[LOADING TOOLS...]
[LOADING TOOLS...]
Quick Reference: Power for Steel Thickness
6mm: 3-4 kW | 12mm: 6 kW | 20mm: 10 kW | 30mm: 15-20 kW
Estimate a practical laser power class for your cutting requirements. Get a shortlist range based on material, thickness, and production volume before confirming with test cuts.
Enter requirements to get power recommendation.
Power recommendation
Send the thickness, material, volume, and recommended kW range before shortlisting machines.
Keep working
Save this exact setup as a local link, compare matched machines, or unlock a PDF brief when a result panel supports export. Use the export buttons on result panels when a calculator supports result files.
| Power | Mild Steel | Stainless | Aluminum | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kW | 12 mm | 10 mm | 8 mm | $45-75k |
| 6 kW | 20 mm | 16 mm | 15 mm | $90-150k |
| 10 kW | 30 mm | 25 mm | 25 mm | $150-250k |
| 15 kW | 40 mm | 35 mm | 35 mm | $225-375k |
| 20 kW | 50 mm | 45 mm | 40 mm | $300-500k |
Thickness values are quality-cut limits. Costs are estimates for complete systems and vary by brand and features.
For 20mm mild steel: Minimum: 6kW (slow, at edge of capability). Recommended: 8-10kW (reliable cutting at production speeds). High-performance: 12-15kW (fast cutting, production-focused). Higher power also provides margin for thicker materials and faster processing of thinner gauges. For stainless or aluminum of same thickness, add 20-30% more power.
Not necessarily. Higher power means: Greater capability (thicker materials). Faster cutting on all thicknesses. Higher capital cost ($15-25k per kW). More power consumption. Enhanced safety requirements. Choose power based on your ACTUAL needs. A 6kW laser cutting primarily 6mm steel is more cost-effective than a 12kW laser doing the same work. But if you need capacity for growth, buy ahead.
Typical maximum cutting capabilities for 6kW fiber laser: Mild steel: 20-22mm. Stainless steel: 16-18mm. Aluminum: 15-16mm. Copper: 8-10mm. These are quality-cut limits. The laser can pierce thicker material but edge quality and speed suffer significantly. For production cutting, reduce these values by 20-30%.
Fiber lasers are more efficient at cutting metals. A 6kW fiber ≈ 8-10kW CO₂ for metal cutting capability. This is due to higher absorption of the 1μm wavelength. However, CO₂ is still preferred for cutting thick acrylic, wood, and other organics where the 10.6μm wavelength is absorbed better. For metals, fiber is the current standard.
Follow this sequence to move from the current result into the next practical decision.
Match part dimensions and nesting needs to table size.
Choose gas type, pressure, and purity before comparing systems.
Size support equipment once the laser class is known.
Compare model-level specifications, price bands, and alternatives.