Plasma cutting: thicker plate, lower rates, looser tolerances
Plasma is the right tool when steel gets thick (6–25 mm). It's faster and cheaper than laser at those thicknesses, at the cost of a wider kerf and a small heat-affected zone.
When plasma beats laser
For mild steel and stainless under 6 mm, laser wins on edge quality and tolerance. From 6 mm to 25 mm, plasma is usually faster and costs less per metre of cut. Above 25 mm, switch to waterjet or oxy-fuel.
Tolerances and the heat-affected zone
Expect ±0.5 mm on parts under 500 mm; ±1 mm above. The HAZ (heat-affected zone) extends roughly 1–2 mm from the cut line — steel in that band has different metallurgy, so if you're welding or threading nearby, account for it.
Minimum hole size: 1.5× material thickness
Plasma's wider kerf means holes need to be at least 1.5× the material thickness. On 10 mm plate, that's a 15 mm minimum hole. Anything smaller, redesign or specify drilling as a secondary op.
File formats
Same as the laser: DXF (preferred), DWG, SVG, STEP. The same file requirements apply — outlined text, closed contours, no overlapping lines.
Materials we plasma-cut
Live from our partner network. Click any material to start a quote.
All thicknesses in mm. KERF cuts to whichever sheets your chosen partner stocks — if the thickness you want isn't shown, it's likely possible on a per-job basis.
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Drop your DXF, SVG or STEP file — we'll size, nest and quote it on the spot. No login. No phone calls. Pay when you're ready.
More guidelines
Every cutting and secondary-ops service we offer, with the design rules that matter.