Stainless steel

Stainless steel is the most versatile and commonly used metal for laser cutting. The standard alloy is AISI 304 (X5CrNi 18-10, also known as 18/10 stainless steel), ideal for most applications. For highly corrosive or marine environments, the alloy is available AISI 316 (X2CrNi 17-13), with superior resistance.

Stainless steel is hard, durable, easily welded, and cold-workable. It is not attracted to magnets. Thanks to its properties, it can be bent, drilled, threaded, and countersunk with excellent results.

The cut is performed with fiber laser with nitrogen assist gas, which allows for precise and clean cuts without oxidation of the edge.

Important information for laser cutting metal

Laser cutting metals follows different rules than cutting plastic, wood, or cardboard. Before proceeding, make sure you follow these guidelines:

• It is not possible to share cutting lines between adjacent pieces.
• You will only receive the cut pieces, not the rest of the plate. To make a stencil, draw a border around your design.
• The elements on the template must be separated by at least 6 mm from each other.
• The pieces must have a footprint of at least 10 × 10 mm.
• Avoid details with width less than 1 mm.
• The “supporting” details must have width equal to or greater than the thickness of the slab, and in any case never less than 1 mm.
• Draw using only closed tracks.
• On smaller elements, the corners may be slightly rounded.
• The back of the piece may be slightly satiny from the post-cutting cleaning process.
• It is possible to realize medium vector engravings (green color in the template). It is not possible to create engravings of different intensities or raster engravings.

If you have any doubts about your design, please write a note before adding the file to your cart, or 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 · 8.0 mm

Available finishes

Natural 2B (raw) – Factory finish according to EN 10131. The front surface may have slight surface scratches; the back may have cutting burrs, which can be removed by deburring.

Vibrated – Finished with 120-grit abrasive discs on both sides. Industrial, uniform, and non-directional look.

Sandblasted – Low-pressure glass bead finish, applied on both sides. Clean, matte, and uniform surface.

Brushed (brushed premium) – Hand-brushed finish with a premium aesthetic. Applied to the front of the file. Horizontal alignment. Also available with factory-installed PVC protection (SB finish).

Mirror polished (shiny premium) – Manually polished finish with a mirror effect. Applied to the front of the file. Also available with factory-installed PVC protection (BA finish). For the dedicated mirror version, see the data sheet. mirror stainless steel.

For custom finishes or additional machining (bending, threading, countersinking), contact us.

Applications

Laser-cut stainless steel is used for household appliances, vehicle components, outdoor assemblies, industrial equipment, machinery for the food and chemical industries, jewelry, signage, decorative lettering, maker projects, and any application requiring mechanical strength and natural protection against oxidation and corrosion.

Stainless steel is recyclable. It can be machined with mechanical tools, secured with small metal parts, welded, and glued with special adhesives. After cutting, any residual burrs and discolorations can be removed with steel abrasive paste, common detergents, solvents, or fine sandpaper.

Drawing Guides

To properly prepare your file for laser cutting, consult our guides:

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