Cutting speed depends on laser power, material, and thickness. The tables below give typical fiber laser cutting speeds in metres per minute for mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum across power levels from 1kW to 20kW.
Typical production speeds compiled by Rise Tek Machinery from fiber laser manufacturer cutting data. Real-world speeds vary with assist gas, nozzle, focus, machine dynamics, and required edge quality — treat these as reference benchmarks, not guarantees.
Fiber laser cutting speed is governed by three variables: laser power, material type, and thickness. Mild steel is typically cut with oxygen (fastest at thickness), while stainless and aluminum are cut with nitrogen for a clean, oxide-free edge. The charts below are organized by material.
Mild Steel Cutting Speed (m/min)
Oxygen assist on thicker plate; nitrogen on thin sheet. Typical production speeds.
| Thickness | 1.5 kW | 3 kW | 6 kW | 12 kW | 20 kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mm | 18 | 24 | 30 | 40 | 45 |
| 2 mm | 9 | 13 | 18 | 26 | 32 |
| 3 mm | 4.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| 6 mm | 1.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 10 mm | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 3 | 4 |
| 16 mm | — | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2 | 2.6 |
| 20 mm | — | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| 30 mm | — | — | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
| 40 mm | — | — | — | 0.5 | 0.9 |
Stainless Steel Cutting Speed (m/min)
Nitrogen assist for clean, oxide-free edges. Typical production speeds.
| Thickness | 1.5 kW | 3 kW | 6 kW | 12 kW | 20 kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mm | 20 | 32 | 45 | 60 | 70 |
| 2 mm | 8 | 16 | 25 | 40 | 50 |
| 3 mm | 3.5 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 32 |
| 6 mm | 0.9 | 2.2 | 4.5 | 9 | 13 |
| 10 mm | — | 0.8 | 1.8 | 4 | 6.5 |
| 16 mm | — | — | 0.7 | 1.8 | 3 |
| 20 mm | — | — | 0.4 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 25 mm | — | — | — | 0.7 | 1.3 |
Aluminum Cutting Speed (m/min)
Nitrogen assist. Aluminum is reflective and conductive — the most power-demanding of the three.
| Thickness | 1.5 kW | 3 kW | 6 kW | 12 kW | 20 kW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mm | 16 | 28 | 40 | 55 | 65 |
| 2 mm | 6 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 46 |
| 3 mm | 2.5 | 6 | 11 | 20 | 28 |
| 6 mm | — | 1.6 | 3.5 | 7.5 | 11 |
| 10 mm | — | — | 1.3 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
| 16 mm | — | — | 0.5 | 1.4 | 2.6 |
| 20 mm | — | — | — | 0.9 | 1.7 |
How to Read This Chart
A dash (—) means that thickness is beyond the practical cutting range for that power level. The bold column is 6kW — the most common power class in Canadian shops — so it's a useful anchor for comparison.
Three patterns stand out across all three materials:
- Power helps most on thin material. Going from 3kW to 12kW on 1mm stainless nearly doubles speed; on 20mm the gain per kilowatt is much smaller.
- Higher power unlocks new thicknesses, not just speed. A 20kW machine cuts plate that a 3kW machine physically cannot process.
- Material matters. At the same power and thickness, mild steel (with oxygen) and thin stainless (with nitrogen) run fastest; thick aluminum is the hardest of the three.
Maximum cutting speed and best edge quality are different settings. Production shops often run slightly below top speed to hold a clean, dross-free edge — especially on stainless and aluminum where nitrogen consumption and finish both matter. Use these numbers to compare power levels, then dial in for your quality standard.
What Affects Real-World Cutting Speed
The tables assume good conditions. In practice, speed is also shaped by:
- Assist gas — oxygen, nitrogen, or air; see our assist gas guide
- Nozzle and focus — diameter, standoff, and focal position
- Cutting-head condition — clean optics vs contaminated lenses
- Machine dynamics — acceleration limits how much of the rated speed you reach on small parts and tight contours
- Material surface — mill scale, rust, and coatings slow cutting and hurt consistency
On thin sheet with a high-power laser, the machine's acceleration — not the laser — usually becomes the bottleneck. Above about 12kW on 1–2mm material, part geometry limits throughput more than raw cutting speed.
To match a power level to your material mix and target speeds, see our full guide on what power fiber laser you need.