Affordable Laser Metal Cutting Machines to Fit Any Budget

Advanced laser technology has made it possible to effortlessly cut through various metals, from soft brass to hard steel, with remarkable speed and precision. This innovation has become a significant advantage for metal fabricators aiming to boost their production capacity. With a metal laser cutting machine, manufacturers can increase their output and streamline their processes, ultimately enhancing their profitability.

These laser machines aren’t just for professional businesses; they also provide valuable support for hobbyists and part-time designers. At BOGONG LASER, we’ve curated a list of the most popular CNC laser metal cutting machines that cater to every budget and need. Our selections range from beginner-friendly metal cutting kits to high-end professional equipment, and include options for home use, commercial applications, hobbyists, and industrial users. You can find everything from handheld laser cutting guns to automatic CNC metal cutting tables, as well as portable tools and gantry CNC machines. Our list also features options for varying power levels, including low, medium, and high, as well as sheet metal cutters, tube cutters, and 3D metal cutting systems.

Whether you’re a small business owner or a larger fabricator, you’ll easily find a machine that meets your budget and fabrication needs from top brands. If you’re in the market for a new laser metal cutter for your professional or creative projects, you’re in the right place to make an informed choice. Let’s dive in and get started!

A sheet metal laser cutter is an advanced automatic cutting system that adopt CO2 or fiber laser technology, controlled by a CNC system, to cut a wide range of materials including stainless steel, chromium steel, carbon steel, mild steel, aluminum, brass, copper, and even precious metals like titanium, gold, and silver.

These laser cutters excel at handling a variety of tasks, allowing for small-batch and custom orders with high precision, speed, and flexibility. They’re particularly effective for projects that require intricate or complex shapes, making them a modern alternative to traditional cutting tools such as plasma cutters, flame cutters, water jet cutters, and CNC machines.

With various table sizes (like 2×3, 2×4, 4×4, 4×8, 5×10, and 6×12 feet) and laser generator options from brands like IPG, JPT, Raycus, MAX, and RECI, you can tailor the machine to fit your specific cutting needs. Additionally, you can choose from a wide range of laser power outputs, starting from 180 watts to as much as 60,000 watts, ensuring you have the right setup for your sheet metal cutting projects.

A laser metal tube cutting machine is an automated CNC pipe cutter, which use a fiber laser beam to precisely cut various types of tubes, including round, square, rectangular, oval, elliptical, hexagonal, triangular, and even custom-shaped pipes. It works with a wide range of metals such as stainless steel, carbon steel, mild steel, tool steel, alloys, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, and titanium.

This system is unique because it’s dieless, meaning it can produce any design on metal pipes at any angle and direction. Compared to other cutting methods like flame cutting, plasma cutting, wire cutting, and water jet cutting, fiber laser tube cutters are user-friendly, highly automated, cost-effective, and deliver high-speed, high-quality cuts. Additionally, the precision of laser cutting is superior, reducing or eliminating the need for additional grinding.

The tube and sheet metal laser cutter is a all-in-one fiber laser cutting machine designed to handle both sheet metals and metal tube. such as flat bars, R-panels, and expanded metal gratings—and various tube profiles, including rectangular, square, round, galvanized, channel, C purlins, Z purlins, and more. It effectively cuts through materials like carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, iron, alloys, brass, copper, silver, and gold.

This multi function machine, while on the pricier side, offers exceptional features like a durable cast iron bed, a rack and pinion transmission system, and a professional CNC for both sheet and pipe cutting. It ensures high precision, ease of use, and straightforward operation.

One side of the machine is equipped with a pipe cutting device, featuring automatic clamping with front and rear chucks driven by dual synchronous motors for accurate rotation. The raw pipe is loaded from the left and rear, while finished pipes are discharged from the left front, supported by brackets for both feeding and unloading.

Additionally, this all-in-one laser cutting machine includes a specialized fiber laser cutting head paired with a high-level capacitive non-contact automatic tracking system. The cutting head is designed for optimal beam shaping, providing excellent beam quality. The focusing lens is adaptable for cutting plates of varying thicknesses, removing the hassle of swapping out different lenses.

Lasers can effortlessly cut through a variety of metals, including stainless steel, carbon steel (mild steel), galvanized steel, cold-rolled steel, aluminum, copper, brass, silver, gold, iron, and titanium. The specific type of metal and its thickness will influence the cutting speed and quality.

CO2 lasers are effective for cutting thin metal sheets, handling stainless steel up to 3 mm thick and carbon steel up to 4 mm thick, at speeds of up to 6 meters per minute. On the other hand, fiber lasers are versatile and can cut metal plates, tubes, and profiles of various types and thicknesses. They can handle stainless steel and carbon steel from 0.015 mm to 200 mm thick, and aluminum and copper up to 120 mm thick, with cutting speeds ranging from 0.05 m/min to 120 m/min. Fiber lasers typically operate with power levels between 1,500W and 60,000W, while CO2 lasers generally range from 150W to 300W.

It’s important to note that alloys and reflective metals, such as silver and brass, require specialized laser techniques and settings to achieve optimal cutting results.

Pick Your Ideal CNC Laser Cutters for Metal Fabrication

The Future of Laser Metal Cutting

The future of laser metal cutting technology is an exciting and rapidly evolving field poised to transform the manufacturing industry. With continuous advancements in laser technology, metal laser cutters are becoming faster, more accurate, and more versatile. We can look forward to developments like more powerful laser sources, enhanced automation and control systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

What Is a Metal Laser Cutter?

A metal laser cutter is an automatic CNC machine which use a laser beam to cut precise shapes from metal sheets, plates, bars, panels, profiles, straps, tubes, and pipes. This technology offers an excellent cutting solution for both hobbyists and industrial manufacturers.

These high-speed CNC systems work with CAM software to guide the laser in creating 2D and 3D cuts in various hard metals, including stainless steel, carbon steel, mild steel, galvanized steel, iron, magnesium, and titanium, as well as highly reflective materials such as aluminum, brass, copper, silver, gold, and bronze.

The laser cutting machine is an eco-friendly tool that features a CNC controller for automated fabrications, enabling it to create intricate shapes and perform various rough and smooth cuts. It consists of a bed frame, power supply, laser generator, reflection path, cutting head, chiller, control panel, and accompanying software.

How Does a Laser Metal Cutting Machine Work?

A metal laser cutting machine is a sophisticated system that uses a CNC controller to maneuver the fiber or CO2 laser beam in any direction to follow a specified design. The laser energy is concentrated into a high-density beam that is directed onto the work surface, generating enough heat to melt the metal. A high-pressure gas that accompanies the beam removes the molten material, achieving the desired cut.

The laser beam, emitted from the generator, is focused to create a high power density. The absorbed heat raises the temperature of the metal to the boiling point, vaporizing it and forming holes as the beam moves relative to the material, ultimately creating a slit. The CNC system controls critical cutting parameters like speed, power supply, and gas pressure to ensure precision, while auxiliary gas helps clear away any slag.

When cutting steel, oxygen is typically used as it ignites an exothermic reaction with the molten metal, aiding in oxidation and removal of slag. For precision cutting of certain metal parts, nitrogen may serve as the auxiliary gas.

What Are Metal Laser Cutting Machines Used For?

Laser metal cutting systems find applications across various sectors, including industrial manufacturing, education, small businesses, and home workshops. They are used for fabricating sheet metal, parts for the aviation and aerospace industries, electronics, kitchenware, auto parts, office supplies, furniture, machinery, precision components, and more.

These versatile machines can effectively cut a variety of metals without deformation. Even reflective materials like gold, silver, copper, and aluminum can be cut, although they may require specialized techniques. Metal laser cutting is effective for stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, titanium, and other alloys.

Types of Laser Cutters for Metal

Metal laser cutting machines come in various forms and features, including sheet metal cutters, tube cutters, dual-function systems for both sheets and tubes, and all-in-one 5-axis 3D metal laser cutting robots that suit multiple applications.

Generally, metal laser cutters are categorized into three types based on their laser source: CO2 lasers, fiber lasers, and hybrid laser systems. Laser cutting tables come in diverse sizes from compact (300mm x 300mm) to large (2500mm x 6000mm) and offer power options ranging from 150W to 60,000W. Prices can start around $6,500 for low-power models and go well beyond $100,000 for ultra-high power systems.

How to Choose the Best Laser Cutter for Metal

If you’re in the metal fabrication business and looking for a laser cutter, consider these four types of automatic metal cutting tools that will suit your needs and budget:

1. Sheet Metal Laser Cutters.
2. Automatic Laser Tube Cutters.
3. Dual-Purpose Metal Laser Cutting Systems for Sheets and Tubes.
4. All-in-One 3D Metal Laser Cutting Robots for Special Profiles.

By assessing your specific requirements, you can find the right laser cutter tailored to your metal fabrication projects.

How Much Does a Metal Laser Cutter Cost

If you’re considering purchasing a budget-friendly laser cutter for metal, you might be curious about what a fair price looks like. Factors such as power, software, driving and control systems, spare parts, and additional hardware all influence pricing.

As of 2024, the average cost for a new metal laser cutter is approximately $11,500, based on data from sources like Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping, and BOGONG LASER. The most affordable fiber laser cutting machines start around $11,000, while high-power industrial models can reach up to $1,000,000, particularly those equipped with IPG fiber lasers. For budget-conscious buyers, the average cost of a CO2 laser cutter is about $9,780, with entry-level hobby models priced under $6,080, not including optional features. Conversely, the top-end commercial models can soar above $20,000.

For entry-level sheet metal laser cutters, prices typically range from $6000 for lower-powered Yongli 180W and 300W CO2 laser tubes, suitable for hobbyists and small businesses. On the other hand, high-end precision sheet metal cutting machines may cost as much as $270,000, especially those with a powerful 12,000W IPG fiber laser source intended for commercial applications. Extra-high power enterprise lasers with 30,000W can exceed $500,000, while ultra-high power industrial lasers at 60,000W can reach around $1 million for cutting thicker sheet metals.

A professional-grade automatic laser tube cutter starts at approximately $50,000 with options like 1500W, 2000W, or 3000W fiber laser power supply for various tubing types. All-in-one systems that handle both tube and sheet metal cutting range from $40,000 to $100,000, designed for dual-purpose metal fabrication within industrial manufacturing. Multifunctional laser cutting robots capable of 3D cuts with multiple angles and dimensions are priced between $419,000 and $75,000.

If you plan to purchase from overseas, remember to factor in taxes, customs clearance, and shipping costs as part of