LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In laser cutting, sheets of materials are cut by using a beam of high intensity light, so high that it vaporizes the material at the cutting line. The laser beam is moved optically keeping the sheet fixed or the laser beam is fixed and the sheet is moved.

Laser cutting mainly uses the carbon dioxide laser and Nd: YAG. The process has grown in popularity owing to its accuracy and high speed. CNC laser cutting combines computer control with the laser system.

CNC laser cutting allows for high precision with little human labor. Laser cut parts are used in aerospace, architectural, automotive, biomedical, decorative, electronic, medical and power generation industries to name a few.

Some of the issues to consider in designing laser cut parts are to avoid very small diameter holes in thick sheets and to avoid thin strips of material that can warp due to heat distortion.