Laser Micromachining FAQs
These are the questions that actually slow down your RFQ—file formats, tolerance callouts, material certs, and lead times that suppliers quote but don’t mean. We answer them with the specificity you need to move from inquiry to first article without a DFM loop.
General & RFQ Process
What file formats do you accept for laser micromachining quotes?
We accept jpg,gif,pdf,etc,zip,png for geometry. For complex 3D features, a dimensioned PDF drawing with GD&T callouts is required alongside the CAD file.
For files over 20 MB, email directly to sales@lasermicrofab.com with your contact details and target quantity. Include material specification, thickness, and any cosmetic or hermeticity requirements to avoid back-and-forth.
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for prototype laser micromachining?
Prototype MOQ is 1 piece for most processes. Laser micromachining does not require hard tooling, so the setup cost is limited to program generation and fixture design. First-article runs of 5–10 units are common for process validation before production release.
At volumes below 50 units, laser cutting and drilling are typically more economical than etching or stamping because there is no phototool or die amortization. Above 1,000 units, evaluate whether roll-to-roll laser cutting or chemical etching becomes cost-competitive.
Do I need to provide a fully dimensioned drawing, or can you work from a CAD model?
The most common rejection reasons are:
- Aspect ratio ambiguity: A hole spec without taper or exit diameter is incomplete. Call out entry Ø, exit Ø or taper angle, and recast limit.
- Feature-to-thickness mismatch: A 20 µm slot in 1 mm stock is a 50:1 aspect ratio cutting problem, not a standard laser cut. Flag it for pre-quote review.
- Missing material cert requirement: Medical and aerospace jobs need mill heat numbers and composition certificates. State this in the RFQ, not after first article.
- Unclear cosmetic standard: “No burr” is unverifiable. Specify burr height limit (e.g., ≤ 5 µm) and inspection method (optical profilometry vs. visual).
What certifications does LaserMicroFab hold?
We operate under ISO 9001:2015 quality management. Medical device work is executed under client quality systems (ISO 13485) rather than corporate registration—this is disclosed upfront so you can audit the flow-down correctly.
For aerospace and automotive programs, we maintain process documentation and traceability protocols aligned with AS9100 and IATF 16949 requirements, even though corporate certification is not held.
Machining
What is the difference between laser micro cutting and laser micromachining?
Laser micro cutting refers specifically to through-cutting or profiling of sheet/film materials—creating outlines, slots, and apertures. Laser micromachining is the broader category that includes cutting, drilling, etching, welding, and surface structuring.
Cutting is a 2D-dominant process where kerf width, edge taper, and dross are the primary quality variables. Drilling and etching are 3D processes where wall geometry, recast, and HAZ matter more. If your part is a flat component with through-features, you need cutting. If it has blind cavities or 3D geometry, you need etching or drilling.
How does kerf width affect part yield in laser micro cutting?
Kerf width—the material removed by the laser beam—typically runs 10–30 µm for ultrafast systems and 20–50 µm for fiber lasers. In nested arrays (e.g., speaker grills or mesh filters), kerf consumes usable area and can distort the pattern if not compensated in the CAD layout.
We compensate kerf in the cutting path so the final part dimensions match your drawing, not the raw geometry. For high-density patterns, provide the finished part dimensions; we will back-calculate the cutting path with kerf compensation included.
Can laser micro cutting produce parts with no edge taper?
Zero taper is impossible, but near-zero taper (< 0.5° per side) is achievable with beam waist repositioning and multi-pass strategies on ultrafast systems. Standard fiber laser cutting produces 1–3° taper per side depending on material thickness and focal position.
For precision shims and optical slits where edge perpendicularity matters, specify taper as a drawing requirement. Without that callout, most suppliers will optimize for speed rather than geometry, and you will get 2–4° taper by default.
What is the largest part size you can laser micro cut?
Our precision cutting stations handle sheet sizes up to 300 mm × 300 mm with positioning accuracy of ±3 µm on linear stages with thermal compensation. For larger parts up to 600 mm × 400 mm, we use gantry systems with slightly relaxed positioning (±10 µm) but the same laser sources.
If your part exceeds 300 mm and holds sub-10 µm tolerances, the challenge is thermal drift across the field, not the laser itself. We address this with intermittent fiducial re-alignment during the cut sequence. Flag large-format tight-tolerance work in your RFQ so we can quote the correct platform.
Component-Specific Questions
What hole patterns work best for speaker grill acoustic performance?
Acoustic transparency depends on open area ratio (OAR), not just hole diameter. For most portable electronics, target OAR of 15–25% with hole diameters of 0.3–0.8 mm in 0.2–0.3 mm thick metal. Smaller holes increase backpressure and reduce low-frequency response.
Hexagonal arrays provide higher OAR than circular arrays at the same pitch, but circular holes are easier to deburr and finish. We can cut both patterns and provide sample plates with varying OAR for your acoustic lab to test before committing to production tooling. See our speaker grill design guide for full parameter tables.
How do I specify a mesh filter for fluid or particle separation?
Specify three parameters: mesh count (holes per linear inch), wire/foil thickness, and open area. For laser-cut mesh filters, we replace woven wire with perforated foil, which eliminates wire displacement and provides absolute dimensional stability.
Common specs: 100–400 mesh count in 25–50 µm stainless foil. Tolerance on hole diameter is ±5 µm; pitch tolerance is ±10 µm across a 50 mm field. For medical filtration, specify bubble point testing or particle retention validation—laser-cut mesh can be certified to ISO 16232 cleanliness standards upon request.
What is the thinnest precision shim you can manufacture?
Production-grade shims start at 5 µm in precious metals (gold, platinum) and 10 µm in stainless steel. Below 10 µm, handling becomes the constraint: foils wrinkle, tear, and build electrostatic charge that distorts positioning.
For precision shim stacks under DIN 988, we recommend laser cutting from laminated foil rather than individual sheets to preserve flatness. Shim sets with 10+ thickness grades can be cut from a single material batch to ensure thermal expansion consistency.
What defines a photolithography mask versus a standard metal stencil?
A photolithography mask is a patterned chrome-on-glass or metal foil substrate used to transfer geometric patterns onto wafers or PCBs via UV exposure. It requires edge definition under 1 µm and absolute positional accuracy across the full mask area—specs that standard SMT stencils do not approach.
Masks for non-critical layers (e.g., backside alignment marks) can be laser-cut in 50 µm stainless foil with ±2 µm tolerance. Chrome-on-glass masks for sub-micron features require e-beam or laser writing on specialized substrates and are not within our service scope. Send your feature size and substrate requirement for a feasibility check.
How are blackened slit plates different from standard optical slits?
Standard optical slits prioritize dimensional accuracy; blackened slit plates prioritize near-zero surface reflectance to eliminate stray light in spectrometers and optical benches. The blackening process (thermal oxide or chemical conversion) adds 1–3 µm per surface and can close slit width if not pre-compensated.
We cut slits at 23–24 µm to feed the oxide growth, then blacken and verify final width at 20 µm ±3 µm. The trade-off is reduced thermal conductivity—blackened surfaces do not dissipate heat, so high-power CW laser applications require unblackened gold-plated copper instead.
Quality & Inspection
What inspection data should I expect with a first-article report?
A complete first-article report (FAR) includes:
- Dimensional data: Optical CMM or vision system measurements on 100% of critical dimensions, not just a sampling.
- Surface finish: Ra/Rz values from optical profilometry or white-light interferometry, with traceable calibration dates.
- Cross-section evidence: For drilled or etched features, a metallographic cross-section showing recast layer, HAZ, and wall geometry. SEM images at 500×–2000× for critical features.
- Material certificate: Mill test report (MTR) with heat number, composition, and mechanical properties.
- Process parameter log: Laser power, pulse duration, repetition rate, assist gas, and fixture setup for the qualified lot.
Ask for Cpk calculation on at least 30 consecutive parts if you are qualifying for production release. A supplier who cannot produce this in 48 hours lacks the metrology infrastructure for production work.
How do you verify hole-to-hole consistency across an array?
Single-hole inspection is insufficient for arrays. We use full-array optical CMM scanning with micron resolution to map every hole’s position, diameter, and roundness relative to the part datum. The output is a color-coded deviation map that shows systematic drift (e.g., thermal expansion across the field) versus random variation.
For fluidic and optical arrays, hole-to-hole consistency often matters more than absolute diameter. Specify a maximum hole-to-hole variation (e.g., ±2 µm) in addition to the diameter tolerance. Without this, a supplier may meet the absolute spec while delivering an array with 5 µm spread that fails in your assembly.
What is the difference between Cpk and Ppk, and which should I request?
Cpk (process capability index) measures short-term variation using data from a single production run—typically 30–50 consecutive parts. It tells you whether the process is stable right now. Ppk (process performance index) uses data across multiple lots and captures long-term drift from material batch variation, tool wear, and environmental shifts.
Request Cpk ≥ 1.33 for first-article qualification. For annual production agreements, request Ppk ≥ 1.33 from three consecutive lots to confirm the process does not drift over time. A supplier quoting Cpk = 1.67 on a single 10-part run is not proving long-term capability.
Can you provide RoHS, REACH, and conflict minerals documentation?
Yes. All materials in our standard inventory (304/316L stainless, 6061 aluminum, titanium grades 1–5, nickel alloys) are accompanied by RoHS and REACH compliance declarations. For custom alloys or customer-supplied material, we require the supplier’s compliance certificate upstream.
Conflict minerals reporting (CMR) is available upon request for tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold content. We do not source raw materials from the DRC or adjoining countries.
Materials & Post-Process
Which metals are hardest to laser cut cleanly, and why?
Copper and aluminum are the most problematic at IR wavelengths (1064 nm) due to high reflectivity (>95% for copper, ~95% for aluminum). The beam energy bounces off the surface rather than coupling into the material, causing inconsistent cuts and excessive burr.
Solutions: Use green (532 nm) or UV (355 nm) wavelengths where absorptivity jumps to 40–65%. For copper foil, picosecond UV cold ablation eliminates melt burr entirely. For aluminum, optimize assist gas pressure (0.5–0.7 MPa nitrogen) and cutting speed. Always flag copper or aluminum jobs in your RFQ so we route them to the correct wavelength station.
Can you laser cut coated or plated materials without damaging the finish?
It depends on the coating type and thickness. Hard anodize on aluminum (10–25 µm) can be cut cleanly if the cutting path is programmed to break through the anodize first, then profile the substrate. Electroless nickel on steel cuts without issue because the nickel ablates at similar fluence to the base metal.
Organic coatings (PTFE, parylene, polyimide tape) are harder: the laser will vaporize the coating along the kerf line, leaving a bare edge. If the coating must remain intact up to the cut edge, specify a protective mask or plan for post-cut recoating. Send a material sample for cut-and-evaluate testing.
What post-process finishing options do you offer?
Available post-processes:
- Electropolishing: Reduces Ra 60–70% and removes micro-burr. Standard for SMT stencils and medical components.
- Passivation: Citric or nitric acid passivation per ASTM A967 for stainless steel corrosion resistance.
- Blackening / chemical conversion: For optical light-blocking applications. See blackened slit plates.
- Gold plating: Flash gold (0.05–0.1 µm) for solderability; heavy gold (1–3 µm) for high-power optical reflectance.
- Deburr and ultrasonic cleaning: Standard on all parts. ISO 16232 particle cleanliness available for medical and aerospace.
Not all finishes are compatible with all geometries. A 10 µm foil cannot be electropolished aggressively without dimensional loss. We will flag finish-part interactions during DFM review.
Cost & Lead Time
Why does laser micromachining cost more than chemical etching for simple parts?
For simple 2D geometries in high volume (>10,000 pieces), chemical etching is usually cheaper because the phototool amortizes across the batch. Laser micromachining wins when:
- Geometry is 3D or has tight tolerances (< ±25 µm)
- Volume is low enough that etching setup costs dominate
- Material is incompatible with etchant chemistry (e.g., certain titanium grades)
- No hazardous waste stream is acceptable (laser has 60–80% lower GWP than etching)
- Lead time is critical (laser: 1–3 days; etching: 1–2 weeks including phototool)
The break-even volume varies by part complexity. Upload your drawing for a process comparison quote covering both laser and etching with total cost of ownership analysis.
What is your standard lead time, and what accelerates it?
Standard lead times by process:
- Laser micro cutting: 2–5 business days for single-panel designs
- Laser micro drilling: 3–7 days (add 2 days for cross-section verification if required)
- Micro laser welding: 5–10 days (fixture design dominates)
- LDS (Laser Direct Structuring): 10–15 days including molding, laser activation, and plating
How do you handle international shipping and customs documentation?
We ship DAP (Delivered at Place) or EXW (Ex Works) from our facility in China. Standard courier is DHL/FedEx with full commercial invoice, packing list, and HS code classification. For precision metal parts, HS code 8309.90 is typical; for optical components, 9001.90.
Still have questions?
Our engineers review every inquiry personally. Upload your drawing for a free DFM review and feasibility assessment—quotes return within 24 hours.
Quote Process
For files larger than 20MB, please send to: sales@lasermicrofab.com with your contact information