Have you ever looked at something and wondered if it had been cut by a laser? There are plenty of reasons why something might have been cut by a laser, but not many people can tell if these objects or materials have been through the laser cutting process. If you want to judge the craftsmanship of something and know for certain that a laser is responsible, here is how you can tell for sure.

Absolute Precision

When a material good is cut such that the cut is precise and nothing is left dangling from the material (i.e., no raw edges or splinters attached), the item was probably laser cut. Lasers are capable of making the most perfect, intricate, and complicated cuts without leaving traces of material behind. Almost no sanding or finishing is necessary when a laser is used, which is why so many companies prefer to use laser cutting machines and laser cutting companies to have materials cut and trimmed to precise perfection. 

Metal, Plastic, or Wood

Almost all metal objects are laser cut simply because lasers will not warp, bend, or damage the metal being cut. Plastics may also be cut with lasers if the need for a precision trim is necessary, but most of the lasers used on plastics are a lot cooler in temperature than metal cutting lasers. Hot lasers would only melt plastics, which is why it is a cool laser for plastics or no laser at all. Wood can be cut by laser, and you can tell because of the darkened burned edges of the cut where the laser concentrated its beam.

Smooth to the Point of Blade-Sharp

You can tell when a laser has cut material. It leaves behind edges that are razor-smooth. On metal (and sometimes plastic) materials that have been cut by a laser, you can almost cut yourself by accident. That is how smooth and perfect the edges are. If you want the edges dulled, the company that cuts materials will take sanding buffers to the edges to remove the sharpness while still keeping the edges smooth and precise.

You Cannot Reproduce the Cutting Effects Any Other Way

As a means of proving that something has been cut with a laser, companies have tried to show how cutting materials in other ways never perfectly reproduces the same results as laser cutting. You can try that experiment yourself if you have cutting tools and you do not have access to a laser cutting machine. Then you can compare and contrast for yourself how laser cutting is superior.

For more information about laser cutting, contact a company such as J&E Metal Fabricators Inc.

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