Laser kerf calculator
Cut a 20 mm square, measure it with calipers, and get your laser’s kerf to a hundredth of a millimetre, with typical values for diode and CO₂ lasers and what the number means for press-fit tabs.
Enter a measurement to get the kerf for this material and these settings.
What the Studio does with it: outer edges and tabs are drawn half a kerf larger, slots and holes half a kerf smaller, so the parts that come off the laser match the drawing and press-fit. Re-measure after changing the lens, focus, thickness or supplier.
| Diode 5–20 W | 0.08–0.15 mm |
| Diode 40 W class | 0.10–0.18 mm |
| CO₂ 40–60 W | 0.15–0.25 mm |
| CO₂ 80 W+, or 6 mm stock | 0.20–0.30 mm |
Questions
Why measure the square instead of the hole?
Calipers close on a piece squarely and repeatably; a hole is harder to measure accurately. Kerf is the nominal size minus the measured width of the piece that fell out.
My two readings differ.
Diode lasers have a rectangular beam, so the kerf differs slightly on the two axes. The calculator averages them; the tab fit absorbs a few hundredths of a millimetre.
How often should I re-measure?
After any change to the lens, focus height, power, speed, thickness or supplier, and any time a box that used to fit stops fitting.