Piercing

Piercing represents the initial phase of laser cutting, where the laser generates heat at a single point to create a small hole through the material. This operation is critically important because the piercing must succeed before the cutting head can begin tracing the contour, and a failed pierce means scrapping the entire part or recovering with secondary operations.

Piercing time varies dramatically based on material type and thickness, thicker materials require longer dwell times to accumulate sufficient energy to burn through, while very thin materials risk distortion from excess heat during the pierce sequence. Modern CNC laser systems automatically adjust pierce parameters based on material specifications to minimize dross and heat damage.

Understanding pierce requirements is essential when programming parts with many interior holes, as each individual piercing operation adds to cycle time and cost.