Guides / Material choice
Which material?
Find the right one for your part.
Compare mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium and acrylic. Start with what your part needs to do, then check thickness, appearance and finishing options.
What does your part need to do?
- Will it be used indoors or outdoors?
- Will it be exposed to water, chemicals, heat or wear?
- Does it need to be light, stiff or strong?
- Will the surface be visible, painted or coated?
- Will you bend, weld, glue or add screw threads after cutting?
- Does your drawing require a particular material grade or certificate?
Use these answers to narrow your choice. If your design specifies a particular grade, check that we can supply it before ordering.
Compare the four materials
| Material | Common uses | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Mild steel | Flat brackets, mounting plates and parts for welding | Weight, required steel grade and protection against rust |
| Stainless steel | Panels, fixtures and parts with a visible metal surface | Required grade, surface finish and exposure to water or chemicals |
| Aluminium | Lightweight panels, covers and spacers | Required alloy, stiffness and suitability for any later bending or welding |
| Acrylic | Signs, displays and clear or coloured panels | Colour, sheet type, fixing holes and narrow sections that could break |
Changing the material can change how the part performs, even if its shape and thickness stay the same.
Choose a thickness that suits the part
A thicker sheet changes the part’s weight and stiffness. It also changes the smallest holes and slots we can cut. Check the available thicknesses and the minimum hole and slot sizes together.
If the part needs to carry a load, work out the required material and thickness as part of your design. The cutting limits tell you what we can cut; they do not tell you how much weight a part can support.
Choose the appearance and finish
Think about which surfaces will be visible and whether you need a coating. The cut edge can look different from the sheet surface. Textured powder coating is available for eligible metal parts; check the options in your quote.
For acrylic, choose the colour and whether you need clear or tinted sheet. If you need to match an existing part, tell us its material specification and show us the finish you are matching.
See thicknesses and details for each material
Mild steel laser cutting
Custom mild steel profiles for brackets, mounting plates, panels and fabrication projects. Choose your thickness and quantity, then price your drawing online.
Read the guide ↗Material guideStainless steel laser cutting
Laser-cut stainless steel parts in 1–6 mm sheet for panels, fixtures and custom shapes. Choose from seven thicknesses, including 5 mm and 6 mm, and get a price from your DXF or sheet-metal model.
Read the guide ↗Material guideAluminium laser cutting
Lightweight laser-cut aluminium panels, covers and custom profiles. Upload your drawing, choose a listed thickness and compare quantities online.
Read the guide ↗Material guideAcrylic laser cutting
Custom acrylic shapes for signs, displays and decorative panels, in 3 mm and 5 mm sheet. Prepare your design and get a quote online.
Read the guide ↗Not sure which to choose?
Send us your drawing and explain how the part will be used. Include the thickness, quantity, finish and any required grade. Tell us if you plan to bend, weld or otherwise work on the part after cutting.
Once you have chosen your material, upload a DXF or suitable sheet-metal STEP/STP file for a quote. If a hole or edge must fit another part precisely, read our quality and tolerance guide before ordering.
Need help choosing?
Tell us what you are making and how it will be used. Include your drawing if you have one.
Your design. Made in South Yorkshire.
Let’s make your part.
Upload your DXF or suitable sheet-metal STEP/STP file and choose your options.