How much does laser cutting of sheet metal cost? The price of a laser-cut part is not one flat figure, nor just a "price per metre of cut" — it is made up of several components that differ from part to part. Once you know what makes up the price, you can design the part to cost less and estimate the final amount more reliably in advance.

What makes up the price

In practice, the price of a single laser-cut part is made up roughly of these items:

Material — the weight of the blank (including the share of scrap attributable to the part) multiplied by the current price of sheet in that grade and thickness.
Cut length — the part perimeter plus all holes and cut-outs; a longer path means more machine time.
Number of features — every hole and every cut-out means a lead-in and a pierce, and these add up.
Thickness and type of material — thicker and harder sheet is cut more slowly and uses more assist gas.
Quantity — on a larger batch the price per part falls thanks to better sheet utilisation and a smaller share of set-up.

Material as the biggest variable

On ordinary parts the material is a substantial share of the price, so it pays to know what is in stock. We deliberately keep a narrow range that we buy in bulk — a stock grade is therefore cheaper and available sooner than material bought to order. Indicative prices (per kg excluding VAT, supplier Alfun):

Material	Stock grade	Indicative price
Cold-rolled steel (mild steel sheet)	DC01, 1.5 / 2 / 3 mm	approx. CZK 22.65–22.95/kg
Galvanised sheet	DX51D+Z275, 1 / 2 mm (1000 × 2000), 2 / 3 mm (1250 × 2500)	approx. CZK 25–26/kg
Stainless steel	1.4307 / 304L (2B), 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 mm	approx. CZK 71/kg

We keep a narrow stock on purpose: it covers ordinary engineering needs with room to spare. We therefore recommend making concepts, samples, prototypes and tests from stock materials — they work out cheaper and are available straight away. For stainless samples and trials, stock 304L is the right choice. We buy special grades, for example 1.4404 (316L) for environments with chlorides and chemicals, only for series production, once the product concept is settled and production genuinely needs their properties — and that comes with a longer lead time and a higher price.

What you can have laser cut in our shop

We cut on a combined TRUMPF machine (a fibre laser with a punching head), sheet up to 6 mm thick in sheet sizes up to 1250 × 2500 mm. Our equipment deliberately covers the thin and medium-gauge segment that our group of companies needs. We do not offer thicker plate, plasma or waterjet — such a job will not get through with us, and we would rather say so straight away.

How to lower the price through smart design

Part of the price is in your own hands. It helps to stick to standard thicknesses and stock grades, not to place unnecessarily dense cut-outs and small holes close together, and on larger batches to let the parts be packed efficiently on the sheet (nesting) to minimise scrap. Corner radii instead of sharp internal corners speed up the cut and extend the life of the part. The article on the laser cutting process walks through the whole cut step by step; a broader comparison of methods is in our overview of sheet metal cutting.

Frequently asked questions

Can the cost of cutting be calculated in advance?

Yes. The cut length, weight and price can be calculated automatically from the uploaded file — you see the result within seconds, with no waiting for a quote.

Why does the same part cost different amounts in different materials?

Mainly because of the price per kilogram and the cutting speed. Stainless is a more expensive raw material than steel and cuts more slowly; and a stock grade is cheaper and available sooner than material bought to order.

Up to what thickness do you cut sheet?

Up to 6 mm, in sheet sizes up to 1250 × 2500 mm. We do not do thicker plate — our equipment is deliberately built for thin and medium-gauge sheet.

Is it worth ordering just a few parts?

Yes. A laser needs no tooling and no minimum quantity, so we will quote and make even a single part. On a larger batch the price per part then falls.

Does the price include bending and other operations?

The cutting price covers the laser-cut blank itself. If the part is then bent or welded, those operations are priced separately, and you will see them as separate items in the quote.

Want to know the price of a specific part? Upload the file and get the price and lead time instantly.