Pierce Delay

Pierce delay refers to the programmed pause after the laser punctures through the material before the cutting head begins moving to trace the contour. This delay allows the gaseous plume from the perforation to clear and the cut zone to stabilize, preventing drag marks and improving edge quality on the cut edges.

Too short a pierce delay results in the cutting head starting to move before the material is fully pierced and cleared, producing ragged edges and incomplete cuts on the perimeter nearest the pierce point. Too long a delay wastes machine time and generates excessive heat in the pierce zone, potentially affecting the dimensional accuracy of nearby features.

Optimizing pierce delay for your specific material thickness and type is one of the fine-tuning factors that separates excellent edge quality from mediocre results in high-volume production laser cutting.