Mild Steel Laser Cutting in Melbourne
Need brackets, plates, gussets, signs or custom profiles cut from mild steel? Shug Fabrication & Design laser cuts mild steel up to 10 mm thick at our workshop at 167 Manchester Road, Mooroolbark, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. Whether you’re a small business working from your garage or a manufacturer that needs repeat parts every week, we can turn your drawing into accurate flat parts, fast.
What we cut in mild steel
Mild steel is the most versatile material we work with, and it has our widest thickness range. Typical jobs include:
- Mounting brackets, base plates and gussets
- Tabs, slots and interlocking parts for welded assemblies
- Jigs and fixtures
- Prototype parts and one-off replacements
- Signs, metal art and decorative panels
- Small and medium production runs
No job is too small, and small and medium jobs are our speciality. If you need one part to prove a design before committing to a batch, that’s exactly the kind of work we do every week.
Mild steel laser cutting capabilities
| Specification | Shug Fabrication & Design |
|---|---|
| Mild steel thickness | Up to 10 mm |
| Cutting area | 1200 mm × 2400 mm |
| Accepted files | DXF (preferred), DWG, AI and EPS |
| Turnaround | Almost always within 1–5 working days |
| Quantities | Prototypes, one-off parts and production runs |
| Grades and finishes | We cut cold rolled mild steel in thinner gauges and pickled and oiled (P&O) mild steel from 1.6 mm to 6 mm, which gives a cleaner cut. We usually keep 1.2 mm to 5 mm in stock, along with some 8 mm and 10 mm. |
| Machine | STYLECNC fibre laser with ±0.05 mm positioning accuracy. |
Every part must fit within our 1200 mm × 2400 mm cutting area. If your part is larger, talk to us about splitting it into sections that can be joined after cutting.
Designing parts for mild steel
Good drawings make good parts. A few rules from our laser cutting design guidelines are worth knowing before you draw:
- Hole size: holes, shapes and cut-outs should be at least 50% of the material thickness. In 6 mm plate, the smallest accurate hole you should expect is about 3 mm.
- Gaps between features: for parts under 3 mm thick, leave at least 3 mm between cuts. For 3–4 mm, leave at least 5 mm. For 5 mm and thicker, leave at least 6 mm. Wider is always better.
- Bolt holes: decide whether a hole is a clearance hole or will be tapped, and say so. Our guide to clearance holes vs tapped holes explains the difference.
- Slots and tabs: if parts slot together before welding, plan the fit around the real sheet thickness. See planning laser cut slots and tabs.
If a dimension is critical, tell us the tolerance you need when you request a quote so we can confirm whether it suits your project.
Preparing your files
Supply a vector drawing at 1:1 scale in millimetres. DXF is our preferred format, ideally saved as R12, R13 or R14. Remove dimensions, notes, borders and duplicate lines, close every outline and convert text to outlines. Give each different part its own clearly named file, state the quantity of each, and leave repeated parts unnested. We’ll arrange them on the sheet.
A photograph or screenshot can’t be cut directly. If that’s all you have, contact us about drawing help or file conversion first. Our step-by-step guide on how to prepare a DXF file for a laser cutting quote walks you through it.
Finishing, welding and powder coating
Laser cutting gives you flat parts with a raw finish. Some cosmetic marks may appear, especially on the underside that sits on the laser bed. We can quote small MIG welding jobs and discuss deburring before you order. We don’t currently offer bending, painting or powder coating, but we’re happy to pass on details of local businesses we’ve used. If your parts are heading to a powder coater, read what to specify for laser cut parts for powder coating.
What affects the price
Price depends on the thickness, the size of the part, how much cutting and how many pierces the design needs, and the quantity. Cutting several parts in one batch helps spread setup costs. Compare quotes on the same material, thickness and quantity. Most customers collect from our Mooroolbark workshop. Delivery can be arranged in advance. See laser cutting pricing for more.
Frequently asked questions
What is the thickest mild steel you can laser cut?
We laser cut mild steel up to 10 mm thick.
What is the largest part you can cut?
Parts must fit within our 1200 mm × 2400 mm cutting area.
How quickly will my parts be ready?
Turnaround is almost always within 1–5 working days. If you have a deadline, tell us when you request your quote.
Can you bend or powder coat my parts?
Not at this stage. We can quote small MIG welding jobs and can recommend local businesses for bending and powder coating.
What file should I send?
DXF is preferred. We also accept DWG, AI and EPS vector files at 1:1 scale in millimetres.
Do you cut one-off parts?
Yes. No job is too small, from a single prototype to a production run.
Get a mild steel laser cutting quote
Upload your DXF or DWG files to our instant laser cutting quote tool, choose mild steel, your thickness and the quantity, and you’ll have a price in minutes. Need help with a drawing or a fabrication question? Call James on 0402 178 986 or contact Shug. We’re open Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with weekends and earlier times by appointment.