that range or genuinely needs plasma because of thickness, we say so directly and put you in touch with a vetted partner workshop; we help with file preparation and coordinate the order. What we do not do in-house: plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, press-brake bending, CNC milling and lathe work.
- Mild/carbon steel — up to 10mm
- Stainless steel (inox) — up to 6mm
- Aluminium — up to 5mm
- Copper/brass — up to 3mm
- Positional accuracy ±0.1mm, minimum order 1 piece
How much does plasma cutting cost and how is the price calculated?
Plasma cutting, like laser cutting, has no fixed price list. The figure is built from three components: total cut contour length in linear metres, material type and thickness, and a one-off setup charge covering file preparation and machine configuration. The per-metre rate rises with thickness, while the unit price falls as the run size grows because the setup charge spreads across more pieces. If the part is over 10mm and goes to a partner workshop, they calculate the price and we pass it on without a markup. Send a DXF file or a sketch plus the material thickness and you get an exact figure within 24 hours.
- Formula: cut length (linear m) × material/thickness rate + setup charge
- Parts over 10mm are priced by the partner workshop
- Exact quote within 24 hours of receiving a DXF file or sketch
Which method works at which thickness, using steel as the reference. Every ceiling is lower on stainless and aluminium (6mm and 5mm respectively on our machine).
| Thickness | Typical method | Accuracy | Edge condition | Who performs it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5-3mm | Fiber laser | ±0.1mm | Clean, no finishing needed | Craftarea |
| 3-6mm | Fiber laser | ±0.1mm | Clean, light oxide on mild steel | Craftarea |
| 6-10mm | Fiber laser | ±0.1mm | Edge darkens, grinding advisable | Craftarea |
| 10-25mm | Plasma | ±0.5mm | Dross present, grinding required | Partner workshop |
| 25-60mm | Plasma or oxy-fuel | ±1mm | Rough edge, finishing mandatory | Partner workshop |
| 60-150mm | Industrial plasma / oxy-fuel | over ±1mm | Heavy finishing or milling | Specialist workshop |
How it works — step by step
- 1
Send the file and the thickness
Send a DXF, DWG or PDF drawing and state the material and thickness in millimetres. If you have no drawing, a photo of a sketch is enough to start.
- 2
We check whether it fits our envelope
If the part is within 10mm mild steel, 6mm stainless, 5mm aluminium or 3mm copper, we cut it on our own fiber laser at ±0.1mm accuracy.
- 3
If it does not fit, we say so directly
We cannot cut plate over 10mm. In that case we tell you plasma or oxy-fuel cutting is needed and introduce you to a vetted partner workshop.
- 4
We prepare the file for production
We check closed contours, scale and hole diameters so the file loads without trouble on any machine, including the partner's.
- 5
You get a price within 24 hours
Whether the job runs in our shop or is routed onward, we confirm the exact price and lead time within 24 hours. Minimum order is one piece.
Frequently asked questions
Does Craftarea run plasma cutting in-house?
No. Craftarea owns no plasma machine — we cut with a fiber laser CNC. If a part genuinely needs plasma, usually because the plate is thicker than 10mm, we say so directly and introduce you to a partner workshop.
What thickness can plasma cut in general?
Industrial CNC plasma machines cut steel from about 1mm to 150mm depending on machine power. The thicker the material, the lower the precision and the rougher the resulting edge.
Is plasma cutting cheaper than laser?
It depends on thickness. Above 10mm plasma is usually cheaper because cutting speed is far higher. On thin and medium gauge, laser often works out cheaper overall because its clean edge needs no additional grinding.
Can plasma cut fine detail or ornamental patterns?
Not well. Plasma's 1-3mm kerf and wide heat-affected zone make small holes and fine ornament hard to produce cleanly. Fiber laser is the right tool for that kind of work.
Does plasma cut aluminium and stainless steel?
Yes, plasma cuts any electrically conductive metal, including aluminium and stainless. Edge cleanliness and oxidation depend on the shielding gas — nitrogen produces a cleaner edge than compressed air.
Does a plasma-cut edge need extra finishing?
Almost always. Plasma leaves dross and a darkened, slightly rounded edge that must be ground back before painting or welding. A laser-cut edge up to 6mm normally needs no such treatment.
Where can thick metal be cut in Tbilisi?
Plate over 10mm is cut in Tbilisi by specialist metalworking shops using plasma or oxy-fuel. Send us the drawing and thickness — if your part is outside our range we will point you to the right shop and help prepare the file.