Laser cutting power calculator
Enter material and thickness to estimate required power, then compare speed and assist gas. The result is independent of the NKAM catalogue.
No technical details required. Leave a phone number and our team will help select the machine and configuration.
Ask NKAM to call me Zalo → Call NKAM →How thick can a 3000W laser cut?
There is no single number. Cutting thickness depends on the material, the assist gas, the edge quality you accept and the production speed you need. The same 3000W machine cuts carbon steel considerably thicker than stainless, and cuts thicker with oxygen than with nitrogen. Select material and thickness below to see the suitable power range and reference speeds.
Cut-time estimateExpand to enter values and calculate ▾0.98 min
Cutting-cost estimateExpand to enter values and calculate ▾1.67 min · 0
Sheet weight and utilizationExpand to enter values and calculate ▾Sheet weight: 7.85 kg · 80%
Three things that decide cutting thickness
Material. Carbon steel cuts thickest, then stainless, then aluminium, copper and brass. Highly reflective materials place additional demands on the source and cutting head.
Assist gas. Oxygen cuts carbon steel thickest but leaves an oxidised edge. Nitrogen gives a clean, oxide-free edge at a higher cost. Compressed air is cheapest; at higher power levels, the speed of cutting thin stainless with air can approach nitrogen — provided the compressor and dryer meet specification.
The quality you accept. "Cuts through" and "cuts well enough to ship to a customer" are two different thicknesses. The maximum thickness on a brochure is usually the cut-through figure, not the figure for stable production.
Is more power worth the money?
Not always.
On thin sheet, cutting speed is limited by how fast the mechanics accelerate, not by power. Doubling the power does not double the speed — most of the time is spent accelerating, decelerating and changing direction.
On thick material, higher power shows its value clearly: greater thickness, considerably higher speed and fewer passes.
If most of your work is thin sheet, the money belongs in a pallet changer and the gas system rather than in more power.
How far can this result be trusted?
The speeds in the table are reference values under standard conditions, useful for comparing configurations against one another. Real results vary with the material batch, surface cleanliness, gas pressure and the condition of the lens and nozzle.
The most reliable check is to send us a sample, let us cut it, and have the part sent back so you can judge the edge yourself.
NKAM stocked machines to consider after calculating
| Model | Series | Capacity / power | Format / length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3015-3000W | Fiber laser | 3000 | 3000 |
| 3015-6000W | Fiber laser | 6000 | 3000 |
| 6020-3000W | Fiber laser | 3000 | 6000 |
| 6025-12000W | Fiber laser | 12000 | 6000 |
| 12030-12000W | Fiber laser | 12000 | 12000 |
| 12030-30000W | Fiber laser | 30000 | 12000 |
| 12030-40000W | Fiber laser | 40000 | 12000 |