Plate Steel

Plate steel (typically above 3/16 inch thickness) requires different cutting approaches than sheet metal. While CO2 lasers are less effective on thicker plate, modern fiber lasers can efficiently cut plate up to 1 inch or more, making them ideal for structural fabrication where heavy-gauge parts are essential for load-bearing applications.

The key challenge with thick-plate laser cutting is maintaining consistent cutting speed and managing heat input to prevent excessive heat-affected zone distortion on surrounding material. Fiber laser technology excels at this because its shorter wavelength couples more efficiently with steel, producing faster cuts and superior edge quality compared to CO2 approaches.

For structural projects requiring beveled plate edges, cope cuts on flanges, or complex geometry on thick sections, fiber laser plate cutting delivers precision that would otherwise require extensive manual finishing.