New Fiber Laser Cutter Now in Operation at Raumaster’s Sampaanala Workshop
In April 2026, a new laser cutter was commissioned at Raumaster’s Sampaanala workshop, replacing the plasma cutter previously in use. Fiber laser brings improved cutting accuracy and higher cost efficiency.
The long‑anticipated start‑up took place in April, when the laser cutter was put into operation. Designed for sheet metal cutting, fibre laser is used to produce cut parts for Raumaster’s in‑house production needs.
“We now have additional cutting capacity and can further improve quality. The accuracy of part manufacturing increases, which means less post‑processing. That also makes final assembly more efficient,” says Production Manager Jyri Tuominen.
Compared to plasma cutting, laser cutting offers approximately five times higher accuracy. It produces a more consistent cut quality at higher speeds, particularly in thinner material thicknesses.
“With plasma cutting, for example, producing holes was more challenging, and there were clear limitations on hole sizes relative to material thickness. With the fibre laser, those limitations are practically eliminated. We are now able to produce parts in a much more finished state already at the cutting stage,” Tuominen explains.
More efficient use of sheet material
The fibre laser cutter allows the use of different assist gases, including compressed air, oxygen and nitrogen, as well as combinations of these. Oxygen increases cutting performance through an exothermic reaction, while nitrogen does not react with the molten material in the same way as compressed air.
“In a thermal cutting process, the material partly vaporises and melts under the impact of the focused laser beam. The molten material is then blown out of the cutting kerf using the assist gas. Cutting with compressed air is the most cost‑effective option, while nitrogen provides the highest cut quality,” says Tuominen.
The fully enclosed machine significantly improves the management of dust and fumes. Part marking quality is also enhanced. One key element is the Metalix nesting software delivered with the machine, which is used to create cutting layouts.
“The new software makes the nesting process more efficient by automatically placing parts on sheets of the correct thickness. The sheet inventory function also improves the utilisation of remaining sheet pieces,” Tuominen adds.
New concrete floor for the workshop
The investment decision to acquire a fibre laser cutter was made in spring 2025. Following this, the specifications of the machine and its operational requirements were defined in more detail, and different suppliers were evaluated. The Steelburner Hyperion Q 6020 fibre laser proved to be the best match for Raumaster’s needs.
The new fibre laser replaces a plasma cutter that had been in use for approximately four years and was already relocated to Rauameister in November last year.
“We carried out major modifications in the workshop hall towards the end of the year. The old floor slab was removed and replaced with a new concrete floor that provides the rigidity required by the new machine and better meets its technical requirements,” Tuominen explains.
Installation took approximately one week, after which the machine supplier provided commissioning training. Additional time was also required for parameter optimisation and material‑specific fine‑tuning.
“The same two operators who previously ran the plasma cutter now operate the fibre laser cutter. One of them already has prior experience with laser cutting, which has supported the transition.”
