Laser, waterjet, plasma or guillotine shear?
Rectangle = guillotine shear. Contour or hole = laser. The configurator chooses automatically.
Comparison
| Guillotine shear | Laser | |
|---|---|---|
| Forms | Rectangles, straight cuts | Free contour, holes, cut-outs, radii |
| Edge | Sheared: slight edge rounding, small burr | Thermally cut, DIN EN ISO 9013 class 2 |
| Tolerance | DIN ISO 2768-m | ± 0.1 mm |
| Largest part | 3,000 × 1,500 mm | 2,980 × 1,490 mm |
| Effect on price | Area and cuts; inexpensive for rectangles | Cut length, holes and thickness; worthwhile for contours |
| Deburring | By machine up to 250 mm part width, wider by hand | |
| Order | Sheet metal cutting | Part designer or STEP |
Laser, waterjet or plasma?
All three processes cut free contours. For sheet metal up to about 10 mm, the fibre laser offers the best combination of accuracy, edge quality and price. That is why we cut contours on the laser and straight blanks on the guillotine shear.
| Fibre laser | Waterjet | Plasma | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle | Focused light melts, gas blows out | Water with abrasive sand, cold cut | An electric arc melts |
| Heat input | Very narrow (tenths of a millimetre) | None | Wide |
| Cut edge | Smooth and square | Matt, slightly tapered | Rougher, slightly bevelled |
| Accuracy | High | Medium to high | Medium |
| Strength in sheet up to 10 mm | Fast and inexpensive | Considerably slower | Too coarse for thin sheet |
| Ideal for | Sheet metal parts, holes, fine contours | Very thick plates, glass, stone, rubber | Thick structural steel, rough parts |
Is a cold cut without heat important to you? The guillotine shear cuts straight blanks without any heat input.
Thicknesses by material
| Material | Guillotine shear (online) up to | Laser up to | Press brake up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | 10 mm | 20 mm | 6 mm |
| Stainless steel | 6 mm | 20 mm | 6 mm |
| Aluminium | 10 mm | 20 mm | 8 mm |
| Copper | 5 mm | 8 mm | on request |
| Brass | 5 mm | 8 mm | on request |
Thicknesses available online for each material are shown in the configurator. Thicker parts on request.
Press brake
| Angle | ± 0.5° |
|---|---|
| Length | up to 3,000 mm part length |
| Smallest flange | at least 8 mm, more depending on thickness |
| Inside radius | from tool and thickness, bend radius calculator |
Frequently asked questions
When is the guillotine shear cheaper?
For rectangles without holes. The shear cuts straight edges in one stroke. The price depends on area and cuts, not on the contour.
When do I need the laser?
For holes, cut-outs, radii and free contours. Bent parts with holes also go via the laser.
Laser or waterjet for sheet metal?
For sheet metal up to about 10 mm, the fibre laser is usually the better choice: faster, more accurate and cheaper. Its heat-affected zone is only tenths of a millimetre wide. The waterjet shows its strengths with very thick plates and materials such as glass, stone or rubber.
Does the sheet distort during laser cutting?
Not noticeably for typical parts. The laser introduces little heat because it cuts quickly with a narrow kerf. For rectangles without a contour, the guillotine shear cuts without any heat at all.
Who decides on the process?
The configurator. Rectangular blanks and plain bent parts go via the guillotine shear, parts from the part designer or as STEP via the laser.
Next: Tolerances · Design guidelines · Bent parts · Applications