How to price laser cutting

Cut-length pricing

Most fabricators price from cut length: measure total path from the DXF, divide by feed rate for machine minutes, multiply by hourly rate. At $60-90/hr and 2-3 m/min on 3 mm steel, that is roughly $1-3 per cut meter, plus piercing surcharges on hole-heavy parts.

Material by the sheet

Charge the sheet share actually consumed: sheet price divided by parts nested per sheet. Nesting utilization is a profit lever - improving from 8 to 10 parts per sheet is a 20% material margin gain on every job.

Setup and handling

Program and setup time amortize over the batch; deburr, sorting and packing labor accrue per part. Small orders should carry a minimum charge ($20-50) or they will quietly cost you money.

Quote in seconds from the DXF

Our laser cutting calculator measures cut length from the customer's DXF automatically, applies your feed rate, sheet cost and rates, and shows the market range - the fastest path from drawing to defensible price.