1. The Role of Assist Gas in Fiber Laser Cutting

Assist gas is crucial not just for clearing molten metal out of the cut kerf, but also for controlling chemical reactions at the focal zone. Choosing the wrong assist gas can quadruple production costs or result in poor surface finishes.

2. Nitrogen Cutting

Nitrogen is an inert assist gas that prevents oxidation. It leaves bright, silver, oxide-free edges on stainless steel and aluminum, ready for powder coating or immediate laser welding without pre-cleaning.

3. High-Pressure Air Cutting

Shop-compressed dry air (filtered to ISO 8573 Class 1 standards at 16–20 bar) offers up to 80% cost savings compared to bottled nitrogen for mild steel cutting up to 12mm thickness.