Start with your material and finished part
Choosing a laser cutting service starts with the material, thickness and finished part requirements. The name of the laser alone does not tell you whether a provider can make your particular part. Check the available material range, dimensions and any fit or finish requirements before quoting.
Shug Fabrication & Design provides metal laser cutting in Mooroolbark, Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. We cut mild steel up to 10 mm, stainless steel up to 3 mm and aluminium up to 2 mm, with a cutting area of 1200 mm × 2400 mm. General information about other laser systems does not expand the materials offered by our service.
Laser sources and job requirements
Laser source names describe the equipment
A fibre laser uses a doped optical fibre as its active laser medium. Other laser sources use different media, such as a crystal or a gas; CO₂ is a gas laser. These names describe the laser source, rather than three interchangeable settings that a customer must select when ordering a part.
TRUMPF describes fibre lasers as widely used for processing metals. Its manufacturer’s explanation of fibre lasers provides more background on the equipment and its applications.
Match the provider to the actual job
Laser systems have applications across metal and non-metal materials, but the available capability depends on the equipment and service. For a Shug cutting quote, choose mild steel, stainless steel or aluminium within the limits above. If your project uses another material, confirm a suitable provider rather than assuming it is covered.
Describe the result you need
Specify the material, grade where required, thickness, quantity and finished dimensions. Include any fit, finish or additional fabrication requirements that matter to the job. Discuss a specific tolerance or required date before ordering; general claims about a laser type do not confirm these details.
Prepare the drawing
Use a vector file at 1:1 scale in millimetres. Remove duplicate lines, notes and borders, convert text to outlines and check that the cut contours are closed. Supply one drawing per different part and leave repeated parts unnested. Our laser cutting design guidelines explain these checks.
Get an instant quote or ask for help
Upload DXF or DWG parts for an instant laser cutting quote. For drawing questions or other project requirements, contact Shug. You can also read our laser cutting FAQ.
