8 Questions About Laser Cutting Paper, Perspex & Metal That I Actually Had to Answer

What I Needed to Know Before Buying a Laser Cutter

When my boss asked me to find a laser cutter for our workshop, I thought it was just a bigger version of the desktop one I'd seen in the signage shop down the street. I was wrong.

I'm the admin buyer for a 40-person manufacturing company. I manage equipment purchases—roughly $150,000 annually across 12 vendors. I report to both ops and finance. I do not have an engineering background. When I took over purchasing in 2021, I had to learn the hard way that not all lasers cut the same materials.

So here are the 8 questions I actually researched—sometimes painfully—before I specced out our Gravotech CNC station IS400 and LS100 systems. If you're the one holding the purchase order, this is what you need to know.

1. Can a CO2 laser cut metal?

Short answer: Not reliably, and not for production work.

Here's what I learned when I nearly ordered a CO2 laser thinking it would cover all our metal marking needs. A standard CO2 laser (like the Gravotech LS series) will struggle with metal. It can mark some coated metals (anodized aluminum, painted surfaces), but it won't cut through sheet steel or aluminum.

According to USPS pricing effective January 2025, a First-Class Mail letter (1 oz) costs $0.73. That's not relevant, but it reminded me I'm good at checking facts before spending money.

For cutting metal, you need a fiber laser. That's why I ended up with the Gravotech IS400 fiber station. The difference isn't subtle:

• CO2 laser: Great for wood, acrylic, paper, leather, some plastics
• Fiber laser: Can cut and mark metals (steel, aluminum, brass, copper)

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it's annoying that one machine can't do everything. On the other, if you try to cut metal with a CO2 laser, you'll be waiting forever (if it even works). Or worse—you'll damage the machine.

2. What about paper laser cutting?

Yes, this is where CO2 lasers shine.

Paper laser cutting is actually one of the easiest materials for a CO2 laser. I tested this with the Gravotech LS100 on standard copy paper, cardstock, and corrugated cardboard. It cut through cleanly with minimal charring (note to self: adjust speed settings for thinner paper to avoid fire risk).

The surprise wasn't the cutting capability—it was the edge quality. I'd expected rough, burned edges. Turns out, with the right settings, the edges were surprisingly clean. For packaging prototypes and paper crafts, it works beautifully.

"Never expected paper cutting to be that consistent. Turns out a CO2 laser at 30-40% power on medium speed does the job without igniting the material."

If you're doing paper laser cutting for packaging mockups or small runs, a CO2 system like the LS900 or LS100 is a no-brainer. The downside? You'll need good ventilation—paper smoke is real. (I really should have checked our exhaust capacity before installation.)

3. Can I cut Perspex (acrylic) with the same machine?

Yes, and that's actually a strength of CO2 lasers.

Perspex laser cutting—or acrylic cutting—is one of the most common applications for CO2 laser systems. The Gravotech LS series handles it well. I've cut clear acrylic sheets up to 10mm thick on our LS900 station. The edges come out polished and flame-polished naturally if the settings are dialed in.

Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront:

• Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded acrylic (extruded tends to crackle at the edges)
• Thicker sheets (over 6mm) need multiple passes or slower speeds
• Yellow acrylic gives off slightly more residue than clear

The risk was: I'd over-spec the laser thinking I needed more power. The upside was: the LS100 (60W) does the job for most of our sheet goods. We only needed the IS400 for the metal work.

Calculated the worst case: buying a 100W system we didn't need—extra $4,500. Best case: the 60W handles 90% of our needs. The expected value said go for the 60W, but I kept asking myself: is saving $4,500 worth potentially slowing down production on thicker material? I compromised by buying the 60W and committing to outsourcing anything over 12mm.

4. Is there a 'universal' laser cutter that does everything?

No, and thinking there is will cost you.

I learned this the hard way. When I searched for "CNC laser stations," I found the Gravotech CNC station IS400 and the M40 rotary. The IS400 is a fiber laser—great for metal marking and light cutting. The M40 is a CO2—great for non-metals. They're different machines for different jobs.

If you try to buy one machine to do everything, you'll end up with one that does nothing well. A CO2 laser cannot cut metal. A fiber laser can mark some non-metals but won't cut acrylic cleanly.

Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), claims about a product's capabilities must be truthful and not misleading. The vendors who claim one laser does it all? That's probably stretching the truth.

5. What about the Gravotech Marking SAS software?

You'll need it, and it's part of the value.

When I bought the Gravotech systems, the software came with it. Gravotech Marking SAS is the interface for designing and controlling the laser stations. It's not an afterthought—it's how you control things like power settings, speed, and material profiles.

I spent an afternoon creating custom profiles for our most common materials (paper, Perspex, leather, anodized aluminum). Once saved, switching between paper laser cutting and Perspex laser cutting is a 2-second change.

"The software eliminated the setup errors we used to have with manual settings. That saved our production team about 3 hours weekly."

If you're evaluating a system, check whether the software supports saving multiple material profiles. This is one of those details that makes a huge difference in daily workflow.

6. How much maintenance do these laser stations need?

Less than I expected, but here's what to budget for.

This was one of those questions I didn't know to ask until month three. Here's the honest answer based on running our IS400 and LS100 for 14 months:

• Lens cleaning: Every 2-4 weeks depending on usage
• Laser tube replacement (CO2): Every 2,000-3,000 hours ($400-600 each)
• Exhaust filter replacement: Every 3-6 months for light use
• Fiber laser diode: Rated for 50,000+ hours—basically never

The surprise wasn't the maintenance frequency. It was how much hidden value came with the Gravotech systems—revisions to material profiles, quality guarantees on replacement parts, and support response time under 4 hours. (I really should have factored this into my total cost analysis before I bought.)

7. Should I buy the Gravotech CNC station IS400 or the M40?

It depends on what you're cutting.

Here's the breakdown that helped me decide:

Get the IS400 (fiber laser) if:

• You need to mark or cut metal (steel, aluminum, brass, copper)
• You're doing serial numbers, barcodes, or logos on metal parts
• You work with plastics that require high contrast marking

Get the M40 or LS series (CO2 laser) if:

• You're cutting wood, acrylic (Perspex), paper, or leather
• You need larger work area (M40 has 24" x 12" vs IS400's 4" x 4")
• You're doing signage, packaging, or decorative items

I bought both—the IS400 for our metal marking line, and the LS100 for prototypes and packaging. Total cost was about $18,000. Had I bought one "universal" system at $14,000, I'd have ended up with something that couldn't do either job properly.

Part of me thinks we over-invested. Another part knows that having redundant capability saved us when the IS400 was down for firmware update. I compromise with this logic: the fiber laser does metal, the CO2 does everything else.

8. What's the one thing nobody tells first-time laser buyers?

Ventilation is not optional, and it's not trivial.

I spent weeks comparing laser specifications and prices. I spent zero hours thinking about where the smoke goes. Then on our first day of Perspex laser cutting, the workshop filled with a smell that our QA inspector described as "melted bus stop."

CO2 lasers produce smoke and fumes. Paper, wood, and acrylic all off-gas when cut. You need:

• An exhaust path to the outside (not just a filter)
• An air assist nozzle on the laser head (keeps material cool and clears debris)
• Fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires (I bought two)

According to USPS, standard envelope dimensions max out at 12" x 15" for large envelopes. That's a lot smaller than our laser work area (24" x 12" on the M40). But I digress—I've been reading too many dimensional specs lately.

The point is: budget for ventilation before you budget for the laser. A $3,000 exhaust system might feel expensive, but it beats having to stop production because you can't breathe.

If you're making the same decision I made—comparing CO2 vs fiber, wondering if a single machine can do everything—don't overthink it. Check what materials you actually run, buy the machine that does those well, and budget for ventilation. The rest is just settings.