Laser Cutting Cost — Rates, Speeds & Sheet Yield (2026)
Laser cutting looks like the cheapest fabrication there is — until the first $8 quote for a $2 part. The economics live in three numbers: rate, speed and yield.
Quick answer: Laser price = (cut path ÷ speed) × machine rate + sheet share + setup. Typical US rates: CO2 hobby $15–30/h, industrial fiber $40+. Speeds: 3mm ply ~40 IPM, 3mm acrylic ~25, 1/8" steel ~15 (fiber). A 300-inch cut at 25 IPM on $20/h: $5.70/part with material and setup — quote ~$8.50.
Machine rates
- CO2 60–120 W (wood/acrylic): $15–30/h — covers tube life, optics, power
- Fiber (metal): $40+/h — the machine costs 10× and cuts 5× faster
- Makerspace per-minute plans ($0.5–1.5/min) are rate+hope; know your true cost before selling on one
Cut speeds by material (typical)
- 3mm plywood (CO2): ~40 IPM
- 3mm acrylic (CO2): ~25 IPM
- 6mm plywood: ~15–20 IPM
- 1/8" mild steel (fiber): ~15 IPM
- Intricate files add 20–50% for travel moves and piercings
Sheet yield — the quiet cost
Parts-per-sheet math assumes perfect nesting; real nesting runs 70–85% efficiency, worse on curved or grain-matched parts. Price the sheet share honestly: sheet cost ÷ realistic parts per sheet. And count the handling — pulling sheets, removing parts, cleaning adhesive backs are minutes that batch poorly.
Worked example
A sign with 300 inches of cut path, 3mm acrylic at 25 IPM: 12 beam-minutes × $20/h = $4. Sheet share $1.50. Setup (file check, focus, first-piece test) $2 amortized over the run. Cost ≈ $5.70; quote at 1.5× ≈ $8.50. A dozen units: same setup, $3.95 each — batch is the customer's best lever, and telling them so closes the bigger order.