Calculation guide
How to calculate laser cutting time
Cutting time is the base of any part’s price. It depends on three numbers: the total cut length, the cutting speed for that material and thickness, and how many times the laser must pierce the sheet to start each contour.
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The formula
- Cut time (min) = cut length (mm) ÷ speed (mm/min)
- Pierce time (min) = # of pierces × time per pierce (s) ÷ 60
- Total time = (cut + pierces) × quantity + setup
- Machine cost = total time (h) × machine hour rate
Example
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Part | Carbon steel flange 3 mm, 1,250 mm of cut, 9 holes |
| Speed | 2,400 mm/min (40 mm/s) |
| Pierce time | 0.6 s per pierce |
| Cut | 1,250 ÷ 2,400 = 0.52 min |
| Pierces | 10 pierces (9 + outer contour) × 0.6 s = 6 s = 0.10 min |
| Per part | 0.62 min · 50 parts = 31 min |
Speed table by thickness
Speed drops as thickness increases, but not in a straight line: doubling thickness cuts speed much more than half on thin sheet and less on thick plate. That’s why linearly interpolating between two thicknesses misestimates time.
In MakerCutt you enter the speed for the thinnest and thickest gauges in a material family, and the system suggests the in-betweens using inverse proportionality to thickness. It also suggests outside the range (thinner or thicker), and pierce time follows the same logic. Speed is shown in mm/min and mm/s.
Common mistakes
- Charging by area: two parts with the same area can have very different times
- Forgetting pierces: parts with many small holes spend more time piercing than cutting
- Using the maximum speed from a brochure instead of what your machine runs day to day
- Not comparing estimates with actual time on a few parts
No manual measuring
In MakerCutt Factory, cut length and pierces are read from the DXF, speed and pierce time come from the material settings on each machine, and time flows into price, lead time, and the production queue.
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FAQ
What is the cutting speed of a fiber laser?
It depends on power, assist gas, and material. Use your machine’s chart as a starting point and tune it by comparing to actual time; in the system you set speed by material, thickness, and machine.
Do rapid moves count in the calculation?
Between contours the head makes rapid moves. For most parts, a setup time per order covers this; parts with many small contours deserve extra margin.
How do I convert mm/min to mm/s?
Divide by 60. Example: 2,400 mm/min = 40 mm/s.
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