50 mm Hardox at 2,200 mm/min: fiber laser instead of plasma

From plasma to fiber laser: why the shift is happening now

Plasma is still widely used, and for years it was the only sensible answer on thick plate. What changed is not plasma: it is the fiber laser.

Two things at once. On one side power levels went up, and with them the thicknesses a laser handles in production, not in a demo. On the other, purchase and running costs came down considerably. The result is that the comparison between the two thermal cutting technologies has moved.

Today the high-power fiber laser is a real alternative even on the jobs that until recently belonged to plasma alone.

What changes with 60 kW

With the 60 kW of the FHD the comparison with plasma flips: faster cutting, better edge quality and lower fixed costs for consumables, on the same part.

The lever is Gas Mix technology: with the assist gas mixture our machines reach cutting speeds 4 to 5 times those of a plasma system, with a cost per meter of cut that can be halved, even on thick plate. That is what opens up jobs that were not up for discussion before.

50 mm Hardox at 2,200 mm/min: the numbers

One part makes the comparison clearest. On 50 mm Hardox plate, one of our 60 kW systems cuts at 2,200 mm/min: five times the speed of a 260 A plasma on the same thickness. And the part that comes off is not the same:

• Clean edges, with no dross, no burrs and no surface defects.
• Tighter dimensional tolerances than plasma, even on long jobs.
• Bevel cut up to ±50°, so the weld preparation is done by the machine.
• No rework: the part goes to welding exactly as it is.

That last point is the one that weighs most in a fabrication shop. Plasma cutting at these thicknesses forces an intermediate grinding or finishing step before welding: one person, one bench and some time for every part. With bevel cutting that step is not there.

Consumption and running costs

On cost per working hour the gap shows immediately. Plasma consumes electrodes and nozzles, replaced at short, regular intervals. The fiber laser has its own consumables, nozzles and protective windows, but they last far longer and cost less: the consumables line drops considerably. Add the cost per meter of cut, which as said can be halved, and a lower energy line for the same number of parts produced.

One step fewer: no pre-piercing

High power removes the need for pre-piercing. Once piercing is done the cut starts straight away, with no repositioning and no intermediate stages: the cycle is shorter and consumables wear less, because the operations are cleaner and the mechanical stress lower. Beam stability also allows common line cutting strategies between parts, saving more material and more time.

Shipbuilding and railway: where it is happening

High-power laser systems are designed around industrial production, and they are replacing plasma in the sectors where thickness is large by definition: shipbuilding and railway. Those are the two fields where the fiber laser had to prove it could take the real work, and it is why we are discussing it at a welding event rather than at a machine tool show.

When it is worth switching

There is no single answer: it depends on your materials, your thicknesses and how much rework you do today after cutting. If part of your time goes into grinding before welding, that is the line where a high-power laser pays itself back fastest.

You will find us at booth 6 at IIW 2025 and GNS 13. Bring your thicknesses and your materials: the comparison is made on numbers, not on adjectives.

Frequently asked questions

Can a fiber laser replace plasma on thick plate?

Yes, and it is already happening in shipbuilding and railway. At power levels like 60 kW the fiber laser cuts the thicknesses that belonged to plasma, faster and with an edge that often needs no rework.

How much faster is a 60 kW laser than plasma on 50 mm Hardox?

A 60 kW Cutlite Penta system cuts 50 mm Hardox at 2,200 mm/min, about five times the speed of a 260 A plasma on the same thickness.

What is bevel cutting and why does it matter for welding?

It is the inclined cut, which on our machines reaches ±50°. It prepares the weld bevel during cutting, so the part goes to welding without the grinding step that plasma requires at these thicknesses.

Where did Cutlite Penta present the laser versus plasma comparison?

At the 78th Annual Assembly of the International Institute of Welding (IIW 2025) in Genoa, from June 22 to 25, and for the two following days at the Italian National Welding Days GNS 13, at booth 6.