What Is a Laser Cutting Time Calculator?

A laser cutting time calculator estimates how long a fiber laser cutting machine needs to process a part or sheet based on the total cutting length, average cutting speed, number of piercing points, piercing time, and machine movement time.

Cutting time is an important factor when estimating production capacity, machine utilization, part cost, delivery time, and return on investment for a laser cutting machine.

Laser Cutting Time Formula

The simplest way to estimate pure laser cutting time is to divide the total cutting length by the average cutting speed.

For example, if a part has 1,000 mm of cutting length and the average cutting speed is 5,000 mm/min:

Total Laser Cutting Cycle Time

In real production, the machine does more than simply move the laser along the cutting path. Piercing, rapid movement, positioning, lead-ins, lead-outs, and other machine operations contribute to the actual cycle time.

Why Pure Cutting Time Is Different From Actual Production Time

A laser cutting machine may have a published maximum cutting speed, but this does not mean that every production job will run at that speed continuously.

Actual processing time can be affected by:

• Number of contours
• Number of holes
• Piercing time
• Rapid positioning movements
• Acceleration and deceleration
• Lead-in and lead-out paths
• Small-hole cutting parameters
• Material thickness
• Material type
• Laser power
• Cutting head configuration

Factors That Affect Laser Cutting Time

1. Cutting Length

Cutting length is one of the most important variables. If the cutting speed remains constant, doubling the cutting length will approximately double the pure cutting time.

2. Cutting Speed

Higher cutting speed can reduce cutting time, but the maximum usable speed depends on material type, thickness, laser power, assist gas, focus position, and required cutting quality.

3. Number of Piercing Points

Every piercing operation requires additional machine time. Parts containing many holes may therefore take considerably longer to process than simple external contours with the same total cutting length.

4. Piercing Time

Piercing time depends on material, thickness, laser power, piercing strategy, and cutting parameters. Thick plate generally requires a different piercing strategy from thin sheet.

5. Rapid Movement

After completing one contour, the cutting head may need to move to another location. These rapid movements add time even though the laser may not be actively cutting.

6. Machine Acceleration

The cutting head cannot always instantly reach the programmed maximum speed. Short contours, corners, small holes, and complex geometries can require acceleration and deceleration.

Example: Calculate Laser Cutting Time

Consider a part with:

• Cutting length: 2,000 mm
• Average cutting speed: 4,000 mm/min
• Piercing points: 30
• Average piercing time: 0.5 seconds
• Positioning time: 15 seconds

Pure cutting time:

Total piercing time:

Before machine overhead:

The actual production cycle may be longer depending on acceleration, deceleration, lead-ins, lead-outs, positioning, and machine control behavior.

Laser Cutting Time by Material

Different materials require different cutting parameters. Therefore, cutting time cannot be estimated accurately from material type alone. Material thickness and laser power must also be considered.

How to Reduce Laser Cutting Cycle Time

• Increase cutting speed when the material and laser power allow it.
• Reduce unnecessary rapid movement between contours.
• Optimize nesting and cutting sequence.
• Reduce unnecessary piercing operations.
• Use suitable piercing parameters for the material thickness.
• Optimize lead-in and lead-out paths.
• Use appropriate laser power for the production material.
• Maintain the cutting head and nozzle properly.
• Use stable assist gas pressure and purity.

Cutting Time vs Machine Production Capacity

Cutting time can be used as one input when estimating production capacity, but the calculated cutting time should not automatically be treated as the complete machine cycle time.

For factory planning, operators should also consider loading, unloading, sheet exchange, slag removal, part sorting, machine setup, maintenance, and other production activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

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