Iron

Iron is the name commonly used to indicate the'<strong>carbon steel</strong>, an iron-carbon alloy without significant alloying elements. It is the most economical metal available for laser cutting: it is easy to machine, welds easily, and has excellent tensile and compressive strength.

The alloy used is the <strong>DC01</strong> (1.0330) for thicknesses up to 3 mm, and the <strong>DD11</strong> (1.0332) for thicknesses of 4 mm and above. Cutting is performed with a fiber laser with nitrogen assist gas.

Iron is subject to corrosion (rust): for outdoor applications or in humid environments, a protective surface treatment (painting, galvanizing, oiling) is necessary. For a self-protective material that develops a decorative patina, consider the <a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/materiali/materiali-per-il-taglio-laser/metallo/cor-ten/”" title="”Cor-ten" per taglio laser”>Wheatering steel</a>.

<h3>Instructions for laser cutting metal</h3>

<li><strong>It is not possible to share cutting lines</strong> between adjacent pieces.</li>
<li><strong>You will only receive the cut pieces</strong>, not the rest of the plate. For a stencil, draw the border around the design.</li>
<li>The elements must be <strong>separated by at least 6 mm</strong>.</li>
<li>Minimum workpiece area: <strong>10 × 10 mm</strong>.</li>
<li>Avoid details with width less than <strong>1 mm</strong>.</li>
<li>The load-bearing details must have <strong>width ≥ thickness of the plate</strong> (min 1 mm).</li>
<li>Draw using only <strong>closed tracks</strong>.</li>
<li>Engraving: only <strong>vector media</strong> (green color).</li>

If you have any doubts, <a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/studio/contatti/”" title="”&quot;Contact us&quot;”">contact us</a>.

<h3>Available thicknesses</h3>

0.5 mm · 0.8 mm · 1.0 mm · 1.2 mm · 1.5 mm · 2.0 mm · 2.5 mm · 3.0 mm · 4.0 mm · 5.0 mm · 6.0 mm

<h3>Available finishes</h3>

<strong>Natural (raw)</strong> – Factory finish. The surface may exhibit slight variations in color and tone typical of carbon steel.

<strong>Vibrated</strong> – Vibratory finishing applied on both sides for a uniform, industrial look.

<strong>Sandblasted</strong> – finish with glass microspheres, applied on both sides.

For custom finishes or additional processing (bending, threading, flaring, painting), <a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/studio/contatti/”" title="”&quot;Contact us&quot;”">contact us</a>.

<h3>Applications</h3>

Iron is the most widely used material in carpentry and the mechanical industry: brackets, supports, plates, structural components, metal furniture, gates, signs, signage, and maker projects. It is recyclable, weldable, and workable with mechanical tools.

After cutting, the pieces are cleaned mechanically. Slight burrs (less than 1 mm) and discolorations may remain in the areas adjacent to the cut, which can be removed with abrasive paste or sandpaper.

<h3>Drawing Guides</h3>

<li><a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/illustrator-taglio-laser/”">Adobe Illustrator</a></li>
<li><a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/guida-autocad-taglio-laser/”">AutoCAD</a></li>
<li><a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/rhinoceros-taglio-laser/”">Rhinoceros</a></li>
<li><a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/inkscape-taglio-laser/”">Inkscape</a></li>
<li><a href="”https://www.vectorealism.com/it/autodesk-fusion-dxf-taglio-laser/”">Autodesk Fusion</a></li>