How do you calculate laser cutting gas consumption?

Gas consumption equals assist gas flow rate multiplied by active laser time. This calculator adds active cutting minutes, pierce minutes, and setup purge minutes, then multiplies total gas volume by gas price.

What gas flow unit should I use?

Enter flow in cubic meters per hour. The result also shows SCFH using the common conversion m3/hr x 2.12. Use measured flow meter data or your machine process sheet when available.

Should compressed air use a gas price?

For compressed air, use an equivalent cost that includes compressor electricity, drying, filtration, and maintenance. A bottled gas price field alone will understate air cutting cost.

Quick assist gas calculator

Laser Cutting Gas Consumption Calculator

Estimate gas consumption, gas cost, hourly gas cost, and SCFH flow conversion from flow rate, active cutting minutes, pierce time, setup purge time, and delivered gas price.

Best next step

Use this quick gas result as the gas cost input in the full laser cutting cost calculator, then compare gas choice against quality requirements and energy cost per job.

Full laser cutting cost calculator Energy cost per job Assist gas reference

Gas Inputs

Enter flow rate and active cutting minutes to estimate gas consumption.

How This Gas Estimate Works

1. Active gas volume

Flow rate is multiplied by active cutting and pierce minutes.

2. Purge volume

Setup purge time is kept separate so changeovers stay visible.

3. Gas cost

Total gas volume is multiplied by delivered gas cost per cubic meter.

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