5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Laser Cutting Services

Laser cutting is a wonderful precision, speed, and efficiency device. Whether you’re cutting wood, plastic, metal, or anything else, laser cutting can cut intricate designs nearly to perfection. However, with any advanced technology, tiny errors can result in wasted materials, time-consuming delays, and frustration.

To help you obtain the best possible result, below are five of the most typical mistakes on the part of customers who make use of laser cutting services—and how to avoid them.

1. Selecting the incorrect material upon which to laser cut

Not all should be cut with a laser. Some materials melt, burn, or release poisonous vapors when cut and thus are unsafe or not the right material to cut.

Mistakes that have been noted include:

• Cutting with PVC or vinyl, which releases poisonous chlorine gas upon cutting.
• Picking too thick of a material, thus not being fully cut.
• Picking shiny metals like copper or brass, no need to adjust.

How to avoid:

• Always refer to the laser cutting service to find out the most suitable material to use.
• For metals, ensure the machine is filled with the right kind of laser (fiber or CO₂).
• Test materials like stainless steel, acrylic, MDF, and laser-safe plastics.

Time is saved, equipment is not harmed, and a clean finish product is achieved with the right use of materials.

2. Ignoring Design & File Preparation Rules

A neatly arranged file is key to a successful laser cut. However, if your file is not file-ready for processing, you may end up with skewed cuts, lost details, or file correction fees.

Mistakes that have been noted include:

• Low-resolution images rather than vector files (laser cutters prefer precise line paths, not pixelated images).
• Not converting text to outlines and, as a result, font errors.
• Double lines, which result in double cuts and excess burning.

How to avoid:

• Use vector file types like.AI,.DXF,.SVG, or.EPS for crisp, scalable cuts.
• Ensure lines are properly joined—broken paths will lead to cutting issues.
• Ensure that you strictly follow the thickness and spacing instructions provided by the laser cutting service.

Proper file preparation will save you from unnecessary back and forth with the service provider and provide exactly what you have designed.

3. Failure To Account For Material Thickness & Kerf Compensation

When laser-cut, material takes away an incredibly small amount of material—the kerf. Unless accounted for, your completed parts will be wonderfully marginally too small, too loose, or too off center.

Mistakes that have been noted include:

• Zero-clearance designing, eliminating the potential for assembly.
• Not allowing for kerf allowance for joints to fit.
• Dependence on all materials based on having the same kerf action (all react differently to the laser).

How to avoid:

• Ask the laser cutting service for specifically the kerf size to your material and adjust your design suitably.
• For slot cutting or interlocking pieces, use a small tolerance for enabling close fitting.
• Test cut in small increments before embarking on a full project to ensure sizing accuracy.

A few millimeters may not look like a great deal, but they can make all the difference on a high-pressure job.

4. Omitting Power & Speed Settings Depending on Materials

Different materials require different laser settings to achieve the best cut. Inappropriate settings can lead to burn marks, bad cuts, or excessive heat damage.

Mistakes that have been noted include:

• Using too much power can create charred edges or cause warping.
• Running the laser at full speed to produce shallow cuts.
• Not testing settings in scrap material before cutting the final piece.

How to avoid:

• Call the laser cutting supplier to establish appropriate power and speed settings on your material.
• Cut with lower power and higher speeds when cutting thin or sensitive materials such as fabric or thin acrylic.
• Reduce the power when etching out designs so that they don’t burn too far in.

Cut a small sample first to avoid expensive mistakes and wasted materials.

5. Lack of Ability to Optimize Costs & Production Time

Laser cutting does work, though the minimal design tweaks unnecessarily contribute to processing cost and time. 

Mistakes that have been noted include:

• Too much unnecessary, involved cutting that consumes laser time. 
• Too much engraving that consumes more time and is more expensive than cutting.
• Excessive wastage positioning of parts over material, resulting in more wastage.

How to avoid:

• Keep your design as simple as possible—fewer cuts = less cost. 
• Cut using low settings, in order to save processing time.
• Use nesting software or ask the service provider to optimize material usage.

Small changes save huge sums of money in production, and your project will be cost-effective.

Final Thoughts

Laser cutting Canada is an excellent tool but to create the most perfect result, you must take care of some basic errors like using the wrong material, importing files incorrectly, not respecting kerf, doing it incorrectly, and not being efficient.