What cutting speed should I expect per thickness on a fiber laser?
Updated:
Short answer
Speed falls sharply with thickness and depends on the gas: a 6 kW fiber cuts 1 mm stainless with nitrogen at 30–40 m/min, 6 mm at around 5 m/min, and 10 mm at 2–3 m/min. Mild steel with oxygen is slower on thin sheet but keeps cutting into 20 mm plate where nitrogen becomes impractical.
Why your machine is slower than the datasheet
| Symptom | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Small parts and many corners; the head never reaches programmed feed. | Geometry, not the laser | Judge productivity by parts per hour on a real nest, not by maximum linear speed. |
| Long straight cuts hit target speed, everything else does not. | Acceleration limits | Compare machines on acceleration as well as top speed; it dominates on typical fabrication nests. |
| The same program runs slower reliably as the week goes on. | Consumable condition | Track nozzle and protective glass life; degraded consumables force operators to reduce feed. |
Full speed table for your power and material — inside the app. Open SBM Laser Help →
Or take it with you:
Typical cutting speed, m/min
| Material and gas | 1 mm | 3 mm | 6 mm | 10 mm | 20 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless, nitrogen, 3 kW | 20–25 | 5–7 | 1.8–2.4 | 0.7–1.0 | — |
| Stainless, nitrogen, 6 kW | 30–40 | 10–14 | 4.5–6 | 2–2.8 | — |
| Mild steel, oxygen, 3 kW | 7–9 | 3.5–4.5 | 2.4–3 | 1.6–2.0 | 0.7–0.9 |
| Mild steel, oxygen, 6 kW | 9–11 | 4.5–6 | 3–4 | 2.2–2.8 | 1.0–1.3 |
Shop speeds sit below datasheet maxima: acceleration, part geometry, nesting and sheet quality all take their share.
Related questions
- Does doubling the power double the speed?
- No. On thin sheet, gains are large; on thick plate the limit shifts to melt removal and gas dynamics, so doubling power gives far less than double the speed.
- Is cutting faster always cheaper?
- Not when it costs edge quality that needs deburring, or when gas consumption rises. Cost per part includes assist gas, consumables and rework, not just machine minutes.