Both technologies cut metal with heat, but they do it differently — and each wins in its own niche. We compare them without bias, because pushing laser where plasma is enough hurts the customer first of all.
How it works
Laser focuses a beam into a spot a fraction of a millimetre wide. The heated zone is minimal, the kerf is narrow, the metal barely warps. Plasma cuts with a jet of ionized gas — more powerful but "rougher": the kerf is wider, the edge heats up more, and a slight taper appears.
Metal thickness
This is the main selection criterion. Laser is most effective on thin and medium metal — roughly up to 20 mm in steel. The thinner the sheet, the bigger the advantage: on metal up to 3 mm laser is unrivalled in both speed and quality.
Plasma starts to win where laser slows down — on thick metal. If you need to cut a sheet of 25–30 mm or more, plasma cutting will be faster and considerably cheaper.
Precision and edge
After laser cutting the edge comes out straight and clean — parts mostly go straight to bending or welding without deburring. A plasma cut needs finishing if there are requirements for precision or appearance: the edge has a taper and traces of dross.
So for parts with fits, small holes and complex contours, laser is the only sensible choice. For blanks that will be machined afterwards anyway or hidden inside a structure, the difference often does not matter.
Price
A minute of laser time costs more, but it cuts faster and needs no subsequent deburring. So on thin metal the final part cost comes out lower even at a higher hourly rate. On thick metal it is the opposite: the laser slows down, and plasma becomes economically justified.
What to choose
- Laser — metal up to 20 mm, small holes, complex contours, precision requirements, parts for subsequent bending, batches with identical geometry.
- Plasma — thick metal, rough blanks, structures where the edge is not critical, a limited cutting budget.
Not sure which suits your part? Send us the drawing — we will look at the thickness and requirements and suggest how to make it cheaper without losing quality. More about our technology on the laser metal cutting page.
