What laser cutting costs

Online prices per part

SendCutSend shows one 3.6 by 2.5 inch part in .187 inch 5052 aluminum, deburred:

• SendCutSend says savings start at 2 identical parts and reach up to 80% at volume
• A bent galvanized steel part with hardware: US$31.76 for 1, US$8.32 each for 100
• Free US shipping from US$39. Shipping to Canada starts at US$19.
• OSH Cut, Ponoko, Xometry and Protocase take a single part. Ponoko lists a US$0 setup fee.

Online prices are estimates until you upload your file.

Canadian shop rates and minimums

Material is extra at Laser Cutting Plus, and MakerLabs bills deburring on top. Most shops price each job from your file.

Hourly rates in the US

What sets the price

• Cut length: the longer the outline, the longer the laser runs. Laser Cutting Plus prices by the inch of cut.
• Pierces: every hole and cutout starts with a pierce, so many small holes add time
• Material and thickness: thicker plate cuts slower. At Laser Cutting Plus, 4 mm steel costs over twice as much per inch.
• Setup and file prep: some shops charge for it. KCG and Ponoko don't.
• Extras: bending, deburring and coating cost more
• Quantity: setup is shared across the order, so the price per part falls

Laser, plasma or waterjet

• Laser: thin metal and fine detail. Cuts 12 mm mild steel on one Vancouver machine. Cheapest to run below about 12 mm.
• Plasma: thick steel and other metals that conduct. Cuts up to 80 mm. Cheapest to run above about 12 mm.
• Waterjet: thick plate, and parts that can't take heat. Cuts up to 305 mm. Slower, and the abrasive costs money.

The thickness and running cost figures come from Hypertherm, a cutting machine maker. Running cost is not what a shop bills you. For waterjet, DBA Silencing charges CA$120 an hour and uMake CA$180 to CA$250 an hour.

How long it takes

• Online: 2 to 4 business days at SendCutSend, 3 at Xometry and Ponoko, 2 at OSH Cut, before shipping
• Bending: adds 1 to 2 days at SendCutSend
• Canadian shops: 2 to 5 business days at KCG, 4 to 8 at Laseo, 7 to 10 at MakerLabs
• Fastest: priority production in 2 to 3 days at Protocase, or three weeks on its economy option
• Outside coating: 7 to 10 business days more at Laseo

How to bring the price down

• Put several parts in one order, so setup and sheet use are shared
• Cut holes and detail only where the part needs them
• Pick a thickness the shop keeps in stock
• Remove doubled lines from your file. The STEP and DXF guide shows what else to check.
• Order the same file again later: Protocase charges no setup on identical reorders

Ready for a price? Send one request with your file, to cutting shops near you.

Sources

• SendCutSend, its pricing, shipping and bending
• OSH Cut
• Ponoko laser cutting and its production times
• Xometry sheet cutting
• Protocase FAQ and terms of sale, Sydney NS
• Laser Cutting Plus price list, Vaughan ON
• KCG Laser Cutting FAQ, Red Deer AB
• MakerLabs fabrication, Vancouver
• Flexyshop, Delta BC
• QC Lightbeam, Iowa
• White Mountain Metals laser cutting, Massachusetts
• Hypertherm: laser or plasma, and its guide to choosing a cutting process
• DBA Silencing services, Port Alberni BC
• uMake, Montreal
• Laseo lead times, Quebec