Laser cutting is a precision thermal cutting process that utilizes a focused, high-power-density laser beam to cut materials. The core principle involves directing this concentrated light beam onto a workpiece, causing the material at the point of impact to rapidly melt, vaporize, or be ablated away.

An assist gas, typically coaxial with the laser beam, is used to blow the molten and vaporized material out of the kerf, resulting in a clean, high-quality cut edge. Due to its reliance on intense heat to separate material, laser cutting is classified as a thermal-based machining method.

Known for its exceptional accuracy, speed, and flexibility, laser cutting is widely used to process sheet metal and is a cornerstone technology in modern manufacturing industries such as automotive, aerospace, and electronics.