How is laser cutting speed estimated?

This calculator starts with a simplified material, thickness, and power model, then adjusts for assist gas and edge-quality target. Use the result as a planning feed rate and confirm final settings with your machine cut chart.

Can I use the speed result for a production quote?

Use it as an early quote assumption only. Before committing production pricing, compare the result with CAM output, machine cut charts, and measured jobs for the same material and thickness.

How do I convert m/min to IPM?

Multiply meters per minute by 39.37 to get inches per minute. The calculator also shows mm/s and seconds per meter so you can move the speed into cycle-time estimates.

Laser Cutting Speed Calculator

Estimate planning feed from material, thickness, power, gas, and quality. Verify final settings against your machine chart.

Speed Inputs

Estimated Cutting Speed

7.02 m/min

Planning feed rate for the selected material, power, gas, and quality target.

Speed in IPM

276.38 in/min

Speed in mm/s

117.00 mm/s

Minutes per Meter

0.142 min/m

Seconds per Meter

8.55 sec/m

Assumptions to Review2 notes

- Use this as a planning estimate and confirm final feed rate against your machine cut chart.
- Material thickness, beam quality, nozzle condition, gas pressure, and edge quality target can all change the practical speed.

You might also need

Laser cutting time calculatorTurn this speed into cutting time, pierce time, and cycle time.Full laser cutting calculatorCarry the speed assumption into a full quote with material, gas, labor, and margin.Cycle time guideKeep feed rate, pierce time, and setup in separate review lines.

Use this laser cutting speed calculator to estimate feed rate from material, thickness, laser power, assist gas, and quality target. Review speed in m/min, IPM, and mm/s before estimating cycle time or quote cost.

Treat the result as a planning feed rate only. Confirm final values with your machine cut chart, controller program, or measured job history before customer pricing.

Best next step

Compare this planning speed against the cutting speed reference, then use it to estimate cycle time or validate the speed assumption in the full laser cutting calculator.

Open time calculator Price per meter Cutting speed reference Formula worksheet guide Calculator suite

How This Speed Estimate Works

1. Baseline speed

Material, thickness, and laser power create the first feed-rate estimate.

2. Gas adjustment

Assist gas adjusts the estimate where process behavior commonly differs by gas choice.

3. Quality target

Fast, balanced, and quality-focused modes make edge-quality tradeoffs explicit.

When the speed estimate is useful

This result helps an estimator compare material and quality scenarios before a cut chart or test coupon is available in the quote file. It is most valuable as a prompt to ask whether the chosen quality level is worth the time it adds.

The estimate expresses the interaction between the material, thickness, available power, gas choice, and desired edge quality. Those factors are connected in the result because changing one without reviewing the others can make a fast number meaningless.

The machine's approved recipe remains the authority. Focus, nozzle, pressure, lens condition, and actual edge acceptance can move the usable speed away from a planning estimate.

Quote tools and reference data

Quote tools

Production checks

Reference