Material Guide for Contract Cutting: Which Material, Which Method?

In any contract (job-shop) cutting project, the first decision that shapes the outcome is the material itself. You can cut the same geometry in aluminium or in titanium, but the material's density, hardness, thermal behaviour and price drive the method, the lead time and the total cost from the very start. Get the material-method pairing right and you end up with a burr-free part that is on-size and finished in a single pass. Get it wrong and you are looking at secondary operations, scrap and delays.

This guide covers the most frequently requested material groups: aluminium (6061/7075), titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), stainless (304/316), Inconel, steel and copper/brass. For each, we explain which cutting method, abrasive waterjet or fiber laser, suits it best, along with weight and cost tips. If you want a clear recommendation, the fastest route is always to upload your file and ask our team.

Aluminium is the most common contract-cutting material: it is light (density around 2,700 kg/m³), easy to machine and relatively economical. For thin and medium-gauge sheet, fiber laser is usually the fastest and most economical option; its narrow kerf renders crisp detail and small holes cleanly. For thicker sections, precision parts where heat distortion is critical, or high-strength aerospace alloys such as 7075, abrasive waterjet is preferred, because it cuts cold and leaves no heat-affected zone (HAZ).

6061 is a general-purpose, weldable and easy-to-machine alloy, ideal for profiles, brackets and general machine parts. 7075 is a premium, much higher-strength alloy used in aircraft structures, but it is more expensive and not suited to conventional fusion welding. On the laser, aluminium's reflectivity calls for careful parameter selection; our team chooses the best method based on the alloy and thickness.

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) is the workhorse alloy of aerospace and defence work: light (density around 4,430 kg/m³, less than half that of steel), high-strength and corrosion-resistant. Titanium is heat-sensitive, and thermal processes can form an oxide/alpha case on the surface. That is why abrasive waterjet is by far the safest method for critical parts where metallurgical integrity must be preserved. Because it cuts cold, the grain structure stays intact and, in most cases, no extra heat treatment is needed.

With these materials, traceability matters as much as the cut itself. We run our processes in line with aerospace-grade discipline; on request, we can provide material certificates (mill certificates) and lot-based traceability, and deliver critical-tolerance parts with an inspection report. Because titanium is an expensive material, nesting optimisation and scrap management make a direct difference to cost.

Stainless 304 and 316 are used wherever corrosion resistance and hygiene matter, led by food, architecture, chemical and marine applications. Thanks to its molybdenum content, 316 resists salty and chloride environments better than 304, at a slightly higher price. Both have a density of around 8,000 kg/m³, so parts are noticeably heavier than aluminium, which you should factor into the cost.

On thin and medium-gauge sheet, especially in volume production, fiber laser stands out for its speed and narrow kerf; on high-power machines, thick stainless can be cut too. However, if you need to protect a bright/decorative surface, cut a very thick section or keep a completely heat-free edge, waterjet is ideal. Laser can leave a faint heat trace at the cut edge, whereas waterjet gives a burr-free, heat-free edge.

Nickel-based superalloys such as Inconel 718 and 625 are designed for high-temperature and severe-corrosion environments and are indispensable in turbine, energy and aerospace applications. They have high density (around 8,190-8,440 kg/m³) and respond harshly to thermal processes. They are among the most expensive and most difficult materials to machine; because of their hardness and low thermal conductivity, abrasive waterjet is often preferred, as it delivers a clean edge with no HAZ or microcrack risk.

Since Inconel is costly, every millimetre of scrap affects the price directly. Waterjet gives a safe edge on thick sections, while laser can offer a volume-production advantage on thin sheet. The part's service condition (operating temperature, fatigue load) drives the method choice; our team recommends the right route for your application.

Structural/carbon steel (such as St37/S235) is the most economical and widespread material, with a density of around 7,850 kg/m³. On thin-to-medium sheet, fiber laser is by far the fastest and most cost-effective method, and automatic nesting keeps scrap to a minimum. For very thick sections, or when a heat-free edge is required, waterjet takes over.

Copper (around 8,960 kg/m³) and brass (around 8,500 kg/m³) are used in electrical, decorative and plumbing applications. Because these metals are highly reflective and thermally conductive, they are cut on the fiber laser only up to certain thicknesses and with careful parameters; for thicker or more sensitive work, waterjet is a safe alternative. Their high density means part weight makes up the bulk of the cost for these materials.

Contract-cutting price generally comes down to three items: material (weight × unit price), cutting time (perimeter length, thickness and method) and any secondary operations. The quickest way to lower cost is usually to optimise the material choice and the nesting. The same geometry comes out far lighter and far cheaper in aluminium than in titanium, and avoiding unnecessary wall thickness in the design yields direct savings.

To see your part's weight up front, use our weight calculator: enter the material group (aluminium, titanium, stainless, superalloy, copper/brass) and the dimensions, and it returns an estimated weight based on nominal density. That is a good starting point for both shipping planning and material budgeting. For a firm quote, upload your .dxf, .dwg, .step or .pdf file and our team will send a detailed price within 24 hours.