When you’re sourcing laser-cut parts, the quoted price isn’t determined by the cost of the metal alone. Material selection, part design, tolerances, nesting, quantity, and even the quality of the drawing you submit can all affect the final cost.
The good news is that relatively small changes made before production can sometimes produce meaningful savings—without sacrificing the performance or quality of the finished part.
Here are seven areas worth considering before submitting your next laser-cutting RFQ.
Here are seven areas worth considering before submitting your next laser-cutting RFQ.
1. Choose the Right Material—and Thickness
Material is often one of the largest components of a laser-cutting quote. Selecting a grade or thickness beyond what the application actually requires can increase both material and processing costs.
For example, ask whether the part truly requires a particular grade of stainless steel or aluminum, or whether a more readily available alternative will perform equally well. The same applies to thickness.
That doesn’t mean compromising the design. It means making sure you’re not paying for material specifications the application doesn’t require.
Tip: Talk with your metal supplier early in the process. They may be able to suggest readily available material options that meet your requirements while reducing cost or lead time.
2. Design With Efficient Nesting in Mind
How efficiently parts fit onto a sheet can have a significant impact on material utilization.
Laser-cutting software uses nesting to arrange multiple parts on a sheet while minimizing unused material. Parts that nest efficiently can reduce scrap and allow more finished pieces to be produced from each sheet.
Small design changes may sometimes allow:
- More parts per sheet
- Less unused material
- More efficient cutting paths
- Lower material cost per part
3. Don’t Specify Tighter Tolerances Than You Need
Tight tolerances are important when the application requires them. But specifying tight tolerances across an entire drawing when only a few features are critical can unnecessarily complicate production.
Review the drawing and identify which dimensions are truly critical to fit and function.
The goal should be:
Specify the tolerance the part needs—not simply the tightest tolerance available.
This can make the part easier to manufacture and help avoid unnecessary secondary operations or inspection requirements.
4. Increase Quantity When It Makes Sense
Laser cutting is highly efficient, but every job still involves preparation, programming, material handling and machine setup.
Those costs are distributed across the number of parts being produced.
If you know you’ll need the same component again soon, ask whether producing a larger quantity now would reduce the cost per part.
Instead of ordering 100 pieces four separate times, for example, it may be more economical to produce 400 pieces in one run—assuming inventory and cash flow make that practical.
Your supplier can help determine where the meaningful quantity breaks occur.
5. Submit Clean, Production-Ready CAD Files
One of the easiest ways to help speed up a quote—and potentially production—is to provide a clean, accurate drawing.
Common issues can include:
- Duplicate lines
- Open contours
- Overlapping geometry
- Missing dimensions
- Incorrect scale
- Unclear tolerances
- Multiple revisions without identifying the current version
These issues may require additional CAD work before a part can be quoted or programmed.
Whenever possible, provide the file format requested by your processor and clearly identify the material, thickness, quantity and revision.
A cleaner RFQ doesn’t just make life easier for the CAD department. It can help get your job into production faster.
6. Consider the Total Cost of the Part—not Just the Cutting Price
The lowest laser-cutting quote isn’t necessarily the lowest-cost solution.
Consider what happens after the laser.
If a cutting process produces a cleaner edge that requires less grinding, preparation or other secondary work, the finished part may ultimately cost less—even if the initial cutting price isn’t the lowest.
This is particularly important when parts move directly into:
- Welding
- Forming
- Coating
- Assembly
- Additional fabrication
At Loftis, investments such as precision laser technology and in-house nitrogen generation are designed to improve cutting consistency and help produce clean results, particularly where nitrogen-assisted cutting is appropriate.
The better question isn’t always:
“What’s the price to cut this?”
It may be:
“What’s the most economical way to get this part ready for my next operation?”
7. Involve Your Metal Processor Earlier
This may be the biggest opportunity of all.
Too often, a supplier doesn’t see a part until the design is finished and the RFQ is ready to go.
By then, many of the decisions affecting manufacturing cost have already been made.
Getting your metal processor involved earlier can uncover opportunities involving:
- Material selection
- Sheet utilization
- Part orientation
- Quantity
- Tolerances
- Processing method
- Material availability
- Delivery requirements
A relatively simple conversation before the drawing is finalized can sometimes prevent unnecessary cost later.
Lower Cost Starts Before the Laser Starts
Reducing the cost of a laser-cutting job doesn’t necessarily mean finding someone willing to cut it for less.
Often, the biggest opportunities come from making the entire job more efficient—from material selection and design through nesting, processing and delivery.
At Loftis Steel & Aluminum, we work with customers to find the right combination of material and processing for each application. With extensive metal inventory and processing capabilities including laser, waterjet, plasma and saw cutting, our goal is to help customers get the parts they need while keeping quality, lead time and total cost in mind.
Have a drawing you’re getting ready to quote? Send it to Loftis and let’s look at the job before it reaches the cutting table.
