Mild steel

In Italian, “ferro” (iron) is the everyday name forcarbon steel, 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 DC01 (1.0330) for thicknesses up to 3 mm, and the DD11 (1.0332) for thicknesses of 4 mm and above. Cutting is performed with a fiber laser with nitrogen assist gas.

Mild steel is subject to corrosion (rust): for outdoor applications or in humid environments, a protective surface treatment (painting, galvanising, oiling) is necessary. For a self-protective material that develops a decorative patina, consider the Cor-ten.

Where we used it

Since 2022 we have made the entrance plaques for BBHotels: a box in laser-cut mild steel, folded and powder-coated black, onto which we glue the acrylic letters by hand.

Instructions for laser cutting metal

• It is not possible to share cutting lines between adjacent pieces.
• You will only receive the cut pieces, not the rest of the plate. For a stencil, draw the border around the design.
• The elements must be separated by at least 6 mm.
• Minimum part area: 10 × 10 mm.
• Avoid details with width less than 1 mm.
• Load-bearing details must have width ≥ sheet thickness (min 1 mm).
• Draw using only closed paths.
• Engraving: only medium vector (green colour).

If you have any doubts, contact us.

Available thicknesses

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

Available finishes

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

Vibro-finished – Vibratory finishing applied on both sides for a uniform, industrial look.

Sandblasted – finish with glass microspheres, applied on both sides.

For custom finishes or additional processing (bending, threading, flaring, painting), contact us.

Applications

Mild steel is the most widely used material in metalwork and the engineering industry: brackets, supports, plates, structural components, metal furniture, gates, signs, signage and maker projects. It is recyclable, weldable and can be machined with standard tools. See an example of laser cutting of mild steel with hand finishing.

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.

Drawing Guides

• Adobe Illustrator
• AutoCAD
• Rhinoceros
• Inkscape
• Autodesk Fusion