On a production laser-cut part, the price comes from three things: the material, the machine time to cut and pierce it, and the setup and nesting spread across the parts in a release. The finish matters as well, because the assist gas decides whether the cut edge carries an oxide layer, and thermally cut edges need a plan before hot-dip galvanizing. Mona Steel LLC cuts production sheet and plate parts on a 20 kW fiber laser; this guide explains what moves a production quote and what to send so the quote covers both the release in hand and the program behind it.
What drives the price of a laser-cut part
- Material. Usually a large share of the price: grade, thickness and how well the parts nest on the sheet. Parts that share a material and thickness can be nested together, so a kit cut from one thickness can price better than the same parts spread across several.
- Cut length. Machine time follows the total length of every outside edge and inside feature.
- Pierces. Every hole, slot and cutout starts with a pierce, and each pierce takes longer as plate gets thicker. A plate with 40 small holes can take longer to cut than a larger plate with none.
- Thickness. Thicker material cuts more slowly and pierces more slowly, so machine time per inch of cut goes up.
- Assist gas. Nitrogen runs at higher gas pressure than oxygen and usually costs more per part, in exchange for an oxide-free edge.
- Setup and nesting. Done once per part in a release and spread across every part in it.
- Secondary operations. Deburring, bending, welding and coating are quoted with the cutting.
A few design choices lower the cost without changing what the part does. As a rule of thumb, keep hole diameters at or above the material thickness on carbon steel, since smaller holes may need drilling instead. Ask whether lightening holes or cable holes could be fewer and larger. Standardize thickness across the parts of a kit where the design allows, so they nest on the same sheets. And if an edge must be free of the small tabs (microjoints) that hold parts in the sheet during cutting, mark it on the drawing so the nest is planned around it.
Releases, kits and annual volume
Two numbers shape a production quote: the quantity per release and the expected annual usage. The release quantity sets how many parts share each setup and nest, and unit pricing improves as quantity increases because setup and nesting costs are spread across more parts. Annual usage shows how often the same parts will come back, which helps plan material and price the program rather than a single order.
- Ask for pricing at the release quantity, and at any other release size you are weighing, so the price breaks are visible.
- List kits as kits. If parts ship together for one assembly, group them as a kit in the request. Quotes are itemized by part, parts are labeled by part number, and any kit packing requirements belong in the request so they are covered in the quote.
- Keep revisions under control. Put the part number and revision letter on every file and drawing, so a repeat release is cut from the current revision.
Nitrogen vs. oxygen edges
On carbon steel, the assist gas sets the edge. Oxygen-assist cutting uses the heat of oxidation to help cut, which leaves a thin oxide layer on the cut face; nitrogen-assist cutting leaves a bright, oxide-free edge but runs at higher gas pressure and usually costs more. Which one a part needs depends on what happens to it next:
| Finish after cutting | Edge to ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Powder coat or liquid paint | Nitrogen-cut, or oxygen-cut with the oxide removed by blasting or brushing | Coating bonded to the oxide layer instead of the steel can chip off at the edges |
| Hot-dip galvanizing | Either, with edge preparation agreed up front | Thermally cut edges are harder than the base steel and can take a thin or flaking zinc coating |
| Bare, primed or hidden parts | Oxygen is usually the economical choice on thicker carbon steel | The oxide layer doesn’t matter if nothing has to bond to the edge |
| Stainless steel and aluminum | Nitrogen | Oxygen-assist cutting is a carbon steel process; nitrogen cuts all three metals |
If you don’t know yet how the part will be finished, say so. The edge decision is easier before the parts are nested than after they are cut.
Laser-cut parts that will be hot-dip galvanized
The American Galvanizers Association (AGA) explains the issue this way: a thermal cut alters the steel next to the edge, to a depth that can reach about 5 mils for a laser cut and about 15 mils for plasma, and that zone can be more than twice as hard as the uncut steel. The zinc coating on a hardened edge can come out thin or poorly adhered and flake when the part is handled. Steel chemistry matters too: reactive steels, with higher silicon or phosphorus, grow thicker coatings that hold on even less well at those edges.
What the AGA suggests, and what to plan for on a production order:
- Agree on edge preparation before cutting. The fabricator, the galvanizer and the steel supplier should talk it through up front.
- Prepare edges before galvanizing on large orders. Grinding cut edges up to 1/16 in. is possible when a problem edge turns up at inspection; where a pattern exists, the edges can be prepared before the parts reach the galvanizer, especially on large orders.
- Know how repairs are made. ASTM A780 covers repair of damaged and uncoated areas of hot-dip galvanized coatings with zinc-based solder, zinc-rich paint or sprayed zinc, and the extent and method of repair are agreed between the parties.
- Expect a heavier coating than pre-galvanized sheet. ASTM A123 minimums for structural shapes run from 1.8 to 3.9 mils, depending on steel thickness, against about 0.77 mil per side for G90 sheet.
Laser cutting pre-galvanized sheet
Laser cutting galvanized sheet leaves the cut edge as bare steel: unlike shearing, which can smear a little zinc onto the edge, a laser cut transfers none. The zinc next to the edge then protects the bare steel galvanically over a short distance. Industry guidance from the International Zinc Association’s GalvInfo Center is that on thin sheet, under about 0.04 in., a cut edge can stay free of red rust for the life of the part in most environments, while thicker parts can show edge rust. That rust may not look good, but it does not detract from structural integrity and changes little until the nearby zinc is used up.
If edge appearance matters on thicker parts, specify touch-up and the method, design the part so trims or flanges hide the edge, or switch to hot-dip galvanizing after fabrication so every edge and hole is coated.
Thick plate: laser, plasma or oxy-fuel
A 20 kW fiber laser covers thin-gauge sheet through heavy plate, but cost and edge behavior change as plate gets thicker. Pierces take longer, feed rates drop, and a square edge gets harder to hold. On very thick plate where edge precision is less critical, CNC plasma and oxy-fuel become the more economical processes. Mona Steel also offers CNC plasma and oxy-fuel cutting for heavy plate, so the process can follow the part: send the drawing and grade and we confirm it part by part.
Two plate details belong on the drawing. As on sheet, bolt holes smaller than the plate thickness may need drilling after cutting. And if a base plate or gusset needs a square edge for welding or fit-up, say so, so the quote reflects it.
What to send for a production quote
Files alone get a price for one release. A short parts list gets a price for the program. A spreadsheet with these columns, one row per part, covers what the estimator needs:
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Part number and revision | BRKT-104 rev B |
| Material grade and thickness | ASTM A36, 3/8 in. |
| Quantity per release | 400 |
| Expected annual usage | 4,800 |
| Bending | 2 bends, per drawing sheet 2 |
| Finish | Hot-dip galvanized, ASTM A123 |
| Kit or assembly | Kit K-12, one of 6 parts |
| Edge or tolerance notes | Oxide-free edges; critical holes per drawing sheet 1 |
Add the files and the rest of the order details:
- Files. One 1:1 DXF in inches per part, or STEP for parts that will be bent, plus a dimensioned PDF when tolerances matter. The DXF prep checklist covers file cleanup.
- Packaging and labels. Kits, part-number labels and any packing limits.
- Delivery. Ship-to ZIP code and need-by date for the first release.
- Documents. Mill test reports with heat numbers when we supply the material, and galvanizing certificates where coatings apply.
Laser parts with roll-formed profiles
Many laser jobs belong to a bigger order. Clips, splice plates, purlin and girt connection plates, base plates and pile hardware can be cut on the 20 kW fiber laser and ship with roll-formed C-purlins, Z-purlins and solar piles on the same purchase order. Mona Steel LLC, headquartered in Anaheim, California, quotes the profiles and the hardware that connects them together, bends parts on the press brake up to 26 ft long and up to 1 in. thick depending on bend length and grade, and coordinates galvanizing and powder coating in the same order. Every order is inspected, labeled by part number and delivered across California or shipped to Texas, Arizona, Nevada and nationwide.
Volume work is our focus: production releases, nested kits and repeat programs. We also quote smaller runs when we can help. See fiber laser cutting, C-purlins, C-channels and Z-purlins and solar piles, or send your files on the quote form.
Sources
- American Galvanizers Association, Prevent thin and/or flaking coatings from thermally cut edges.
- American Galvanizers Association, Continuous sheet galvanizing: G90 and ASTM A123 coating thickness.
- ASTM A780/A780M, Standard Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings: scope.
- International Zinc Association, GalvInfo Center, GalvInfoNote 3.6: Galvanic/Bimetallic (including Cut Edge) Corrosion.
- Products Finishing, Taking the (Oxide) Edge Off: laser oxide on cut edges, powder coat adhesion and the cost of nitrogen cutting.
- Metal Interface, Oxygen or nitrogen gas for laser cutting in 6 points: which metals each assist gas cuts.